Load DataRepackboxMidSouth Shooters SupplyReloading Everything
Inline FabricationWidenersRotoMetals2Titan Reloading
Lee Precision
Results 1 to 18 of 18

Thread: RCBS die that I have no clue what it is

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Upstate SC
    Posts
    248

    RCBS die that I have no clue what it is

    Hoping someone can educate me on what I have here. No clue where I got it from though.

    The letters RCBS are vertical on the left side. Reading counter clockwise from the bottom it says: "WIN. FORM #1 69"

    I think it is a brass forming die, but for what I have no clue. I have searched based on what is written on the die but I am coming up with nothing. If someone knows what this is, please educate me.

    rdwarrior

  2. #2
    Moderator


    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Just outside Gun Barrel City, Texas
    Posts
    9,481
    The '1 69' states it was made in January of 1969.

    Not sure exactly what your die is specifically for, however:
    Forming dies are for changing one case to another such as .30-06 cases to .308 and trimming the case to length
    when just neck sizing isn't enough like .30-06 to .270.

    The top of yours provides a 'trim to length' guage (for lack of a better word),
    and shouldn't have the threaded hole for a de-cap rod.
    Otherwise, it'd more or less look like a regular sizing die.
    Last edited by Winger Ed.; 02-27-2022 at 04:57 PM.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master
    Mk42gunner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Butler, MO
    Posts
    9,020
    Run a well lubed piece of brass into it and see what comes out. The #1 tells me that it is the first in possibly a series of dies to reform into another cartridge.

    You may need an extended shellholder to make everything work right.

    Are you sure there isn't anything before the WIN?

    Robert

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Upstate SC
    Posts
    248
    Quote Originally Posted by Mk42gunner View Post
    Run a well lubed piece of brass into it and see what comes out. The #1 tells me that it is the first in possibly a series of dies to reform into another cartridge.

    You may need an extended shellholder to make everything work right.

    Are you sure there isn't anything before the WIN?

    Robert
    Nothing in front of the WIN. I put a 30-06 brass in it and it went flush with the bottom of the die and stuck out the top just tad bit. .308 and 30-30 brass went far inside the die but did not make it out the top. That is why I have no clue what it brass it changes into what.

  5. #5
    Moderator


    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Just outside Gun Barrel City, Texas
    Posts
    9,481
    Quote Originally Posted by rdwarrior View Post
    Nothing in front of the WIN. I put a 30-06 brass in it and it went flush with the bottom
    I'd be courious enough to do a chamber cast on it.
    Maybe even with just candle wax, that you could make it turn loose and get back out with hot water.
    That'd be the redneck version of one, but it'd give you a good idea of what it is.

    It might be for some old BP case or a belted Magnum to go down to a smaller one.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    3,783
    Call RCBS?

  7. #7
    Moderator


    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Just outside Gun Barrel City, Texas
    Posts
    9,481
    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer in NH View Post
    Call RCBS?
    Oh no!,,,,, that's cheating.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master pertnear's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Heart of Texas
    Posts
    661
    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer in NH View Post
    Call RCBS?
    +1
    Email a picture
    Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master



    skeettx's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Amarillo, Texas
    Posts
    4,102
    Does the die have a belt recess?
    Maybe it is a 300 Win form die #1
    Mike
    NRA Benefactor 2004 USAF RET 1971-95

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Upstate SC
    Posts
    248
    All good ideas guys. I did a cerosafe (?) casting of it this morning. I cant match it to anything. It appears to be a belted cartridge. All measurements under 1 " was with a micrometer and all over 1" with calipers.

    It is tapered from the shoulder to what I think is a belt.
    Die overall length is 2.412"
    The very tip of the throat is .355
    Right behind the shoulder the width is .4465
    Right in front of the belt the width is .510
    The belt (if it is a belt) is .5452
    Length from back of shoulder to front of belt is 1.960

    Went through all the specs I could find and I am now thinking that Mk42gunner is right, that this is the first in a series of dies.

    I would attach a picture but have yet to figure out how to do that. I could email a pic if anyone wants that.
    rdwarrior.
    Last edited by rdwarrior; 02-28-2022 at 12:08 PM.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master kywoodwrkr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Hodgenville, KY-Lincolns Birthplace
    Posts
    980
    I long ago had a set(4?5?) of RCBS base forming dies, in the 7,62x39 forming days('70-'75).
    They had a recess at the bottom for any brass 'shoved' ahead of insertion in die.
    I do not remember what steps they were designed to size cases down by (3-4 thousands per die?).
    They were cylindrical in shape over length of die, no shoulder.
    The die would make you believe it was for a belted case, but as stated was designed as to have a place for scraped brass to accumulate.
    Very much akin to the old Lyman solid sizing dies, only in a non caliber specific(ie. base) progressive set.
    This is memory from many years ago, so use what you can from it.
    RCBS also did number their form die sets in manner you detail.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Deep South Texas
    Posts
    12,820
    69 is indeed the year of manufacture, but the 1 is the first die in a set.
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  13. #13
    Moderator


    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Just outside Gun Barrel City, Texas
    Posts
    9,481
    An older 'Cartridges of the World' book might help.

    It has listings of older African big game cartridges and ones we don't see in our modern reloading books.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Perryville, Ky,USA
    Posts
    4,513
    I love those grab bag boxes of dies at gun shows. Ran into a gunshop one time that had half an Army footlocker full of dies. Mostly RCBS. Dollar a piece in those days. I had a ball scratching through them./beagle
    diplomacy is being able to say, "nice doggie" until you find a big rock.....

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master
    Mk42gunner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Butler, MO
    Posts
    9,020
    I don't have my books here to compare measurements, but if you add the 0.125 depth of a shellholder.....

    My guess is a forming die to make either the .300 Win Mag from full length H&H brass, or long shot here, the .30-.338.

    Robert

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Deep South Texas
    Posts
    12,820
    Quote Originally Posted by Mk42gunner View Post
    I don't have my books here to compare measurements, but if you add the 0.125 depth of a shellholder.....

    My guess is a forming die to make either the .300 Win Mag from full length H&H brass, or long shot here, the .30-.338.

    Robert
    My bet is on the 300 Win Magnum introduced in 1963.
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
    Bent Ramrod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Southern Arizona
    Posts
    4,284
    In my experience, the #1 caseforming die sets the shoulder back, the #2 necks it down. Other included dies are marked “Trim” or have reamers sticking out the tops.

    So if you have the #1, the height to the shoulder and the base diameter would probably be the best clues to the final shell dimensions, with possible rim, neck diameter and length being an educated best guess from the cartridge dimension charts.

    All my RCBS caseforming dies have some indication of the name of the formed cartridge on them.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Upstate SC
    Posts
    248
    I sent my info to RCBS and here is their answer:
    Quote
    I sent your information to our Die Technician, and we cannot find any records for your specific die. I would suggest that it was a custom die that we made per a customer’s instructions. More of a one off. I wish I had better news. The “69” represents 1969 year of manufacture.
    Unquote

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check