Homemade pistol Swage die design question

[guywitha3006]

So it looks like I may finally have a few hours to stand in front of my lathe this weekend, and I thought I would make a reamer for a pistol swage point die, I am thinking start with the hardest die first. But onto the actual question... I am thinking of starting with a .451 die, it will give me room to work and if I over polish I can use it to reform cast lead boolits. I am torn between a round nose flat point design (thinking a 1/2E) and a truncated cone profile. Is there any benefit to one over the other? If I had to guess they will be used for hollow point bullet most of their life. They will be used to feed my Para 1911, that currently eats just about everything. So many decisions...

[Valornor]

Truncated nose would probably be easier to make a reamer for. In terms of feeding, it's not as reliable as a round nose, but if you have fed your pistol tuncated nose bullets before I wouldn't worry about it.

In terms of hollow point, you'd form the cavity prior to forming the ogive. I have typically done it in the staking die. Stake the core and then swap out punches to form the cavity. I suppose you could also form a cavity while forming the ogive but it's not the way I would do it.

If you're all set up to make your own dies, then I'd just pick one and go with it. Yes the point form die is the most complex in terms of geometry but once you got all the rest of your dies made, you can have multiple point form dies and swage for what ever occasion your heart desires.

[tiger762]

Truncated cone :)

https://www.pennbullets.com/45/45230tcbb.html

[uncle dino]

3006. Make them both! :) Can never have too many ...just think of all the practice you'll get..d

[guywitha3006]

Uncle Dino, I am sure both will be the end game, I have a feeling it's going to be a long winter this year. I have a radius tool, but Tiger762s article makes an interesting point and I shoot a lot of steps so that makes sense.

[tiger762]

RCECO had an 18-degree truncated cone in 452 that I snagged last year. I would just as soon have the elliptical profile, especially with a lead-tip reform die but I have been waiting on a 4S 312 die for three years now, so I take what I can get. My 510 set happened to include one. The LT die makes it look like money :)

[guywitha3006]

Well Life took a hold and the reamer is still in the works. Cross slide on the lathe needs the gib polished and adjusted (I think). But in the meantime can anyone tell me how much of RCE punches need to be supported in the die? I have a Walnut Hill but no actual RCE dies to look at. I am thinking the bottom punch will be flush to the to the metaplate in the die, but how much support does the top punch need? I am trying to figure out the needed overall length of die stock I should start with. for some reason 2" is sticking in my mind, but is that including the threaded portion that screws into the ram or from the top of the ram top/plate.

[tiger762]

I have my 452 core seat punch here, the one for compressing lead below the jacket mouth and am taking measurements:

Diameter of portion that goes in external punch holder: 0.563"
Length of portion that goes in external punch holder: 0.625"
Diameter of knurled portion (approximate): 0.765"
Width of knurled portion (approximate): 0.125"
Overall length of punch: 2.781"
Diameter of non-machined potion of punch (between knurled and machined surfaces): 0.418"
Diameter of major machined portion: 0.451"
Diameter of "inside cartridge case" portion: 0.424"
Length of "inside cartridge case" portion (approx): 0.2"

Hope this helps!

[guywitha3006]

Tiger762, Thanks the punch info was going to be my next question. Would you be able to get the dimensions from the actual die body? How much of the external punch actually goes into the die body? I would imagine you would only need enough to guide the the punch into the die not really support it?