Top Punch, Lee 500 RNFP

[Castaway]

Looking through the Cast Bullet archives and a general Google search, I can’t find the recommended top punch for the bullet above. What works without ringing the nose?

[stubshaft]

I use a plain FLAT punch that Veral at LBT made for me. In fact I use this for most of the LFN/WFN bullets with a healthy meplat.

[gwpercle]

Round nose - flat point ... a flat punch works better than a old Voo Doo woman's black magic spell cast at midnight during a full moon !

Fill the one you have with epoxy putty , let cure and sand dead flat .

If you want to "Custom Fit" the nose punch you have , clean the nose punch cavity , grease a boolit and begin to seat a bullet ... the epoxy putty will fill any voids and make a perfect custom fit .

Use epoxy putty because it doesn't run / drip into unwanted places and use slow cure epoxy putty to give you more working time and the slow cure sets up harder and stronger than the fast stuff .

I use flat punches (I've filled the cavity with epoxy) to seat all boolits that have a flat spot on them ...
I've custom fitted all my nose punches that deformed or left rings on boolits ... they last decades .
Sure beats trying to buy a custom made nose punch ... is Veral Smith still doing business ?
Gary

[Castaway]

Keeping that option open. I’ve done it to seating stems before

[imashooter2]

Here you go. Keith was known as The Perfesser (or something close) when he posted here. His epoxy customizable punches with O ring retention are top notch! I still have a few blanks in my parts box that I bought when he was here.

https://www.artfulbullet.com/index.php?threads/top-punches-for-sale.3328/

https://www.artfulbullet.com/index.php?threads/instructions-for-making-custom-top-punches.3329/

[Castaway]

Fixed one. Took an RCBS600 top punch, filed down the bottom and chamfered the edge. Now seats the Lee bullets without putting a ring on the nose

[gwpercle]

Fixed one. Took an RCBS600 top punch, filed down the bottom and chamfered the edge. Now seats the Lee bullets without putting a ring on the nose

ATTABOY !
Job Well Done :drinks:
Gary

[lar45]

I use a flat punch for all of my RF bullets.

When I buy from Accurate molds, I usually get the fitted punch to go with it.

[Castaway]

lar45, I didn’t have a flat punch nor did I buy my Lee mould from Accurate Moulds. I did have two RCBS #600 top punches though

[Polymath]

Make one from a 1/4" bolt and cut the threads off and file the head flat from any markings.