Ejector pin size

[just bill]

I'm going to make a 308 tubing die set. I've pretty much got the base die idea locked in and the round over punch length and diameter confirmed, however I'm curious about the ejector pin diameter, 1/16 seems to be a bit small. Just curious.
Justbill

[Valornor]

The pin that comes with the Corbin .308 dies are .090". I have always thought that was too big but Corbin insists that if you make them smaller you'll run the risk of breaking them. The ideal meplate is somewhere between .060-.030 (can't remember the exact number, Refer to Modern Exterior Ballistics by Robert McCoy) which means you'd need to run it through a pointing due afterwords.

[just bill]

Are we talking about the same pin? I'm referring to the one that would be used for the initial shaping of the tubing base.
Bill

[lead chucker]

Bill. Let me save you some problems that I had when I was making mine. When you round over the copper if the hole isn't closed up a thin extractor will go right through the middle and you are stuck with a jacket stuck in your die and have fun trying to get it out, ask me how I know. My extractor punch is .135. It can take some pressure to extract the round over jacket. Not very often I get one stuck on the stepped punch. Use lots of lube. My set up might not be exactly the way it should be but it works and seems reliable. I'm going to work on trying to close up the bottom better. Hope this helps.
185262

[lead chucker]

Bill. I used 3/8 1144 steel for the punch and its made from one piece. I now have started making punch blanks with a set screw makes fixing a bent punch a lot easier and faster.

[just bill]

Bill. Let me save you some problems that I had when I was making mine. When you round over the copper if the hole isn't closed up a thin extractor will go right through the middle and you are stuck with a jacket stuck in your die and have fun trying to get it out, ask me how I know. My extractor punch is .135. It can take some pressure to extract the round over jacket. Not very often I get one stuck on the stepped punch. Use lots of lube. My set up might not be exactly the way it should be but it works and seems reliable. I'm going to work on trying to close up the bottom better. Hope this helps.
185262

That's what I thought. Piano wire IMHO is just too fine. I've bent both my point forming punches from rookie lack of operator timing and head space.
Thanks,
Bill

[lead chucker]

I made the punch out of half inch not 3/8 inch. Just wanted to correct that.

[just bill]

I made the punch out of half inch not 3/8 inch. Just wanted to correct that.

Thanks, I plan to make them like Blackmon's, a base rod with a hole drilled and a pin inserted, but not piano wire. However I'm working on a multi length round over punch for forming the tubing. Got a minds eye picture, but I have to make the die first.

[lead chucker]

Are you using a reloading press pushing the copper up into the die and tapping out from the top?

[just bill]

Are you using a reloading press pushing the copper up into the die and tapping out from the top?
No, Blackmon's Rock Chucker conversion as well as Blackmon's swaging press.

[lead chucker]

I would like to have one of those. Stronger than my rock chucker I'm sure. I put the most amount of pressure on my press derimming 22 lr cases and rounding over 5/16 copper. I always worry about breaking my press.

[just bill]

I would like to have one of those. Stronger than my rock chucker I'm sure. I put the most amount of pressure on my press derimming 22 lr cases and rounding over 5/16 copper. I always worry about breaking my press.

My guess the RC is very substantial from all I've read. Maybe other RC conversion users can give a witness. I know there are lot of the conversion out there.

[Casper_SWAT]

Something I have been thinking about as I make my dies is an eject rod from 3/32 tig welding tungsten rod. Has anyone tried this yet? What do the meplates look like after ejection?

[BlackoutBuilder]

I'm watching this one. I like to know about stuff like this.

[DukeInFlorida]

The ejector pin for the final point forming operation should be pushing on the pointy end of the formed jacket, not on the lead. That is to say, you should be striving for an almost closed hollow point, as closed as you can get it.