Which Top Punch to use?

[max range]

So I picked up a used Lyman mold: 257418 Of course Lyman no longer makes it nor the top punch which, according to my research, was #418.

I do not currently have a lathe so which top punch would you guys in the "CB Brain Trust" recommend that I use?

[dromia]

Just make your own by stuffing some kitchen foil held in place with a dab of lube into a suitably diametered top punch.

A more permanent arrangement can be made using epoxy or hot glue.

I believe both Buckshot and the Perfessor supply kits for making epoxy top punches with blank punches of suitable diameters. Do a search for the "how-to" on this.

[Bret4207]

Dromia has given you the right advice. You can get by for now with a makeshift rig, but if you find you really like the mould then have a TP made or do the epoxy thing.

FYI- the 418 I had shot great in a 25/35 Savage 99 despite the very worn barrel.

[462]

I'm not a paid spokesman, but I am a satisfied customer of theperfessor.

[theperfessor]

See my sig line. I can put one in the mail to you in 1 day. Email if you're interested.

[sig2009]

I'm not a paid spokesman, but I am a satisfied customer of theperfessor.

Just got another one from Keith yesterday and did the JB Weld thing again. Perfect as always and another custom made 40 S&W top punch!

[Reload3006]

See my sig line. I can put one in the mail to you in 1 day. Email if you're interested.

how much would you charge for a top punch on a lyman .. for the Lee TC 124 9mm .356

[theperfessor]

They are all same price for SAECO screw-in type nose punches or Lyman/RCBS 17/64" diameter straight stem nose punches. $8.50 for cup nose that you fill with epoxy or hot melt glue and mold to the nose of your bullet. Email me at:

Keiththeperfessor@gmail.com

I'll send you some information back as attachments. I can't send them to you via a pm here and I don't have a way to post them anywhere.

[gwpercle]

You can also use plumbers epoxy putty to custom fit a nose punch. I have also used the epoxy putty sold in automotive stores used to seal gas tank leaks from punctures/ small holes. I clean the nose punch cavity with denatured alcohol and put a small ball of mixed putty into the nose cavity, take a bullet , use Johnsons Paste Wax as a release agent on it , and press it into the cavity . If any excess putty oozes out remove it . Then seperate bullet from punch, install punch in sizer, clean bullet and put on another coat of wax/release agent , place bullet into resizing die and gently lower handle so nose punch is pressed onto nose of bullet and force bullet down into die about half way. Don't put any pressure on the lube pump. Let it set overnight after that that punch is a perfect fit to that boolit.
I altered a 45 acp round nose punch to semi-wadcutter about 25 years ago and I'm still using it. Back then 45 acp bullet seating dies came with RN seating stems and I used this method to change it to semi-wadcutter also.
What I like about the putty is it doesn't run or drip while hardening, stays put.

[beagle]

That's a hard one for sure and pretty hard to do the way these guys are telling you to try as I have that bullet and a TP for it. The 418 is a pointy little thing for sure. I'd contact Lyman's customer service and see if in fact, they might have one in old stock.

Another source you might try is:

Biff's Gun World in Louisville, KY 502-937-1996

Now, this is a candy store for us bullet casters and they have the old Lyman orange boxes of seating screws, top punches and die parts that you can find outdated parts in. I scratched through them and found a #450 that I was hunting. There were also two 358009 DC moulds NIB on the shelf that are now residing with myself and Jumptrap.

There were a couple of #418s there several years ago but I can't guarentee they'll be there now./beagle

[stubshaft]

I usually use the epoxy method of making a custom punch. If I sell the mold or just want to change the boolit I'm sizing then a quick hit with a propane torch will burn the epoxy out and I re-do the punch for the next design boolit.