"M" Die for 300 BO ?

[Motor]

Guys. Which "M" die are you using for 300 BO? Is it the "30 caliber short" or is the 30 carbine a better choice?
Thanks,

Motor

[popper]

Go with NOE & Lee flare housing. Wish Al would make 1/2 thou. sizes. There is a M size list in the stickys, it needs the short housing.

[RP]

I use the lee universal expander die has two different tips that cover just about everything you will need.

[r1kk1]

I use the lee universal expander die has two different tips that cover just about everything you will need.

It is not an expanding die. It is a flaring die.

I use one to flare the case mouth on a 40 cal wildcat I'm loading.

To the OP, CH4D and buckshot on this forum can make you any size M plug expander you want. I have tapered expanders for neckinng various cartridges from parent brass.

Take care

r1kk1

[Motor]

Go with NOE & Lee flare housing. Wish Al would make 1/2 thou. sizes. There is a M size list in the stickys, it needs the short housing.

Is the short housing and carbine housing the same length? I don't understand why there is a special one for the carbine. Could it be that the expander is different for the carbine. That would actually make sense.

Motor

[Motor]

It is not an expanding die. It is a flaring die.

I use one to flare the case mouth on a 40 cal wildcat I'm loading.

To the OP, CH4D and buckshot on this forum can make you any size M plug expander you want. I have tapered expanders for neckinng various cartridges from parent brass.

Take care

r1kk1

It's amazing how so many confuse mouth flaring with neck expanding. What's even more amazing is how many people load cast bullets into necks that were expanded for jacketed bullets. Yeah I know many times you can get away with it but. ......

Motor

[SSGOldfart]

Try a pair of needle nose works great

[Hamish]

It is not an expanding die. It is a flaring die.

I use one to flare the case mouth on a 40 cal wildcat I'm loading.

To the OP, CH4D and buckshot on this forum can make you any size M plug expander you want. I have tapered expanders for neckinng various cartridges from parent brass.

Take care

r1kk1

Buckshot is said to have retired. I personally use the NOE die spuds and like them very much.

[Motor]

Try a pair of needle nose works great

Really? So how do they expand the neck diameter?

Motor

[Moonie]

I use NOE expanders.

[35remington]

Motor, the expander in the full length or neck die does the expanding.

Most caliber specific M dies you buy expand for jacketed bullet diameter, not cast bullet diameter. One of the most pervasive cast bullet myths is that the M dies you buy from Lyman in most calibers are "different" in diameter than the expander in full length dies and open the case neck to a larger diameter.

They do not.

So the mention of the addition of a flaring die is appropriate as an addition to the full length die expander. You're doing pretty much the same thing.

[Motor]

I use NOE expanders.

I already have the M expander. Which die body to use?

Will a Lyman expander fit the Lee stem?

I see the NOE expander fits the Lee. I don't need a "universal" mouth flare tool but if the Lee tool is less expensive than a Lyman body and the expander will fit the stem I may go for it.

Motor

[35remington]

Short pistol length body.

Lyman is threaded. Lee is loose plugs, no thread. Not interchangeable.

Until you get the flaring tool needle nose do work.

[montana_charlie]

Motor, the expander in the full length or neck die does the expanding.

Most caliber specific M dies you buy expand for jacketed bullet diameter, not cast bullet diameter. One of the most pervasive cast bullet myths is that the M dies you buy from Lyman in most calibers are "different" in diameter than the expander in full length dies and open the case neck to a larger diameter.

They do not.

So the mention of the addition of a flaring die is appropriate as an addition to the full length die expander. You're doing pretty much the same thing.
If you need an 'M die' for a specific pair of diameters (one diameter for bullet grip, and one for neck flare) you can find a wide selection of expander plugs at Buffalo Arms.
Most of their plugs are threaded for Lyman and RCBS dies, with a few for Redding.
http://www.buffaloarms.com/custom_expanders_pr-4035.aspx

[35remington]

That is where buyers should go when cast bullet diameter exceeds jacketed bullet diameter rather than buying the generic Lyman M die expander.

Make sure the size you buy matches the larger cast bullet.

[Motor]

Thanks for the info guys. I have enough tools that I won't ever need pliers to do mouth flares. :)

I use .311" bullets in all of my .308" GD barrels with excellent results so yes I don't want typical jacketed neck expanding.

All I need is the correct body to hold the M expander. I use both regular mouth flare and the M style and I like how the boolits sit perfectly square to the neck with the flare that the M die creates. A "normal" flare is nothing but a bell mouth.

Motor

ETA: I was told by 2 other members the Lyman M1 Carbine #7349004 is the one Lyman says works best with the 300 BO.

[hd09]

Mix em up for what works, short body long body short stem long stem. That should be a short body with a long stem.

[r1kk1]

I've had good luck using M dies and cast with 45 pistol and 500 Linebaugh. I use the 50 Rifle M plug and short body on the 500. It works well and it's a little larger than the Hornady expander that came with the die set. I can use either as my cast bullets are 0.511" in diameter. I use a Hornady taper crimp dies to finish the round with. I do wish I had a CH4D expander to compare the Lyman M plug to. My wife's custom revolver has three cylinders and one shoots a necked down 475 Linebaugh to 45 caliber. It is a very short necked bottlenecked revolver cartridge. Once again I can use either expander with the Lyman appears to be a tad larger. It is very hard to measure the Hornady expander since it one piece with the die body. I even used Lee's Universal Flaring tool to start hard cast gas checked bullets and it works. Neck tension is the key to this cartridge. I use enough crimp for it to function and not to tie the cylinder up under recoil.

Both of these cartridges use standard M plugs. I have necked up 30-30 to 40 caliber using two different M plug tapers from CH4D. I finish it with the Lee Flaring tool. Now I can load some cases.

NOE is working on custom stems for me in calibers he doesn't list. For now I have an M plug coming from CH4D for the 40 caliber wildcat.

Take care

r1kk1

[Jeff Michel]

.31 short work well for me.

[popper]

I use the 31P for 30/30 sizes good for 311 boolits (you have to call to get just the plug). The 30 is for my 308, OK for 310, but I got the NOE stuff too and am liking it. I use the lee flare tool on rifle and pistol. The M/NOE system is somewhat difficult to set up. Expanding is OK but setting up the flare step is a pain. The Lyman plug can come unscrewed also, a PITA.

[rda72927]

Guys. Which "M" die are you using for 300 BO? Is it the "30 caliber short" or is the 30 carbine a better choice?
Thanks,

Motor

I ordered the 30 carbine and once I trim about .050 off the bottom, it works great in my old ProJector press. I size my cast at 309, no feed problems with the two moulds I use.

[Elkins45]

I made my own but when NOE started making the spuds for the Lee die I bought one. That's what I'm using in my LnL now.