Pacific Dies

[snoopy]

Picked up a set in 38/357 from a friend, since there were no instructions I'm not quite sure how to set them up. I'm new to reloading, so I have to read the instructions on my lee sets everytime I set up. Can I use the lee instructions to get in the ballpark, then adjust, or are there specific procedures for these. I could probably google it, but I'd rather ask. Thanks

[richhodg66]

Those old Pacific Durachrome dies are good, I have several sets.

Dies all work basically the same way. Screw the sizer/deprimer die into your press with the presses ram extended to the top until the die makes firm contact with your shell holder. Set the lock ring on the die. Adjust the depriming stem down until the depriming pin extends far enough down to dislodge the primer when you run a case into it. Because these are old dies, I assume they are steel and not carbide, so you will have to lube cases or you WILL get a stuck case.

Next is your expander die and it won't have the powder through expander die like the Lee dies (A feature I like about Lee dies). Again, extend the ram to the top of the presses' stroke and screw the die in until it almost touches the shell holder, the screw the stem for the expander ball out almost all the way. Run a case in the die and while it is at the top of the stroke, screw the expander stem in until it makes contact with the case mouth. At that point, back the case out and screw the expander stem in about a half turn and then run the case in again. Remove the case and check how much the case mouth is belled. Repeat this as necessary until you have it belled enough to where the bullets you use will just begin to seat easily without shaving lead. Once you have it adjusted, set the lock rings on the die.

For your seater die, put a sized, belled, primed and charged case into the shell holder and extend the ram to the top. Screw the die in until you feel the crimping shoulder make contact with the case mouth. At that point, I usually screw the seater stem in most of the way and then put a bellet in the sized, deprimed, belled and chaged case and begin running it into the die a little at a time, looking at it each time the ram coes down until I get the bullet to the seating depth I want (easy with a cartrdige like the .38 Special as most revolver bullets will have a crimp groove on them, seat til the case mouth is on that groove). Once you get the seating depth where you want it, you'll want to adjust the crimp. Back the seating stem way back out so it won't make contact with the bullet while you do this or you will seat your bullets deeper while you crimp. Turn the die in (usually about a third of a turn will do it) and run the case with the seated bullet in until you feel the crimping shoulder in the die crimp the loaded round. Take the cartridge out and inspect it. In my opinion, you don't need much crimp in most loads, usually only in really heavy lads that are likely to recoil a lot.

Once your crimp is where you want it, set the lock rind on the die and run the finished case into the die, all the way to the top of the presses' stroke, then screw the seater stem down until it makes contact with the bulet in the loaded round and set the lock ring on the stem. Now your bullet seating depth is set along with your crimp.

After all this, your dies are adjusted and ready to go and can stay that way unless you want to switch to a different style of bullet or change the crimp.

Many guys like to seat and crimp in two seperate stages and that;s fine, but it means more time and having to adjust dies every time.

Obviously, at the appropriate times during this preocess, you will have to prime and charge cases so you need some kind of priming tool (your press should have one, I like the little Lee hand held ones) and a powder measuer which I assume you have,

By the way, the older Hornady manuals have a section on what I just described with pictures. The dies in the pictures in mine are the old Pacific dies, at some point, Hornady bought out Pacific. I don't have a scanner or I'd scan the pages. Maybe they're on the web somewhere.

Good luck, I think you'll figure it out pretty fast. Ask questions as you go.

[Rusty W]

I have a set in 45 colt and in 30/30. I like them better than Lee, Lyman or RCBS in the 45 colt. The sizer neck sizes & doesn't size the rest of the body as much as the other brands. A plus for me cause I have a couple fat chamber Rugers. They aren't carbide & the other brands are so that may have something to do with it. They wouldn't work on my LNL. It deprimes/xpands on the 2nd step. I cured that by taking the decapping rod out of the 30/30 set I have and put it in the 45 colt size die. Then I took the pin out of the 45 colt xpander and just use it to expand/bell the case mouth. I tired to scan a copy for you but they are wrinkled up from being in the box for who knows how long & won't lay flat. Maybe you can print it & it'll come out better.
75473

[Rusty W]

Another try..
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj51/RWoolever/Pacific3diesetup_zps40adfbc4.jpg (http://s269.photobucket.com/user/RWoolever/media/Pacific3diesetup_zps40adfbc4.jpg.html)
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj51/RWoolever/Pacificdieparts_zps5848bf61.jpg (http://s269.photobucket.com/user/RWoolever/media/Pacificdieparts_zps5848bf61.jpg.html)

[richhodg66]

I have a set of these in .38 but haven't used them since I git a carbide set of RCBS. I forgot the sizer dies only sized and that the depriming stem was part of the expander die. Thanks for correcting it, I probably had him confused.

I have several sets of rifle dies, in fact, my .30-06 die set, the one I have probably used more than any others over the years, is a set of Pacific Durachrome. I like them.

[snoopy]

Thanks everyone, a friend gave them to me along with a couple of shotshell presses and some kind of Dillon turret press set up for 9mm. I've just been using my lee challenger and lee loader so far, but been having a lot of fun. I really do need to get a printer though, lol.

[Char-Gar]

Pacific invented the modern reloading die as we know it. Just about every other make is a clone or derivation of this basic design. They all set up just about the same way.

1. Run the sizing die down until it contacts the top of the shell holder with enough extra for there to be a little snap when the shell holder is in full contact. This will remove the slack from the press linkage and give the proper headspace for the sized case.

2. Run the seating die down on a sized case in the shell holder with the press ram at it's max heights. When the die stops, that means the crimp ring in the die is in contact with the case mouth. Back off the die about 1/4 turn and lock the ring. Back off the seating stem and seat your bullets to the designed length.

3. If you desire to crimp the case, back off the seating stem, turn the die down until you have the desired crimp and then set the seating stem back down on top of the bullet and lock everything down.

Odd and weird dies like the Lee Collet play by different rules. Follow the instructions.