BONANZA die ?

[David Turner]

This question is probably for only you older guys as the Forster website no longer even lists handgun caliber dies (only rifle). An e-mail to their technical dept. has gone down a black hole.

I have a die marked"BONANZA 44 CARBO FLS L. It has a carbide insert that you can see and I think it is a 44 Mag/44 Special full length sizing die. It has a hole in the top that is threaded (female threads) and I am wondering if originally it was provided with a decapper pin and an expander section to bell the brass mouth for ease of bullet insertion. Anyone know?

David Turner
Plymouth, MI.

[ReloaderFred]

David,

They were made with a decapping stem to punch out the primer when the case is sized.

You can't have an expander/belling stem in a sizing die, since the belled case mouth would be straightened back out when you withdrew the case from the die.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[David Turner]

Thanks Fred; that's what I thought

Guess I didn't have my brain in gear when I asked whether it had an expander section! Of course learning all this reloader "stuff" has given me a headache occasionally.

David Turner
Plymouth, MI.

[ReloaderFred]

David,

If you check the thread size, you may find a decapping stem from another brand that will work in your die. I don't remember what size the Bonanza dies used, but I'm betting you can restore your die.

Don't feel bad. I've been reloading since 1963 and load for 31 calibers, and I'm still learning..........

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Pressman]

David, those are real Bonnanza dies, before Forster took them over.
Ken

[David Turner]

Thanks guys and Fred, you were correct. The bushing out of a RCBS decapping die has the same 7/16" X 20 UNF thread as the BONANZA. That allows use of a RCBS decapping stem that mates with the internal thread of the RCBS bushing.

Great!

David Turner
Plymouth, MI.

[ReloaderFred]

Glad it worked out, David. I've got several dies that contain parts from other manufacturers. The dies don't seem to mind at all............

Fred