Wonderwolf .375 H&H dies

[wonderwolf]

I spent about 6 months researching and planning these, what you see below is the jacket making die (for 9mm and .38spl cases), A completed core uniform die and 2 of the 3 parts for the core seat die. Next is the top punch to the core seat die and finally the Point form die parts. The biggest learning curve has just been making my own reamers. http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/wonderwolf223/DSC01240.jpg

The goal is just a utilitarian die set for .375 H&H jacketed bullets. These have some blems on them just because they are prototypes.

[Bigslug]

Well, your timing is perfect for corrupting me. I just started construction of an M1917 in .375 H&H Ackley (:happy dance:), and am thinking about learning how to swage bullets based on fired .223 cases. I'd be grateful if you could show your system in action.

[wonderwolf]

Well, your timing is perfect for corrupting me. I just started construction of an M1917 in .375 H&H Ackley (:happy dance:), and am thinking about learning how to swage bullets based on fired .223 cases. I'd be grateful if you could show your system in action.

I don't have a system really. These are just reversed engineered corbin dies. But I will be sure to post pics when these are all done and I have some projectiles.....After ALL THAT then I see how they shoot....why do we do this to ourselves? The .223 i think would make great round nose bullets...the 1st reamer I made for the point form is for a round nose bullet that should be for light 9mm jackets and the .223 jackets as well.

[BT Sniper]

Nice work.

Love the 1917!

The .375 from 223 is a good one! I made acouple dies myself. Haven't done much with them sence but that .375 bullet looks pretty darn good!


here is one pictured next to a .243
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/243and375001.jpg

[Bigslug]

SLICK!

BT, what's the weight of that .375 bullet in your pic? (and the .243, for that matter)

[BT Sniper]

I would have to find the bullets...... actualy it may be quicker for me to find the thread..... Stand by one!

Here is the thread I started way back when on the bullets pictured above. Looks like 280 grains and 85 grains for the bullets.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=112681

This thread has some AWESOME pics of 375 bullets made from 9mm, 38spc and 357 cases.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=126148

BT

[BT Sniper]

Be sure and post some pics of that 1917 as well! I have severial myself and might need to rebarrel one :)

BT

[Bigslug]

Posting photos has been the bane of my existence on another forum, and the rifle is probably going to be the work of a couple years, but I'll see what I can do.

Those slugs of yours look AWESOME! Have you contemplated a swaging operation that rolls the now-rebated rim of the .223 into a true boat tail? What with it's reputation as a short range slayer of cape buffalo, one tends to forget that the .375 H&H closely mimics the trajectory of the .30-06. Not saying I want to mount a 4.5-14 on mine and shoot it in F-class matches, but the reach is there if you want it.

EDIT: PM Sent to BT

[DukeInFlorida]

CAPE Buffalo??


Have never seen one of those in Maine. Not even at a zoo.
Oh, wait..... we don't have a zoo.

Not sure I would ever need a gun like that.

[wonderwolf]

I dunno about the rest but I just like the .375 H&H because it really is a "all around" cartridge kind of like the 30-06 but more so. I like shooting it but the molds I have for it are few and I like shooting jacketed bullets and wanted to learn. I did see BT snipers .375 bullet thread awhile back and that at least showed me it could be done and approximately what the bullets of what weights would look like. I have a few point form dies in mind That one with the long ogive BT pictured will be the next one I do.

[Bigslug]

OK. . .a few more naive novice questions, based on possibly incorrect assumptions.

If one were to get started doing this .375's-from-.223's process on a converted reloading press (i.e., a Rockchucker), what are you guys doing for the cores?

Perhaps I'm incorrect in my interpretations, but the impression I get is that core-extruding is the main bottleneck against use of a standard press for swaging for bigger caliber items. Am I correct in that BT's process is pretty much geared around dropping in a pre-fabbed lump of lead, like a molded bullet?

I kinda understand how weight control would be accomplished with great precision on a core-extrusion die - set a lock ring at the appropriate spot to limit depth of the squeeze - but how do you deal with excess lead on a drop-in core?

[Reload3006]

there are two ways to deal with core swage. You can as you allude to swage a cylendar of lead in a dedicated core swage die. Or you can turn your core seat punch into a bleed punch and swage and core seat at the same time. I swage .375 diameter cores in my rockchucker for 44 caliber bullets its not really that bad. If your looking to make say a .300 or so diameter core to be seated in a 375 jacket it shouldnt be that bad on your rockchucker.

[Bigslug]

Or you can turn your core seat punch into a bleed punch and swage and core seat at the same time.

This sounds. . .efficient, but how the heck is it accomplished? As I understand conventional core swaging, you've got a ram at the bottom, an ejector rod at the top, and a bleed hole out the side. The "sprue" from the bleed hole gets chopped off during the ejection stroke.

But how is the bleed-off dealt with on a seating stroke? :veryconfu

[Reload3006]

assuming that you are using a reloading press to swage seat your cores the center of your seating punch would blead off the lead. It would just squirt out the bottom of the punch. then break off when you lowered your ram. If you have a swage press like RCE or Corbin then it is better in a separate operation.

[63 Shiloh]

Nice work indeed Wonderwolf !

I am struggling with sizing 9mm cases down to .366"/ 9.3 at the moment. I have made a die from 4140 and a punch to push the 9mm case through base first. Using a Redding Big Boss press.

Trouble is, I cannot get the 9mm case to size down, it just won't exit the top of the die. I am annealing the brass first yet I cannot get the case to size down, just too hard to get it through.

Are you using two dies to get down to .375"? Is expecting a 9mm case to pass through a .365" die too big of a step?


Mike

[BT Sniper]

Nice work indeed Wonderwolf !

I am struggling with sizing 9mm cases down to .366"/ 9.3 at the moment. I have made a die from 4140 and a punch to push the 9mm case through base first. Using a Redding Big Boss press.

Trouble is, I cannot get the 9mm case to size down, it just won't exit the top of the die. I am annealing the brass first yet I cannot get the case to size down, just too hard to get it through.

Are you using two dies to get down to .375"? Is expecting a 9mm case to pass through a .365" die too big of a step?


Mike

You should be able to do it! Even with the redding big boss press. Try backing your die out to utilize just the last little bit of movment of the ram at the top of the stroke, that is the most leverage in the press of course. Then go a little at a time.

You need to make sure that case is "FULLY" annealed too. Apply direct flame to the base of the 9mm till it glows.

Do you have a 9mm taper crimp die? I have been able to push a standard (annealed) 9mm all the way threw the 9mm TC die and it comes out .360. I would think that would be a perfect starting point for the .366 bullets.

BT

[MIBULLETS]

I have reduced 9mm cases directly to .358 using my Corbin S Press and die.

Bt's suggestions are right on with the annealing and die adjustment.

[wonderwolf]

Nice work indeed Wonderwolf !

I am struggling with sizing 9mm cases down to .366"/ 9.3 at the moment. I have made a die from 4140 and a punch to push the 9mm case through base first. Using a Redding Big Boss press.

Trouble is, I cannot get the 9mm case to size down, it just won't exit the top of the die. I am annealing the brass first yet I cannot get the case to size down, just too hard to get it through.

Are you using two dies to get down to .375"? Is expecting a 9mm case to pass through a .365" die too big of a step?


Mike

As mentioned before there is a "power zone" in the press you'll need to adjust the die out until you find it. The work gets a lot easier once you find it

I'm using one die to reduce it down to just under .375 the cases have a bit of spring left in them even after the anneal process so you have to pass them through say a .372" die to get them to stay around .374"

[wonderwolf]

3 of 4 dies are done now, Still debating weather or not to have these 0-1 dies heat treated or not with light oil, not sure how that would affect the surface finish. Last die now is the Point form die.....still learning how to make the D reamers and once I get a shape I like I'll start making the point form dies.

[wonderwolf]

Point form die reamer is heat treated and ground, now the fun begins attempt #1 at a point form die.

[Wayne Smith]

Annealing - I found when annealing 40 brass with a torch that if you place the open case down (web end up) and then anneal it works a lot better. No heat sink under the web.

[wonderwolf]

Annealing - I found when annealing 40 brass with a torch that if you place the open case down (web end up) and then anneal it works a lot better. No heat sink under the web.

I have a old toaster oven modified a little bit as a mass heat treat annealing oven...Can do a lot of .22 in one go. Just did some .223 cases tonight in it as I finally got the point form die done for my .375 die set but realized I'll need to make a lot more D bits and point forms for the bullet styles I want to try.

I burned up one D bit reamer after I failed to realize it didn't have a cutting pilot designed into it that was smaller than the lead hole for the ejection punch. The 2nd one I made worked perfect but the nose is a slow taper almost looks like what the privi .375 bullets look like. We'll see how they work, still need to make something for the cores my core form die drops them at .314....

After the .375 die set is done I have a order for a guy to make a single die for .38 wadcutters with a skirt...and then a 2 die set for 50-140