Case belling for big bores---416 Rigby 470 Nitro Express

[15meter]

Did a search and didn't find much that helped me. I ordered the Noe sizing plugs for Lee belling dies when I ordered the molds, unfortunately the cases don't fit in the Lee die.

How are other people doing it?

PS: while typing this I think I figured out how to make the Lee die work, still would like to hear how other people are doing it.

Using the tapered shank on a center punch for a few test cases in the .416 is not going to get it for consistency and just falls into the 470....

[Hardcast416taylor]

A friend of mine was making up a .416 expander plug for his .416 Taylor and asked if I would like one also with threading to screw into a Lyman M die and is adjustable for depth. I`ve lost track of him over the years so I can`t offer anything as to how to contact him. I do know that it is much better than a LEE expander plug die.Robert

[Wayne Smith]

Do the cases fit into the Lyman die? I think Lathesmith will make an expander plug to fit the Lyman die. Worth checking.

[15meter]

Haven't tried the long Lyman M die I have, that may be next. Tough part about these old big cases is the length. The die needs to stick so far above the top of the press it gets difficult to come up with a solution. What I thought was going to be a solution earlier may not work pure and simply because I can not back out the die body far enough without falling out. Hopefully I will try it later to night.

[15meter]

Lyman M die I use for 30-06 is a little too short.

Used a 480 Ruger expander plug as a work around for the .470 but it won't thread into the 450 expander die.

Next try is the belling die from a 450 nitro express with a custom plug.
I have a small South Bend metal lathe and I just have to find a 9/16 fine threaded bolt that is long enough and not too hard.
Found a grade 8 bolt today but I am going to look for a softer one to try and make my own plug.

If this works, I can make one each for the 416 Rigby, 470 Nitro Express, 450/400 Nitro Express and have it work like an expanding die is supposed to work.

[Wayne Smith]

The case does not have to bottom out on the die for expanding. You can leave over half of the case hanging out if necessary. The Lyman Long should work this way, as long as the case fits inside of the die and you have the right expander.

[5Shot]

The case does not have to bottom out on the die for expanding. You can leave over half of the case hanging out if necessary. The Lyman Long should work this way, as long as the case fits inside of the die and you have the right expander.

This was going to be my suggestion as well.

[15meter]

3 1/4 inch long case, with the die at the top of the threads and the plug at the top of the threads you still have stroke left on the press.

Yes I can do it and have done it, the problem is not coming up to a hard stop as you do when the press cams over at the top of the stroke so I have a
repeatable bell.
That is how I did the 470 N.E. with the 480 Ruger expander die.

The 450/400 is in the same boat with a 41 Mag expander die.

The 416 appears to need a custom plug regardless because I have not found a commercial one yet.

Hardcast416taylor had a custom plug made for his rifle but that case is only 2.5" long. That extra 3/4" makes life interesting.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Kinda thought this wasn't going to be as easy as loading 308's.

[Wayne Smith]

The press I PM'ed you about will fix that situation. It is an Echo C and needs a slightly oversized pin to connect the movable boss to the ram. In one position the ram TDC's slightly into the threads for the die, in the other it TEC's well under the threads, about three inches.

[15meter]

The press I PM'ed you about will fix that situation. It is an Echo C and needs a slightly oversized pin to connect the movable boss to the ram. In one position the ram TDC's slightly into the threads for the die, in the other it TEC's well under the threads, about three inches.

Hi Wayne,
Trying not to add another press to the collection, my shop has WAY too much stuff in it already and it only has 25% of my stuff in it. The rest is in two full sized farm barns plus outbuildings at the family farm. Too many hobbies--hard water sailing, soft water sailing, motorcycling, bicycling, a couple of vintage farm tractors, dune buggy, woodworking and reloading/shooting . Unfortunately I can see the writing on the wall, my mother is 92....she is in excellent health but....

[W.R.Buchanan]

Order a piece of 9/16-18 all-thread from MSC or McMaster-Carr. It will be soft enough that you can machine it easily with Hi Speed tool bits.Then you can make it as short as you need.

You can also just bell the case mouth only by using a pair of needle nosed pliers inserted into the case mouth and then twisting.

All that matters here is being able to start the boolit without gooning the base, and small variations won't affect the crimp at all.

Randy

[15meter]

Think I have found a solution to all the oddball cartridges out there. CH4D makes a series of expander die bodies in a HUGE range of lengths and diameters:

http://www.ch4d.com/products/dies/expanding/ed

Followed with an equally expansive selection of Lyman style expander plugs:

http://www.ch4d.com/products/dies/expanding/mplug

Buy one from column A and one from column B and problem is solved!

[vzerone]

Think I have found a solution to all the oddball cartridges out there. CH4D makes a series expander die bodies in a HUGE range of lengths and diameters:

http://www.ch4d.com/products/dies/expanding/ed

Followed with an equally expansive selection of Lyman style expander plugs:

http://www.ch4d.com/products/dies/expanding/mplug

Buy one from column A and one from column B and problem is solved!

Notice that is a RCBS type, not the crummy Lyman M die :kidding:

[15meter]

Notice that is a RCBS type, not the crummy Lyman M die :kidding:

But their website calls in an M-die......