Weatherby Reloading Dies

[baydog]

I bought a set of Weatherby Dies that have never been used but the box looks like they are pretty old. Does anyone know if Weatherby still makes these dies or how old they may be? I like being able to see the bullet being pressed into the case but it's a bit of a pain to make sure the bullet is standing up perfectly straight in the case so the nose of the bullet lands in the bullet press part of the die perfect. If the bullet doesn't hit the little pocket in the die perfect then the bullet gets kicked off to the side and won't press in the case. The cut out so you can see the bullet being pressed in the case is cool but doesn't work well, for me anyway, because of the cut out where as any other type of die that doesn't have the cut out kinda lines it self up as I pull the handle of the press down to press the bullet in the case...A sleeve came with the dies too, anyone know what that's for?
Thanks
Scotty

 

[baydog]

Here is a picture of the die set.
Thanks
Scotty

 

[MudRunner2005]

The chrome plating makes me think they MIGHT be 1960's-1970's... But that's just a guess.

The reason I guess is because I have an antique set of 1950's CH dies that I bought off ebay for really cheap. I didn't know they were really old when I bought them, and they were in nasty condition. I cleaned them up and now I just keep them in a spare RCBS hard box and put up the original box in a safe place.

Don't know if they're worth anything, but I think they're really cool. I like collecting antique stuff like that, so to me they're more of a show-piece than something I'll use.

Here's a picture of mine for comparison...

 

[baydog]

The chrome plating makes me think they MIGHT be 1960's-1970's... But that's just a guess.

The reason I guess is because I have an antique set of 1950's CH dies that I bought off ebay for really cheap. I didn't know they were really old when I bought them, and they were in nasty condition. I cleaned them up and now I just keep them in a spare RCBS hard box and put up the original box in a safe place.

Don't know if they're worth anything, but I think they're really cool. I like collecting antique stuff like that, so to me they're more of a show-piece than something I'll use.

Here's a picture of mine for comparison...

Yea I collect old stuff like this too so much that if you slam the door hard coming into my room some of my stuff falls off my desk. I like these dies because I though it would be cool to watch the bullet being pressed into the case but it's actually a pain in the ARS because i have to set the bullet on the case perfectly straight if not when the ram comes up and pushes the case up into the die to press the bullet in if it's not perfectly straight then it misses the little pocket that the tip of the bullet falls into to get a true straight press in the case and if your not careful the bullet will fall off the center mark and not catch the pocket and I'll be trying to press the bullet in sideways..and that don't work to good. Did your die set come with a sleeve? Did you see that sleeve in my die set and maybe know what it's for? I thought maybe it fit into one of the dies for maybe crimping?

 

[KennyA12]

I used to have a 300 Weatherby with a set of these dies, I believe they were made by Pacific Tool, Hornady. The insert is for Neck Sizing. To Neck Size, you take the floating seater out of the seater die and insert the neck sizer and adjust accordingly. This was called a 3 die set, without the neck insert they called a 2 die set as today. I thought they worked great. Never had a problem with the bullet being straight, just dropped it in and it straightened its self. The slot in the seater should be facing out so you can see the bullet, the bullet should fall in far enough so that it is always straight, if the die is adjusted properly. I use all RCBS Gold Medal seaters to this day because of the window feature, they can't be beat. I believe they were made in the 60's and 70's, but do not believe the are made to day.

 

[baydog]

Thanks KennyA12

I bet I don't have that seating die adjusted right and I'm not dropping the bullet in through the cut out.... I've never used these type dies, am I suppose to be dropping the bullet in through the cut out? .. I need to learn how to use this die set before I start complaining that they are a pain.. Can you tell me how you adjusted yours?
Thanks
Scotty

 

[KennyA12]

To set die, screw die almost all the way to shell holder, position window to front and set lock ring, insert bullet base first into bullet guide through the window, the bullet should stay in the guide, run brass case into die to seat bullet, adjust top thimble for proper seating depth and tighten lock ring. Depending on the length of the case you might have to adjust die, but most cases were pretty close. I don't recall as you saying what caliber. These dies were only available in 270 Win. 30-06, 240W, 270W, 300W, 340W. Hope this helps. Needless to say if you use the neck sizer, you will have reset, but you probably already realize this.

 

[baydog]

Kenny the die set is for a 270 wby but I think I might be missing the guide you're talkig about. If I flip the seating die over and look in it the only thing I can see is the side walls of the inner part of the die and then the bottom side of the thimble screw which the tip of the bullet would fit in when you press the bullet in. So I'm thinking the sleeve has to go in the seating die to keep the bullet straight. I was useing it without that sleeve and having to balance the bullet on the neck of the brass until the tip of the bullet met the bottom side of the thimble .I think you can see what I mean in the pictures.. Duh! ..I"m a peanut butter head! Sorry for being a knucklehead
Thanks Kenny

 

[KennyA12]

In the picture you posted, the seating sleeve is shown in the picture as the third die. Take the seating stem out and drop the insert in with the slot cut out facing toward the top. This sleeve should float up & down and stop where you have the bullet seat. This is partly my mistake, as if I would have looked closer I would have realized this. So you only have the two die set, without the neck sizing sleeve. I believe it shows how it should look in the picture of the dies on the box.

 

[alaska]

I have 2 sets of the Weatherby reloading dies.

You can get different inserts and load different weatherby calib.

Mine date back to mid 60's

 

[baydog]

I like them a lot. I wish I had a set for my 300rum. I didn't know rcbs made dies like this until kennya12 said he uses the rcbs gold metalist dies. they r twice as much money then the regular rcbs die set but i think it would be money well spent.