Finnished my first point form die!

[blaser.306]

I have been threatening to do it. This past week I finally put my mind to it and cut a reamer for .358" rifle and single shot pistol bullets! The die ejects perfectly and they emerge from the mouth at a uniform .3583" I couldn't be happier for my first real run at producing my own from scratch. The reamer is a 3 flute that I cut on the mill and it was made to .354" diameter so very little was actually left to lapp out after hardening and tempering back. Both are made from 0-1 ( I would like to find a couple feet of 0-6 ) . The reamer cut this material like nothing. The Jacket , was a Hornady 200 GR. I had laying around and as it turns up was undersize? The 2 lead slugs are to show before and after. Now I am cutting a stepped reamer to draw 38 super brass down for 250 gr .358" lead tip slugs for my 35 whelen. Let the games begin.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Barclay, that looks great! Great job!

I have been kicking around the idea of getting a set of 35 cal swage dies for pistol.

Have you got a core seat die made up yet? I would think that would be easier than the PF die.

[blaser.306]

Barclay, that looks great! Great job!

I have been kicking around the idea of getting a set of 35 cal swage dies for pistol.

Have you got a core seat die made up yet? I would think that would be easier than the PF die.

The core seat and bleed die were the last thing on my mind! As was written by Ted Smith in his booklet on making dies, if you cant make the point form die . There is no need for the others!!!

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Right! Very true!

What kind of press are you using?

You told me before but I forgot.

[blaser.306]

My press is a Corbin CSP-I 5/8-24 tpi in the ram. And the dies I am making are 1" diameter, the same size as "s" series dies.

[GrayTech]

That's awesome! Excuse my ignorance, but how do you get the bullets out of the die after?

[GrayTech]

That's awesome! Excuse my ignorance, but how do you get the bullets out of the die after?
If you use an ejector pin does it damage the point?

[tiger762]

It *can*. While setting up the point form die, you might overdo it and start to extrude lead up into the space where the ejection wire sits. Instead of a flat point, the bullet will have a sort of Pinocchio nose. I have not seen a mass-produced die that didn't really on piano wire to eject, so there will always be at least some diameter meplat.


If you use an ejector pin does it damage the point?

[Cane_man]

Great Job :drinks::drinks::drinks: those look fantastic!!!!!

[rolltide]

It *can*. While setting up the point form die, you might overdo it and start to extrude lead up into the space where the ejection wire sits. Instead of a flat point, the bullet will have a sort of Pinocchio nose. I have not seen a mass-produced die that didn't really on piano wire to eject, so there will always be at least some diameter meplat.

For finishing the bullet tip to a fine point, you can use the very precise (and pricey) bullet pointing system with inserts for different calibers and point profiles from Pacific Tool and Gauge. You can see one at the link below.
http://shop.pacifictoolandgauge.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=310_67&products_id=2038

Or you can buy an extra, caliber specific, tip forming die from RCE, Richard calls it the "Lead Tip Die" for an extra $156.00.
You may consult the price list below.
http://rceco.com/MN.asp?pg=metalbullets

Or you can use the Dave Corbin bullet tip insert here:
http://www.swagedies.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CBST&Product_Code=PF-1-ST&Category_Code=SPECIALTY

There is always a way to do/make anything, it just requires a little (or a lot) of extra money, or a little (or a lot) extra time to make another die.

Personally, I just shoot mine the way Blaser swaged his (just like they come out of the point form die). I think he did a great job on this 358 rifle bullet. I just got a small lathe, and just reaming and polishing a core swage and core seating die and cutting the punches will be quite the accomplishment for me. I just don't have Blaser's skills or equipment, so I will probably just buy a reamer from U.P.North and try to ream and finish a point form die one day a long way in the future.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?232816-Reamer-Blanks-and-Laps-for-Point-Form-Dies

[HGS]

Nice job Blaser.306

Its great to see a persons finished project.

HGS

[customcutter]

Great job. I've been busy with the core die and still working on the core seat die. I've had to put that down to make cores, smelt some lead, and a few other medical issues. Hope to be back at the core seat die soon.

Again great job on the die and reamer. How did you shape the reamer, before milling on the mill??? There's been a lot of threads on cutting vs grinding on the lathe??? Did you polish to final dimension with a commercial bullet??? or make a polishing reamer also???

thanks,
CC

[blaser.306]

Great job. I've been busy with the core die and still working on the core seat die. I've had to put that down to make cores, smelt some lead, and a few other medical issues. Hope to be back at the core seat die soon.

Again great job on the die and reamer. How did you shape the reamer, before milling on the mill??? There's been a lot of threads on cutting vs grinding on the lathe??? Did you polish to final dimension with a commercial bullet??? or make a polishing reamer also???

thanks,
CC
I did all the final shaping on the lathe , then transferred over to the milling machine set up with the 5c collet spin indexer. The flutes were cut 120* apart. hardened and then relieved and final honed with file stones. The lapps were cut on the lathe as well from 3/8" solid 360 brass stock. Then the final polish was done with 8000 grit diamond paste on a JUMBO Q Tip lubricated with varsol. Made for a very nice mirror finnish. I may go a couple grades finer in the future , but for now I want to get my core swage , core seat and case/ jacket draw die done so I can make some bullets for my whelen ( if the warm weather comes )

[customcutter]

The jacket die is the easiest to make. I ordered a 3/16" drill bushing from Grainger, 1/2"OD X 1" long with a flange on it to keep it from being pushed through the die. Make your 7/8" die with a press fit 1/2" hole and insert the drill bushing, if it's loose like mine then insert with JB weld. You'll need to take a tapered dremel stone and dress the mouth of the drill bushing slightly or it has a tendency to push the rim off of the case when using it.