wiljen
04-18-2009, 01:15 PM
If you've ever tried to lube a short bullet (H&G 68, BD45, 358345, etc) in a lyman 45 you know you run out of adjustment well short of the depth needed.
People have advised plugging all but the top hole in the H&I die with lead shot and I've had varying degrees of success with that, but still wanted a way to get the machine to insert the bullet to the same depth every time.
I could have found a much longer threaded rod I suppose but having looked a time or two they are not a standard part and probably would have had to been fabricated. (a skill set I readily admit to not having.)
I was wandering through lowes looking for some screws for another project when I saw a drawer in the hardware cabinet labeled Steel spacers and there it was, a 1/4 x 3/8 x 3/4 steel tube for $1.15.
I bought one - went home removed the H&I Die, pulled the stem out the hole where the die had been, put the sleeve around the stem and reinserted it, then reinserted the H&I die and viola!!! Now I can adjust the sizer until it only allows 1mm travel for gas check seating or any depth greater than that for bullet sizing without having to plug the holes. If I need the extra depth, it takes about 30 seconds to remove the sleeve and I'm back in business.
I didn't think this was too bad for $1.15.
People have advised plugging all but the top hole in the H&I die with lead shot and I've had varying degrees of success with that, but still wanted a way to get the machine to insert the bullet to the same depth every time.
I could have found a much longer threaded rod I suppose but having looked a time or two they are not a standard part and probably would have had to been fabricated. (a skill set I readily admit to not having.)
I was wandering through lowes looking for some screws for another project when I saw a drawer in the hardware cabinet labeled Steel spacers and there it was, a 1/4 x 3/8 x 3/4 steel tube for $1.15.
I bought one - went home removed the H&I Die, pulled the stem out the hole where the die had been, put the sleeve around the stem and reinserted it, then reinserted the H&I die and viola!!! Now I can adjust the sizer until it only allows 1mm travel for gas check seating or any depth greater than that for bullet sizing without having to plug the holes. If I need the extra depth, it takes about 30 seconds to remove the sleeve and I'm back in business.
I didn't think this was too bad for $1.15.