Need help identifying what these are?

[bedbugbilly]

Can anyone fill me in on what these 5 different threaded end “stems” are or what they go to?

I purchased a “lot” of reloading stuff from a fellow on fleabay (I wanted the dies). These “stems” were in with the lot. When they arrived in the box, a RCBS #2 shell holder was screwed on to the end of one of them. I don’t know if it “belonged” on it or if the threads matched and the guy screwed it on for some reason.

Off hand . . . these remind me of the push stems similar to the ones used on the Lee push through sizing dies – but threaded on the ends.. However, with the threaded ends, they would either have to screw in to the end of the ram or an adapter? The unthreaded ends are finish nicely and square to the shaft and appear to have been high quality when new. They show a little age but would be fully functional.

Dimensions of the 5 stems – taken with digital calipers - running top to bottom . . .

O.D. .297 O.A.L. 3.15
O.D. .348 O.A.L. 2.92
O.D. .393 O.A.L. 3.00
O.D. .445 O.A.L. 3.27
O.D. .497 O.A.L. 3.42

The O.D. of the threads measures approx.. .380 with my digital calipers so 3/8” fine threads????

I have no idea if these went with an old obsolete press or sizing die. And I have no idea if they were commercially made or something that someone made up in their own shop?

Any ideas? I’m hoping someone will recognize them. Thanks!

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

They might be base punches for swaging. Can you screw them in from the top of the shell holder?

[BrianL]

Case trimmer stems for use with a Lee trim arbor? The space at the bottom would allow the pilot?

[bedbugbilly]

No - they can't be screwed in to the shell holder from the top.

I also thought about the possibility of somehow being used in case trimming but I'm not that familiar with the various case trimmers. The tops of the stems (opposite the threaded ends) are finished pretty well so it leads me to think that they were used to "push".

Looking at the O.D. of them - I suppose the .297 is close to a 30 cal., the .348 to a 38/357, the .393 to a 40 cal., the .445 to a 45 cal. and the .497 to a 50 cal. (50-70?) ????

They have me stumped so hopefully someone will recognize them?

Thanks!

[SODAPOPMG]

if the stud will screw in far enough to lock the case into the shellholder they might be used for case polishing by spinning the case in a drill

[1989toddm]

if the stud will screw in far enough to lock the case into the shellholder they might be used for case polishing by spinning the case in a drill

Then why the different OD's?

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

My guess is the original owner had a threaded ram and made these base punches for either bullet sizing or swaging. A simple piece of threaded rod could be used to screw in the ram and then screw the shellholder into that. This way thr press could be used for sizing/swaging or reloading. I bet there are more threaded shell holders somewhere LOL. Just my guess. Maybe I am over thinking it.

[bedbugbilly]

I was able to get in touch with the fellow I bought the reloading "lot" form to see if he knew what these went to. His reply was that he was hoping I could tell him as he didn't have a clue either.

Maybe these will go down as one of the "unsolved mysteries"! :-)

[texassako]

I think you have them threaded together wrong way around. It appears that someone threaded the #2 shell holder to hold the punches, and the #2 was like the bottom of the Lee punches to fit it to the ram. I think it is for a push through sizer. There is probably some 7/8-14" all thread or bolt dies out there with corresponding holes in them.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

He stated the threaded rods can't be threaded in from the top of the shell holder.

[OverMax]

Custom built Bohemian new-fangled reloading pressure rods.

[bedbugbilly]

OverMax . . . LOL . . . you may be right on that!

I at first thought the same thing texassake . . . but they can't be threaded in to the shell holder from the top side. I would imagine though that as well made as these are, if customer made, they guy who did it was fully capable of turning out an adapter to be placed in a ram like a shell holder.

I'll just throw 'em in with my misc. reloading things. They might come in handy if I ever have a customer push through sizer made as it would be easy enough to take an old shell holder and drill and tap it all the way through so they would screw in from the top side.

[tomon]

Some kind of jury rigged shell holder to use a vintage monster Herters press, Truline Jr., or other one of a kind press, maybe?

[Johnny_Cyclone]

Something to hold the case while you lead dip anneal, or to hold while rotating the case in front of a propane torch?

Just handles for various tapped shell holders. some maybe missing?

slide case in. invert over hot lead pot. dip. count to (your choice here) remove from pot. rotate side ways and roll till case falls free. (no burned mittens that way). Slide in another case repeat.

like a home brew version of this little thang.
Just using what bar stock he had on hand at the time, and getting a bit artistic with later versions.. lol

133580


That's just my 2cent guess :)

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

These look to be made specifically for a certain application. Notice they all have the same diameter shoulder above the threads? At least it looks that way from the pic. If they were used merely as a holder why the different diameters and why take the time to machine the shoulders?

[waltherboy4040]

I could be totally wrong, but maybe they were made for that old herters primer pocket swage die. A rod was adjusted to support the brass if I remember correctly.

[varmintpopper]

Here is My 2
Possibly they were used in a "bullet pulling" application.

Good Shooting

Lindy

[Janoosh]

Perhaps we're looking at it wrong. Perhaps they are push thru rods for sizing dies and they are developed to be used with the shell holder inverted. And attached to another piece.
Just my wild donkey guess.

[fguffey]

I went through my Herter catalog, nothing. If they were hollow they would be identical to a drop tube. I checked the primer pocket swage, there was a mention of the anvil/rod but the rod(s) were not included in the picture.

F. Guffey

[mold maker]

I followed those 3 lots with the same curiosity. Just not enough to bid.
Glad you needed the rest of the mystery purchase.

[Silverboolit]

It appears that the shellholder has been machined to fit the stems. The stems do not thread into the shellholder, but do they fit into the hole from the top?? It looks that all of the stems have the same machined size next to the threaded end? Maybe the shellholder has the wrong threads cut? Maybe measure the machined areas and the hole in the shellholder, see if they are the same? I love a good mystery..

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

So the shellholder threads may be a mistake...never even thought about that!

[bedbugbilly]

Well . . . I sure appreciate all the help and suggestions on these! It appears that they have probably been machined up by someone for some special purpose but we may never know for what.

The odd thing is that the shell holder is threaded from the bottom - almost all the way through but not quite. Perhaps a job in progress that just got dropped?

Anyway . . . i had a tap the correct size so I ran it through all the way from the bottom - evidently a bottoming tap had been used but with a regular taper tap, I was able to thread it all the say though without much effort - a little tight to begin with but it got accomplished. Now, these stems thread in from the top and the shoulder on the stems seats nicely against the shell holder. The shell holder fits in to my RCBS JR2 press just fine. I use Lee push through sizers, which of course come with a stem - but these will make a good "back up" to have to clutter up my reloading chest in case I ever need them.

The "reloading gods" must have been looking down on me when I purchased this lot off of flea bay. It consisted of these stems and shell holder, 4 various dies and two of the older Lyman/Ideal shell "resizes" that you use a big hammer with. :-) I can use all the dies for some of my reloading, the shell resizes are for calibers I hope to add in a bit (plus I like the older Ideal stuff). So, I lucked out and got a lot of things I can actually utilize. It's fun to take a chance and buy an "unknown" once in a while - you might get stung or you might end up with some things that cause you to think how you can use 'em.

Thanks to all for you help on this - greatly appreciated and with the change I made to the shell holder, they probably will get some use along the way!