Full length to body die?

Joefrazell

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Has anyone ever drilled/honed out a full length dies neck area in order to use it only for bumping the shoulder? I like the lee collet die for concentricity reasons bUT need to bump my shoulder. I've got a rcbs full length that I've thought of trying this with. I know redding makes a body die and will buy one if need be. Im always looking for ways to diy and save money. Does this sound like it's worth a shot or not?
 
I'd purchase the body die. The sizing die is hardened after machining of it is complete. You'll only dull and and ruin drill bits try to open up the necks.
The neck would have to be opened with a hone/stone. I think that would eat up a number of hones before you enlarged it to the extent you desire.
If you figure out a way to getter done, let me know? :)
 
If one is not concerned about the neck touching at all, you can put the die in a lathe and clean a few thou off with a carbide boring bar.
Yes, but unless you or a really good friend owns and operates the lathe and tooling, purchasing the body die will cost less than paying the lathe owner/operator to complete this work.
 
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I did that to my full length die. I ran a HSS reamer through it on the lathe. The die is hard, but not that hard. Unless you have access to a lathe I wouldn't try it.
 
I did that to my full length die. I ran a HSS reamer through it on the lathe. The die is hard, but not that hard. Unless you have access to a lathe I wouldn't try it.
Amazing. The full length dies I've messed with would not have been touched by HSS reamers or drill bits or files. Metal files are pretty tough, but they don't faze the FL sizing dies I've messed with.
 
A high speed drill will go right though a file. A carbide drill will go right through a high speed tool. A carbide tool will go right through a non-carbide die.
 
From Redding's website:
Another question that comes up is, "Can I do any internal polishing?" Again, the answer is, "Yes, with care!" The best arrangement is to chuck the die in a lathe, after stripping it down and removing the internal parts. Use #400 or #600 wet/dry auto body paper wrapped around a small wooden dowel. Keep the paper wet with a thin petroleum product with the consistency of WD-40 or kerosene. Using this method, you will easily be able to remove any foreign material or brass build-up from the inside of the die.

Since our dies are heat-treated to approximately 62 Rockwell C, you can polish for a long time without changing the internal dimensions.

From a tool manufacturers website:
Hardness Rockwell C.JPG


Not sure of the implications. Redding's sizing dies are hardened to near the same Rockwell C hardness as High Speed Steels. I don't want to dull expensive HSS trying to change the dimensions after the fact. I've never known a common gunsmith interested in machining hardened full length resizing dies. I know there are some that specialize in conversions or customizing cartridge resizing dies. I always presumed they were using carbide tools to cut the hardened dies.

If Joefrazzel opens up the neck on his resizing die in his homeowner equipped garage/shop, I'd like to know how it goes. I might have the desire.
 
Has anyone ever drilled/honed out a full length dies neck area in order to use it only for bumping the shoulder? I like the lee collet die for concentricity reasons bUT need to bump my shoulder. I've got a rcbs full length that I've thought of trying this with. I know redding makes a body die and will buy one if need be. Im always looking for ways to diy and save money. Does this sound like it's worth a shot or not?
I've made a bump die from Lee dies ( not that hardened if at all) with Dremel stones it took a few stones.
If you F it up, oh well. Now spend on a Redding bump die.
 
Amazing. The full length dies I've messed with would not have been touched by HSS reamers or drill bits or files. Metal files are pretty tough, but they don't faze the FL sizing dies I've messed with.
It was an rcbs die that I never use. Not sure on its hardness. HSS reamer went through it, but was not in the best shape before I started, and was definitely junk after. It would have destroyed any sort of drill put in there as they done have enough support.

If he has the tools available then go for it. If buying anything, then you might as well get the Redding die.
 
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