Anyone recognize this swage set?

[Doc_Stihl]

Bought these at a local gun shops yearly clear out sale. Does anyone recognize them?

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[Utah Shooter]

I have to be honest I cannot see a thing in those photos.

[Bent Ramrod]

They look like Biehler and Astles dies. I can't read the numbers on the bottom of the die set, except for the number "2," which is probably the point former. They utilized the slot and screw method to hold the lock rings in place, rather than the set screw against the die holder threads. The ejector frame is definitely their design as well.

B&A were the first to use the "expand-up" principle in bullet swaging, where the core is expanded into the jacket and the jacketed core is expanded further in the point former. This ensured a tight core, as the jacket would spring back slightly while the core would maintain its swaged dimensions.

Bullets from B&A dies held many benchrest records, and a good set is still quite a treasure today. What is the caliber?

[GerryM]

That is a B&A die set' TOP quality" Made in the 50s or early 60s
It is a 6S ogive partial set . One die is missing from the photos
From what I can see theirs the core swage die and one other, cant tell if it's the point die or the core seater die.
IF the die has a small knock out pin its a point die {the most important of the 3.

[Doc_Stihl]

Bent Ramrod and GerryM, many thanks for the info!

The die marked 22 - 6 does have a small knock out pin. I'll check the other die at lunch to see if it's a core seat or core swage. I thought it was a core seat, but I'll check for a bleeder hole.
It's 22 caliber.
The punch holder has me stumped. I'm missing the punch holding nut and the fixture that would hold that though the ram is custom and appears to match.

I found a pdf scan of the instructions and that helped. WOW, do I wish I could order a set at the 1950 era prices in the instructions....

I bought these at a local gun shops used stuff clear out sale and they only run the sale once a year. I just contacted them to see if I could get access to the misc junk boxes to see if I can find the other pieces.

Anyone put a ballpark value on the incomplete set I have along with the press/ejector setup?

[midnight]

I believe 2 B&A dies just sold on E-Bay for $431. I think they were a core swage & a core seat. Didn't see a point form. I almost bought them but wasn't quick enough. I was especially curious about the core swage die. B&A made some of them with a slightly tapered portion to better fit tapered jackets and try to eliminate the thin air film patches sometimes seen between the jacket & core. Check the cores it makes to see if the ends are different diameters.

Bob

[Doc_Stihl]

I checked at lunch and the 2nd die is a core swage. Has squirt holes. I would check for core swage taper but unfortunately I don't have the stem for that die. I'm hoping that the shop will get back to me and I can go pick through the stuff this weekend.

[ratboy]

i have a complete set of B&A dies. i can take pics if you need them to help you find the rest of the pieces.

[Doc_Stihl]

that would be great ratboy if you could. Pics of the ram and locking nuts in particular would be great.

[ratboy]

i have a squirt die and core seat die for real 22 jackets and rimfire jackets.
the non knurled punch holder is for the B&A dies for the ejector to clamp to. i am not sure where the knurled punch holder is from.
the short die is the derim die. the longest punch is for it.
they make quite good pointy bullets that are possibly more accurate than store bought(but i do not have any empirical evidence so that is speculation)
as for the ram, i made a simple plain ram with a threaded end for the punch holders.
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i expect you will want more pictures. just let me know

[ratboy]

the info i have read stated that the punch holders could be custom made based on customer needs so your setup may be a variant.
i am to understand it is best if the punch is able to float in the punch holder.
my set found it way to me because the owner did not know what they were.
they came with a rcbs point die and a additional point die of another design which i have still not actually used.

[ratboy]

85171

[Doc_Stihl]

That's fantastic ratboy. I'll study the pictures some more tonight and compare with what I have. I'm sure I'll have more questions.

It looks like your knurled punch holder might be what I have in my ram. Though I have no female threads in mine.

I believe I'm only missing a punch for the squirt die, a core seating die and punch, and some method to hold the punches away from match grade bullets.

I suspect that if I had a core seat die I'd have the 30lbs of .22lr jackets that I have saved in the SS pins tumbling....

[ratboy]

I suspect that if I had a core seat die I'd have the 30lbs of .22lr jackets that I have saved in the SS pins tumbling....

use caution as this is what leads to unnecessary firearm acquisitions in various 22 calibers.
you might want to start with a larger safe.

;)

[Doc_Stihl]

I already have that strange disease that causes me to buy dies/molds/gear for calibers that I don't have....which in turn makes me buy new guns.

I shoot to support my reloading habit.

[mold maker]

I bought a mold for a strange (to me) caliber last week. My excuse was to cast lead for swaging in larger caliber JHP bullets.
Who knows though, I might find a rifle to shoot them in.
I thought everybody did it that way.