Lee FCD measurement needed.....

[geargnasher]

I'm looking for the inside dimension of the carbide post-sizer ring inside the .45 ACP die. The purpose here is to see if I can use one to "bulge bust" a bunch of factory .270 and .30-'06 brass I have that was fired in typical sloppy chambers, thus having more swell near the head on one side than the other. FL sizing and fireforming won't remove it since the case can't go into the die far enough to make the rim and head concentric with the body of the case again.

Would someone who has a Lee .45 ACP FCD with an intact ring mind measuring and telling me how big it is?

TIA,

Gear

[1bluehorse]

If I understand the question correctly, I pulled the decapping pin from a Hornady 45 acp sizer die and measured the opening with a pin gauge. Measures .461....I don't have a LCFCD in 45acp but the 45 colt measures .476...maybe some help..

[jcwit]

The ID of the carbide ring on my 45 ACP FCD Micks at .470. Hope this helps.

SAAMI Specs call for the neck dia. to be .4732.

http://www.saami.org/PubResources/CC_Drawings/Pistol/45%20Automatic.pdf

[geargnasher]

Thanks guys, I need it to be .468" minimum, preferably .467" to use as a push-through base sizer. I have one but promptly knocked out the ring so I could use it with .453" boolits.

Gear

[1bluehorse]

Gear, if you kept the carbide sizer ring you can reinstall it....the more I think about it, I believe a guy needs a lathe. Even one of those little ones could be mighty handy I'm thinkin..

[jimkim]

IDK what mine measures at, but a finished round measures 0.4725" at the casemouth. You could just buy a used 45 acp sizing die on eBay and drill the top out. My Hornady New Dimension die sizes my cases to 0.4662".

Another idea would be to buy a push-through die and ream or polish it to your desired diameter. You can do that one yourself.

[jcwit]

Thanks guys, I need it to be .468" minimum, preferably .467" to use as a push-through base sizer. I have one but promptly knocked out the ring so I could use it with .453" boolits.

Gear

Here is the SAAMI specs for the 30/06 round

http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2010/06/basics-resizing-case-dimension-changes.html

If I was using my 45 acp FCD the difference only comes out to .0002, doubt you'd ever notice.

I'm using the measurements at the base of the case, further up would be corrected by a normal full length sizing die of course.

[jcwit]

Thanks guys, I need it to be .468" minimum, preferably .467" to use as a push-through base sizer. I have one but promptly knocked out the ring so I could use it with .453" boolits.

Gear

Just another note. How are you going to use it as a push thru die at .468 or .467 as the rim diameter is to be .470 per specs?

[geargnasher]

AHHHH! Now you're beginning to see! Get off the SAAMI -spec kick for a minute and come over here the the real world at my reloading bench. First, I didn't tell you, but it's not .30-'06 or .270 Win. that I'm loading for, it's 7mm-08. I'm reforming '06-class brass for the .308-class round, for a specific reason not related to the head end of the case. The brass I'm picking up has a rim dimension of .467-8" (mic'd, not a drawing reference) and is swelled to about .470 right where the 7mm-08 sizing die stops. The bulge remains, and the rims are eccentric to the case body after sizing, by about .004-5", which doesn't make it easy to build concentric ammo. Running the part of the head that can't get touched by the regular sizing die through a good carbide squeezer would sure straighten them up, and a little fireforming shim would make them concentric gain and I wouldn't have to fool with it ever again, since I'm just neck-sizing these.

The whole problem here is chambers are cut to the max spec and factory ammo made to the minimum, so the brass takes a beating during that first firing as a factory load in Bubba Joe's deer rifle, where he's not taking any measures to center the case in the chamber. If I were using NEW brass I could fireform it properly from the beginning, but right now I'm too cheap to not use the hundreds of range pickup .270 I have.

The .45 ACP sizer might be the ticket, I'll have to check that out.

Gear

[jcwit]

Well Boy O Boy am I ever sorry I checked the source that the ammo companies make their brass to. Didn't actually think or realize I was on a "kick", just gleaning info from the experts.

I'll will bow out as its obvious I'm in a completely different world.

[geargnasher]

Well Boy O Boy am I ever sorry I checked the source that the ammo companies make their brass to. Didn't actually think or realize I was on a "kick", just gleaning info from the experts.

I'll will bow out as its obvious I'm in a completely different world.

Hey, I appreciate the effort, but you have to realize that quoting book specs over and over doesn't do me a damn bit of good here, and you were practically arguing with me that my idea wouldn't work because the standard spec said the rim wouldn't pass the die. But the brass on my bench is .002-3" below the MAX SAAMI brass spec (the specs you see are max, minus .002", chamber drawings are minimum, plus .002"), and the heads are only bulged to barely max spec.

You gave me what I needed with the FCD ring measurement, so THANK YOU for taking time to do that and saving me twelve bucks on a die that won't work for what I wanted.

Gear

[jcwit]

Hey, I appreciate the effort, but you have to realize that quoting book specs over and over doesn't do me a damn bit of good here

Over and Over, how so? I quoted specs for 45 ACP once! I quoted specs for 30/06 once!

How is that over and over, please explain?


and you were practically arguing with me that my idea wouldn't work because the standard spec said the rim wouldn't pass the die.

My question as to how a case that is supposed to have a diameter of .470 is supposed to fit thru a die with an ID of .468 or .467 is an argument? Somehow I fail to understand your logic as to what constitutes an argument!

My earlier statement
If I was using my 45 acp FCD the difference only comes out to .0002, doubt you'd ever notice.

I'm using the measurements at the base of the case, further up would be corrected by a normal full length sizing die of course.

should seem to believe I agree with what you wished to do!

Do as you wish as I'm sure you will anyway.

[r1kk1]

Gear I think it will work.

http://www.magmaengineering.com/PDF/CASEMASTER_JR_INSTRUCTIONS_complete.pdf

If you scroll down the manual you will see that they use a 45 acp die to do what you want plus more.

You may have found a cheaper solution to the problem!

Take care

r1kk1

[geargnasher]

Gear I think it will work.

http://www.magmaengineering.com/PDF/CASEMASTER_JR_INSTRUCTIONS_complete.pdf

If you scroll down the manual you will see that they use a 45 acp die to do what you want plus more.

You may have found a cheaper solution to the problem!

Take care

r1kk1

I think you're right, they refer to .467-8" for the sizing die. I'll just have to find one that works and whack the top off of it (or drill out as JimKim mentioned). I can always use a punch from my Lee push-through .457 bullet sizer set.

Gear

[r1kk1]

How about a push through sizer die? Like the Lee Bulge Buster? I could even see one of their custom bullet sizers used. A lot of options. I don't own any pistol FCDs or Bulge Buster dies. Tons of custom bullet sizers but not in that size. Have smaller and bigger but nothing you need. Please keep us posted on how it works out. There is a solution without breaking the bank.

Take care

r1kk1

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The brass I'm picking up has a rim dimension of .467-8" (mic'd, not a drawing reference) and is swelled to about .470 right where the 7mm-08 sizing die stops.

The .45 ACP sizer might be the ticket, I'll have to check that out. Gear

Gear,
I measured my Lee 45 ACP carbide case sizer die using a dial caliper, .467" and Yeah, I know how inaccurate that probably is.

I also have some once fired brass 270 win range pickups. with my 1" mic they measure .466" on rim, .467" on web area, and a swelled .470" above the web. SO, I tried to insert the case, rim first into my 45 acp die with decap pin removed. The rim goes in easy, the web catches on the carbide. So I think my measure with the dial caliper is real close.
I hope this helps.
Jon


PS. my Lee FCD for 45 acp measures .470" with dial calipers (and the bulged area of the 1x 270 case varified this...I also have 45 colt, it measures .478")

[geargnasher]

Thanks Jon, I was getting the same thing from my Lee carbide sizer. The FCD ring is long gone, had to crack it to get it out of the die anyway. I think I have an extra sizer die in my junk drawer, I'll pull it out later and see about making it a push-through.

I used the Lee bullet sizers to make .308 brass in to .35 Remington and it really stretched the dies, they aren't made for that kind of serious workout, that's why I was after something like a carbide sizer.

I'll post when I get it sorted out.

Gear