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Thread: I just noticed something interesting...

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy HTRN's Avatar
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    I just noticed something interesting...

    I was on Magma Engineering's website the other day and they had some blurb about the Star on their front page, but what got my attention about was the line "Sizing dies are available from .218 through .585" Is this true or just a mistake? I was always under the impression that the Stars were limited to .512 or so..

    Can anybody shed some light on this?


    HTRN
    There's nothing scarier than a Machinist with a warped imagination!

  2. #2
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    Buckshot's Avatar
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    ...............Hmmmmmmmm!? The Star die has a .750" body diameter that is interupted by a rebated section where the lube holes go.



    At .585" the .750" section has a wall thickness of .0825". One eigth inch is .125". This is a die body I made and do not recall the rebate OD.

    The Lyman die body is .700 (give or take a thou) and I know there are musket shooters who have opened Lyman dies to .580" and that's a .0600" thick wall. Pretty thin but they're HB Minie's generally of pure lead. If the dies were hardened they might crack, I dunno. The Stars would be a bit thinner I'd think unless they delete the rebated waist, or don't go as deep.

    I made a Lyman .518" die for a guy with a 50-70 and the 30* angle at teh bottom was a narrow thing to be sure.

    ......................Buckshot
    Father Grand Caster watches over you my brother. Go now and pour yourself a hot one. May the Sacred Silver Stream be with you always

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  3. #3
    Boolit Master



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    I'm with Buckshot on that one. It's gonna make for a pretty thin die. I would not wan't to be the one pushing those size bullets thru a star- especially if they are hard. Not sure the handle could take it. I stick to ww .452 dia on mine.

    Beau
    At one with the gun.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy HTRN's Avatar
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    See for yourself.

    The reason I ask is because I've been thinking about building a real thumper, a .550 Magnum(Basically a .460 Weatherby blown straight). Jacketed bullets for this size are, to put it mildly, expensive, thus making the idea of shooting cast mighty appealing. Now I know Mountain Molds will make single cavities that big, but my cornundrum was, how do you size and lube 'em?

    If seems like it is possible to make a die large enough, but perhaps modifying the default pattern, like making the necked down portion smaller, and only wide enough for the ports.. I have some D2 about so I may make the die myself and heat treat it to maximum strength(IIRC that's around Rc 40 or so, havta double check).

    The other option is to design and build a new sizer, something I really don't want to do.


    HTRN
    There's nothing scarier than a Machinist with a warped imagination!

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    HTRN
    Pan lube and make a push through sizer to fit your press - If you take out the die bushing on some of the RCBS or Lee Classic or others you should be able to make as big a die as you want, shy of light artillery that is. Of course what you are proposing comes awfully close.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy HTRN's Avatar
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    I have a Redding UltraMag - without the die insert it's 1.25"x12 - I guess that perhaps this is the best idea. Anybody have a photo of press die so I have a starting point for a design?

    And the .550 project isn't "light artillery", It's a "chiropracters special" - 9K ft/lbs will do that. As for real "light artillery" I've been seriously considering Building a 4 bore dropping block - NEI sells a 3500 grain mold, and Kreiger sells barrels. Might be fun to build as mini arty piece. Best part is, It doesn't require any NFA paperwork as a 4 bore has a "sporting use" exemption. With Cast boolits, and surplus powder, it would even be fairly cheap to shoot.

    Sigh. Once again the term "Too many projects, not enough money" rears it's ugly head.


    HTRN
    Last edited by HTRN; 05-28-2006 at 06:35 PM.
    There's nothing scarier than a Machinist with a warped imagination!

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Use one of the Lee sizers as an example, just "super size it"

  8. #8
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    ...............HTRN, for a push through die body all you need as a basic one is a piece of 1-1/4" HRS. Mystery metal works just fine in this application! It should be about 2" long. Bore one end 1/8" over your boolit's diameter, 1/2" deep. Reverse it and drill then bore to within a thou and a half or so of finish diameter.

    If you have a taper reamer (probably #9 or #10) ream, or bore in the taper to a 1-1/4 depth. Then hone the remaining 1/4" wide sizing portion inside the die body to your desired ID. While you're honing that, it will somewhat break the edge formed by the angle into the sizing area the reamer made.

    After it's done cut some threads into it so you can use it in your press and make a pushrod to fit the ram to push the boolits through.

    ................Buckshot
    Father Grand Caster watches over you my brother. Go now and pour yourself a hot one. May the Sacred Silver Stream be with you always

    Proud former Shooters.Com Cast Bullet alumnus and plank owner.

    "The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."

    Shrink the State End the Fed Balance the budget Make a profit Leave an inheritance

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy HTRN's Avatar
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    Buckshot, thanks!


    HTRN
    There's nothing scarier than a Machinist with a warped imagination!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check