Modifying dies for a progressive press?

[zubrato]

Hi guys, had a question and I'm wondering what my options are.

I have a set of Pacific Durachrome dies in 357 Magnum I really like, but I find they're pretty sensitive to seating SWC boolits, and sizing even on a single stage press. I'd love to chamfer the mouth of the dies, but they're chrome plated.
Should I just trade them for a more "modern" set of dies, or would I be able to contact Hornady to modify the dies?

There really is no "chamfer" on the dies to speak of, so this would be a pretty great improvement.
Real shame, as I think the dies are very high quality and great to use!

Out of curiosity, what modifications have you all made to reloading dies to improve function on a progressive style press?

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

You might want to think on getting a Lee Classic Turret press and use them on there. Produce 200-300 rounds in about an hour if you set it up for priming/powder/auto-advance on the press. Excellent ammo, done inexpensively and you won't have to modify your dies. I had one, fully tuned it, made beautiful ammo with it, but then sold it to a guy that was tight on money so he could have a good press. He's been real happy with it and I still miss it.

[ReloaderFred]

Just buy another set of dies. I pick them up cheap off of ebay, gunshows, trades, etc. I have multiple sets of dies on most of the calibers I load for (31 calibers at present), since I find that some dies do some tasks better than others.

For instance, one company's sizing die may do a better job, but another company's seating die is better, and yet another company's crimping die may be better, so my complete set that I use the most may have dies from three different companies. The other dies aren't wasted, since I find other tasks for them in most instances. I'm a firm believer in having the right tool to do the job, and very seldom do I find one brand that does it all best.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[C.F.Plinker]

A dremel with a green silicon carbide grindstone will do the job. Go slow if you are doing it freehand.

When I got my Dillon 300 I had the same problem that you are having. My problem was a little different than yours because I had carbide dies. One of the guys in the gun club worked in a machine shop and said to bring it over along with the grindstones. I picked up a pack of them, called to let him know when I would be there, and headed over. When I got there he said to follow him, led me over to one of the lathes, chucked the die in the lathe, put the grindstone in a dremel he had in the tool rest, and did the chamfering in less than two minutes. He said that the lathe was overkill since it could be done freehand easily, but since the lathe was there he might as well use it. I left the rest of the package of grindstones with him in case he needed them for other "government" projects. I am using the die to this day.

[LUBEDUDE]

Currently Dillon dies are chamfered and set up to take apart without removal for cleaning; made especially for progressives.

[skeettx]

+1 on the Dremel tool, I made up a tool post holder for my Atlas 6" and put the Dremel tool in it and the die in the chuck and went to town, SWEET

[EDG]

Tell someone with a lathe and a carbide tool what you want and he can cut the chamfer right through the plating.
You may like the dies but there is nothing special about them.

If you don't want to modify them get a set that are chamfered or buy a duplicate die and have it chamfered. A carbide tool will cut almost any die except another piece of carbide.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

A thought just occured to me before you do anything: Try them like they are and see if they work. If your progressive's indexing is adjusted pretty well, you may not need to do anything to get them to work.