Lance Boyle
03-15-2012, 08:03 PM
Ok, I got a box of reloading tools at what I thought is a pretty good price. The main item in the box I wanted was a RCBS lube a matic as wanted to get into casting for the .357 and the Krag.
I am cleaning the old iron up (got a old rock chucker too that's super tight) There is an 80 on the bottom of the lube reservoir plug, 1980 vintage?)
Anyhow one of the first things I wanted to do is to see what top punch and die I got in the deal, one set was installed and no extras. Die is a .429 and a .421 top punch. I'm guess a .44 mag set up for the orig owner.
Since I haven't used it yet and have never used this style (watched a Star in operation) I am confused on how the freshly sized and lubed bullet gets out of the die. The tail on my die seems fixed and I don't see how it would pop the bullet out.
Is it supposed to fixed or is it a wedged piston? From the inside it looks fixed, from the outside it looks like a shaft/piston due to a seam where the piston would go through the main die body.
Seems like some ads for RCBS lube a matic dies look like they have that tail and some look more uniformly cylindrical. Is there a die style difference between lube a matic and lube a matic 2?
Halp halp!
I am cleaning the old iron up (got a old rock chucker too that's super tight) There is an 80 on the bottom of the lube reservoir plug, 1980 vintage?)
Anyhow one of the first things I wanted to do is to see what top punch and die I got in the deal, one set was installed and no extras. Die is a .429 and a .421 top punch. I'm guess a .44 mag set up for the orig owner.
Since I haven't used it yet and have never used this style (watched a Star in operation) I am confused on how the freshly sized and lubed bullet gets out of the die. The tail on my die seems fixed and I don't see how it would pop the bullet out.
Is it supposed to fixed or is it a wedged piston? From the inside it looks fixed, from the outside it looks like a shaft/piston due to a seam where the piston would go through the main die body.
Seems like some ads for RCBS lube a matic dies look like they have that tail and some look more uniformly cylindrical. Is there a die style difference between lube a matic and lube a matic 2?
Halp halp!