Interesting Aspect of Forster F.L. Die

[enfieldphile]

I disassembled a Forster .308 F.L. to give it a good cleaning.

The expander ball is threaded to the shaft. The interesting part is the expander ball is tapered on one side. But the tapered side was installed facing down! Now, I suppose that was done in the event a case w/ a dented case neck was put in the die.

It makes more sense (to me @ least) that the taper should be facing up. In this way the taper will gently guide the expander into the neck as it passes through when the case is drawn down and over the expander.

In any event, I reversed the expander ball. It now faces up.

I always lube the inside of case necks w/ Gardner GB Wire Pulling Lube as well as the outside of the cases. I first discovered GB as a case lube around 1995 and never looked back.

[462]

Hornady New Dimension expander buttons are tapered on both ends -- a better design for better function.

[DLCTEX]

Lee expanders are tapered on both ends with the down stroke being a long taper.

[EDG]

Now they are after decades of making millions that everyone already owns.


Lee expanders are tapered on both ends with the down stroke being a long taper.

[dromia]

I think expander balls are an abomination and remove them from my sizing dies regardless of make.

[Dryball]

dromia, seems like that would quicken reloading but then again, doesn't that force you to have to expand your case mouths?

[Doc Highwall]

This is why I like Redding dies with the bushings, you and size the case neck in .001" increments just by changing the bushing. This means no more over worked case necks allowing better accuracy.

[462]

I think expander balls are an abomination and remove them from my sizing dies regardless of make.

Agreed. I only use them for sizing new brass, otherwise Lee's collet neck sizing die and Lyman's M-die are used.

[fguffey]

In the beginning there was not a lot of tapper. RCBS has a cut-off date as in before and after. Before dies can be updated with a tapered expander. Expander on the top and not on the bottom? Full length sizing to minimum length, the cases were fired, with the expanded neck the sizing plug did not touch or expand the neck until the ram was lowered.

The need for expander change was necessary to necking cases up. Without the tapper too much effort is required, the case shortens and the primer punch/sizer plug assembly takes a beating.

F. Guffey

[dromia]

dromia, seems like that would quicken reloading but then again, doesn't that force you to have to expand your case mouths?


Yes it does but with cast I still need to expand the case mouth even if I'd used the expander ball so the expander doesn't save me a step but it does save over working the neck and causing deformation. I mainly neck size with the Lee collet, suitably fettled, and neck expand with Lyman M style spuds usually made to my specification by Buckshot. I still use this process with condom bullets as it give far better, controlled and even neck tension than those damned expander plugs do.

[Firebricker]

dromia, That is a good idea I never thought of taking out the expander ball when I am going to use an M die anyway. Thanks,FB

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Dromia, good info , and I concur that your method works to keep brass from being over worked...Jim