310/Tru-Line Jr/tong tool ?

[mazo kid]

Besides my bench top presses, I have a Tru-Line Jr bench press that a friend gave me, also several 310 and Ideal tong tools. My question is: are the die numbers interchangeable between those tools? I have several 310 die sets and also a box of several miscellaneous dies that I would like to put a "name" to. I know the thread size is the same on all those tools. Any help will certainly be appreciated. Thanks.

[uscra112]

Yes, the dies work in either tool.

You can buy an adaptor from Midway the will let you use RCBS shellholders in the True Line press.

[Green Frog]

Besides my bench top presses, I have a Tru-Line Jr bench press that a friend gave me, also several 310 and Ideal tong tools. My question is: are the die numbers interchangeable between those tools? I have several 310 die sets and also a box of several miscellaneous dies that I would like to put a "name" to. I know the thread size is the same on all those tools. Any help will certainly be appreciated. Thanks.

The answer to your question, MK, is that they use the same code numbers (while they were being used) and are sort of interchangeable. By this I mean that some of the dies may not have enough depth, or may have too much depth when moved from one tool to the other. For instance, I am currently using a seating die from a .32 S&W Long from a 310 set in my TruLine Jr press, but that doesn't always work! ;-)

As for "naming" those numbered dies, there is a guide to those in CastPics, or you can drop me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll send you an updated electronic copy. :coffeecom

Froggie

[mazo kid]

Yes, the dies work in either tool.
You can buy an adaptor from Midway the will let you use RCBS shellholders in the True Line press.

Thanks, that's good to know!

[mazo kid]

Green Frog, thanks for your help. I've noticed that some of those misc. dies don't have numbers so will probably just have to wing it. I see where some of the dies might be a problem in the TruLine Jr. press.

[Pavogrande]

A chart is an absolute neccessity, and even with it you will get confused with priming die and handle adapter numbers. Some of the others are mite confusing as well - some dies are numbered some marked by caliber -- Lots of sport.

[Green Frog]

In many of the 310 tool sets, there was a "universal" decapping tool, which came in short, medium or long. They were unmarked, but their use is pretty obvious. The primer seating dies were not used on the TL Jr, of course, but they can be used side-by-side to "hand prime" if one so desired. 'Most everything else was usually marked with either a code or the caliber (except some expander dies whose bullet diameter is usually marked on the top of the expanding plug. Does it sound like I've spent a lot of time fooling around with this system? ;)

Froggie

[ktw]

The other commonly found 310 dies with no markings are the bases for the Lyman 55 powder measures. There were two sizes which varied in the internal dimension. Neither of them is internally threaded. Some of them have a divot on the outside on the top half for the Lyman 55 tightening screw, but not all of them.

-ktw

[scrapcan]

You might also see the decapping die not marked. pretty easy to tell what that die is for.

[floodgate]

The early (ca. 1947 - 55) 310 decapping dies also came with two sizes of retaining nuts for the decapping pins. The larger ones won't go into the mouths of .22 - .25 caliber cases. They soon fixed this, so they fit all cases. Later dies with caliber stamp and "FL" somewhere in the code line are for the later, compound-link Tru-Line Jr.; they won't work in the 310 tool, since there is not enough travel, and are rough on the earlier straight-link T-L Jrs due to their poorer leverage. The "CMR" dies (combining muzzle-resizing, decapping and - for bottlenecked cases - case-mouth expanding) may or may not work in the 310s, depending on case length and configuration. The whole subject can get VERY confusing!

floodgate

[Rafe Covington]

Not trying to hijack this thread but have a question, will standard dies work in a 310 reloading tool????????

Rafe:drinks:

[Tim357]

nope but you can get adapters to use 310 dies in a bench press

[HeavyMetal]

Several source's do make new Turrets to use 7/8x14 dies in the tru line Jr I have a 6 hole turret and was veery happy with it when I switched it out for the stock Turret!

[Green Frog]

Not trying to hijack this thread but have a question, will standard dies work in a 310 reloading tool????????

Rafe:drinks:

The answer to your question is no. The size of the "spigot" on the tong tool is too close to the size (7/8 X 14) of the dies for this to work. I have seen pictures of a larger tong tool, perhaps by Modern Bond Co., that seemed like a 310 tool on steroids and that was supposed to take a modern, full size die, but I have never had one in my hands. :-?Maybe Jeremy or Ken or one of the other folks who have wider knowledge of the classic old stuff will chime in here. :coffeecom

Froggie

[Green Frog]

Several source's do make new Turrets to use 7/8x14 dies in the tru line Jr I have a 6 hole turret and was veery happy with it when I switched it out for the stock Turret!

Doesn't that little TL Jr get a little top heavy with 6 dies, 7/8" X 14 tpi, all crowded on top of it? It sounds to me like the poor little thing would be overloaded before you even put the stress on it of actually pulling the lever on a cartridge case! :roll:

Froggie

[Rafe Covington]

Thanks for info guys.

Rafe