Who made "GHS" dies.....?? Help save some great old dies!

[3006guns]

I have a set of 7.7mm Japanese dies, probably dating from the sixties with an oxide black or blued finish and marked "GHS" on top of each die along with the caliber. Now, I LIKE these dies....they're smooth and do the job well. Or did anyway......as luck would have it, a Japanese military case got mixed in with my regular Boxer primed brass with the inevitable result. The entire threaded decapping rod bent. I managed to get it out of the die body and tried to straighten it but no go, as the decapping pin isn't centered. By the way, the expander threads on to the tip and squeezes the slotted end, holding the decapping pin, ala RCBS.

Okay I thought, I'll just substitute an RCBS rod instead and swap the expanders. Nope, the GHS rod is 3/16 x 32 tpi....smaller. I haven't measured the expander threads but they might be coarser....say 3/16 x 24. If I can identify the maker at least I'll know what to search for, as my only other alternative is to modify the die top nut to accept a different rod. For right now I'd like to find an original rod if possible.

So, who made "GHS" brand dies? Anyone know?

[Bruntson]

Wow GHS...... I believe they were a very small shop that made dies in the early 1960. Their output was very limited. Can you have a machinist make you a new rod? If you search this sight you may find a member that has one or two of these dies that you can salvage the rod out of.

[3006guns]

Ah.......thanks Bruntson, I suspected as much! Fortunately, I have machine tools in the shop and I'm not afraid to use 'em. Looks like I'll be fabricating a replacement.

These dies really are a work of art. Even after all these years (and God knows how much use), they look good and do a beautiful job on the brass!

[RogerDat]

good that you will be able to both keep it working and appreciate the value of a quality equipment.

[Wayne Smith]

More than once I have replaced a broken/bent pin with a snipped off piece of a brad. Works well - I still have one that I haven't yet replaced the brad with a 'real' pin.

[3006guns]

More than once I have replaced a broken/bent pin with a snipped off piece of a brad. Works well - I still have one that I haven't yet replaced the brad with a 'real' pin.

Well, that would work except this is the entire threaded rod that got bent....not just the pin. However.....

UPDATE, UPDATE! I found a set of ancient RCBS dies that used the same size rod! The 3/16 x 32tpi rod must have been an early standard for dies and RCBS upgraded to a 1/4" rod at sometime. I think I'll call RCBS and see if they can supply one of the older rods, then install it in the GHS die.

I won't tell if you don't! :)

[EDG]

That thread is more accurately called 10-32 and in the modern form is .190-32.
Yes it is close to 3/16 but it is not derived from any fraction.

To get to #10

0 = Ought = .060
1 = .013 +.06 = .073
2 = 2x.013 + .06 = .086
and so on until
10 = 10X.013 + .06 = .190


Well, that would work except this is the entire threaded rod that got bent....not just the pin. However.....

UPDATE, UPDATE! I found a set of ancient RCBS dies that used the same size rod! The 3/16 x 32tpi rod must have been an early standard for dies and RCBS upgraded to a 1/4" rod at sometime. I think I'll call RCBS and see if they can supply one of the older rods, then install it in the GHS die.

I won't tell if you don't! :)

[j4570]

Im pretty sure that 22 cal rcbs dies stil use a 10-32 spindle.