6.5 JAP Dies

[Char-Gar]

Needng some dies for my Arisaka Type I, I bought a pair of "Hollywood" dies off Ebay. When the dies got here I discovered the FL sizing die was a CH and the seater a Hollywood. I can live with that but the seater is marked "25 Jap". I know it was common to refer to the small Jap service round as a 25 by the GIs, but I never saw a die so marked.

The bullet chamber in the die is .290 which leaves plenty of room for a 6.5 cast bullet, and also plenth of room for the bullet to cant during seating. I have a .264 bullet sleeve for my Vikerman seater, I will just polish it out to about .270.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I always wanted a set of Hollywood dies as they were always featured in the magazines I read as a boy. A texan press was also something I longed for (mind you I didn't load then).

I walked into a gunshop in Sydney one day and there on the press was a Texan 12Ga press. I had my money out wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy before I realised it was overpriced. But then, I'm still using it, so overproced or not, I got my money's worth.

My 6.5 Jap dies are the less glamorous Lee Pacesetter dies.

My father fought the Japs in New Guinea, East Timor, Borneo, etc. My nephew and niece are visiting in a month or so. They are eager to shoot the SMLE just like Grandpa carried and the rifle the dreaded Japs carried (mind you most would have carried 7.7s that Dad would have come across). Thanks for reminding me, I need to get some loading done.