Custom Reloading Dies Wild Cat
- Thread starter Icelvlan
- Start date
You can buy die blanks, and have your gunsmith cut them with the same reamer used on your rifle. - dan
Well, all the die makers used to offer them, but it seems a lot of them have cut back on their operations. I know I used to get them from Brownells, and I believe those particular ones were made by RCBS. - dan
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I have never had this done, so relying what I read on Internet - my impression was that a die cut with same reamer as in barrel chamber was for making a bullet seating die - I had been led to believe that a sizing die is cut with a slightly smaller chamber reamer - brass "spring back" and all that. Maybe I was "lead down a garden path" by Internet stuff?
I have made some "odd ball" cartridges as per Post #2 - one die for body, a different die for neck part - seems to sort of work, sometimes.
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You are correct. Using a chamber reamer to cut a sizing die won't give you very good results. If for some reason you only intend to neck size then you could get away with it just fine. I wouldn't recommend it though. I buy my die blanks from Newlon Precision and/or Wilson. Newlon dies are really nice. Most of the time I can get away with being creative with factory dies, as adamg mentioned above. I usually buy Redding sizing dies from Sinclair. If I have the chamber reamer, I always buy a seating die blank and have it cut at the same time the chamber is cut. The best way to have truly custom dies for your wildcat is to order a sizing reamer matched to your chamber reamer at the same time. It's an expensive option though because you're only going to use that sizing reamer once. Your sizing die will be perfect though and you get loooong brass life.
Another thing to remember is that if you cut a sizing die you'll need to have it hardened afterwards. Die blanks aren't hardened from the manufacturer. If you decide to go with a factory sizing die and find out later that you need to modify it, it's going to be really really hard. For example, I opened up a 223 Redding FL bushing die so it would accept a 6-223 case. A drill bit didn't work very well. The drill bit would just compress down to the existing hole size, more or less. I ended up buying the appropriate sized reamer. At least that's been my experience with Redding dies. They are very hard.
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I wonder, if this wildcat is a low pressure round, using the chamber reamer would work just fine? You could run the reamer in just a tad short to ensure shoulder bump but I'd still be concerned about extraction issues down the road because the base is not getting sized at all. Or maybe it's a moot point because the pressures are low so neck sizing will all that'll be required? My 222 Rem is like that. I've had the rifle for 20 years, still on the original lot of brass, and have only ever necked sized. That brass has maybe 40 firings on them.
You could also have the inside of sizing die that was cut with your chamber reamer, plated in some way to give you a few thousands of sizing. It's been done but I know nothing more about that process.
One more tidbit and I'll shut up. Once upon a time Pacific Tool & Gauge cut the dies for Redding. At least I think that was the case but I could be wrong. My point is, if you bought a PTG chamber reamer, a Redding sizing die could be a good match to the chamber. It might be worth speaking to your reamer maker of choice and find out if a certain die manufacturer will match their reamer specs well. Of course I'm anal about all these details but you may not be.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
If I recall from reading articles about that Houston Warehouse experiments - the main guy - Virgil? - did NOT resize his brass between firings - but he spent hours on that brass to precisely fit that chamber and chamber neck - would fire, extract and reload as is. But he was at a level of precision, way over my head, to even attempt. And he did work down his 100 yard 5 shot groups to be less than "teens" - so he was also playing in an arena that I have never been to.
all the major die makers will do custom dies, you just need to send them 3 fired cases and they can be ordered right out of the states without issue, Hornady custom dies will be like like $300 for a set. ive looked into the them before for my 43 Express
https://www.hornady.com/reloading/dies/custom-dies#!/
What You'll Need to Order a Custom-made Die
Cartridge Name
Bullet Diameter
Parent Case
Three (3) Fired Cases
Chamber Reamer Drawings
Die Marking
(Up to 12 characters including spaces)
my factory RCBS 500 Jeffery dies cost more the Hornady custom dies would have for a standard size die
https://www.hornady.com/reloading/dies/custom-dies#!/
What You'll Need to Order a Custom-made Die
Cartridge Name
Bullet Diameter
Parent Case
Three (3) Fired Cases
Chamber Reamer Drawings
Die Marking
(Up to 12 characters including spaces)
my factory RCBS 500 Jeffery dies cost more the Hornady custom dies would have for a standard size die
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Only gunsmiths and talented machinists. - dan
Why are you looking for in canada? It will probably be cheaper and easier to order out of the states. Either way you are shipping cases, paying money and waiting time for them to show up.
If you are worried about sending cases to the usa. Drill the pimer pocket and flash hole out to 1/4 inch and lable them as brass tubes
If you are worried about sending cases to the usa. Drill the pimer pocket and flash hole out to 1/4 inch and lable them as brass tubes
