Top punch for a Lube A Matic 2

[Beachmk4]

I can't find any posts that address this so I will start one! I have just purchased a Lube A Matic 2 and have a top punch to do flat top boolits. No issues there. But I like the 520 gr. .458 45-70 boolits for my Shiloh and Pedersoli rifles. Both the 500 and 520 gr. boolits work great in both guns. I can't seem to find a top punch with a rounded punch top to fit the 520 gr. boolits. What do you folks use to size and lube these rounds? I like the consistancy that swaging and lubing the rounds when run through the Lube A Matic. Does anyone know of a source for a top punch to be used with a round top boolit? I don't want to deform the rounds when I run them. The Shiloh Sharps is very sensitive to any deformation of the round nose rounds.

[KenT7021]

Lyman 374 top punch should work.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Is this a Lyman bullet mold?
Do you know the Lyman mold number?

Lyman top punch numbers are typically the last three digits of the mold number...but not always.
here is a chart:
https://www.castpics.net/subsite/TopPunches/Lyman.html

If it's not a Lyman mold, there is a cross reference chart out there somewhere also.

[Walks]

The Lyman #4 Cast Bullet Handbook has a Top Punch reference in the back. It shows the TP #'s for different brands of bullet molds and the corresponding Lyman/RCBS TP's.

[alamogunr]

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

He makes some very handy stuff including top punches that can be filled with your choice of conformable material. I used slow set hot glue. Not the most durable material but can be replaced very easily whereas certain metallic epoxy materials are permanent(I think).

He has all the instructions.

[gwpercle]

You can get a "perfect" custom fit with epoxy putty and a nose punch that almost fits .

Grease the bullet nose ( no stick) , clean the nose punch cavity (yes stick ) place a small ball of epoxy putty in the nose cavity .
I set up the nose punch in the sizer , place boolit in the die and insure everything is straight , gently lower and press boolit about 1/2 or 3/4 ways down . If everything looks good, look for excess epoxy and remove it ... let epoxy set and cure . Perfectly fitted to your boolit .
HINT: Do Not use fast / 5- Min. hardening epoxy putty ... you want working time use slow hardening /cure . Trust Me on This one !
You can use epoxy (like J-B Weld) but look for and take care of any drips ... epoxy putty doesn't run or drip .
It will not take very much epoxy to fit a nose so only put a small amount in the nose cavity .

I did my first custom fit to a WC boolit ... 25 years ago and I still use that punch .

Works for bullet seating stems too !

This is the easiest way to get a perfectly fitted top punch for your boolit ... even if the book say's # X is the correct punch ... 9 times out of 10 it ain't Perfect ...just sorta close ...Trust Me On This Too !

Gary

[Beachmk4]

I bought the two .458 top punches for the luber. They are the RCBS 600 and the 607. The 600 works fine. The 520gr. boolit is too tall to use the 607 punch. I am going to contact KeithB to see if he has one for the Lyman mould 457125 that cast the 520s.

[Dusty Bannister]

Sometimes one can insert the nose of the bullet into the top punch and then insert the base of the bullet into the size die. I have run into this with long 30 cal bullets. Worth a try anyway.

[Shopdog]

A little side note;

Top punches aren't limited to the length supplied by Lyman/RCBS. If you're making them,they can really work some magic being longer.... have several here that index off top drive band. Yes they've been reamed to fit the nose,but they're long enough to press on that shoulder...aaaand,you can even put a thin,sharp edge on the bttm of this TP to create sort of a V down into this drive band. Can be downright "awesome"(haha) on self loader pistol bullets....think collapsible jam on chambering.

Sorry for the detour,back to regular programming.