Sizing die conversion

R

Rflshootr

Member
Has anyone ever tried converting a Wilson full length die to a bushing die?
I have a 6x47 Lapua die that I'd like to make a bushing die out of. What is the best way to make sure that everything is square? Would the c'bore depth be right to the neck/shoulder junction or slightly ( a few thou) deeper?
 
Rflshootr said:
Has anyone ever tried converting a Wilson full length die to a bushing die?
I have a 6x47 Lapua die that I'd like to make a bushing die out of. What is the best way to make sure that everything is square? Would the c'bore depth be right to the neck/shoulder junction or slightly ( a few thou) deeper?
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Jim Carstensen at JLC Precision specializes in converting dies from solid to button-style. I believe it to be a grinding operation as the dies surfaces are hardened. http://www.6mmbr.com/catalog/item/1433308/892435.htm

But a WILSON FL die??? Wilsons are generally button from the start.


Anyways....When I've had dies made or converted I've asked that a .010 "land" be left above the n/s junction for support. I have several dies which are cut right exactly to the junction that tended to scratch neck brass. To fix this this I've run a sanding mandrel into the edge area and knocked the edge down. I've always wondered about the knife edge actually bending or warping but with 7 dies cut this way I've never had one develop a curled edge as far as I can tell.

So sorry, no answers here, but maybe we'll get the ball rolling :)

al
 
Wilson used to make an arbor press FL sizing die. They made if for many years, but looking at their current web site and the pdf of their 2008 catalog I see that it must have been discontinued. I have one in .222. A Jones or B-Square arbor press would be the minimum, and a knock out rod is used to remove the case, not the handiest of arrangements. I got mine to satisfy my curiosity. I will make someone a really good deal on this fine out of production collectible, as well as the one that I picked up in .220 Swift a long time ago. The .222 die sizes the neck to an OD of .241.

Jim Carstensen (JLC Precision) would be the person that I would ask to make a bushing die out of one. He has a good reputation for converting press dies. (IMHO, this project resembles trying to make a silk purse out of a....)
 
Boyd

I have a couple of those old Wilson FL dies and, as you said, they are not the most convenient. Using them in a bench vise makes it a lot easier. They were made primarily to FL size the case when they got too big for the chamber. Otherwise you'd use the Wilson neck die which was made to a particular size, originally. No bushing.

Where those Wilson FL dies really shine is if you are using brass that was fired in another chamber or forming cases from a different parent case. The Wilson will size the entire case down to original factory specs, unlike some FL dies used in a conventional press.

So, if anybody wants their 222 brass sized to factory specs or if they want to make 222 brass from, say, 223 - glom onto the die from Boyd.

Rflshooter

If it's one of those dies that you want to convert, I'd say forget it. They are hard as a rock and aren't of a type that could be converted. The old original Wilson dies for neck sizing can be converted to a bushing die.

Ray
 
reality check

rflshooter, its a nice idea but a wilson neck sizer die runs about 40-50 dollars new. good machinists charge 50-75 dollars an hour. just buy the wilson unit and be done with it. unless you are the machinist with lots of time to burn. Fred
 
Fred

I wanted a full length bushing die, not a neck die. And yes I have some time to burn.
The reason I want to do this is because I want to increase the neck tension. For some reason, this die only gives me a neck .001 smaller than the loaded round with the expander removed. BTW it's a 6x47 Lapua just in case you wanted to know.
 
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Rflshootr said:
I don't know why I had Wilson on my mind, But it's a Forster 7/8-14 full length die. Sorry...my screw-up.
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In that case, and assuming the die sizes the case the way you want, just plop it in the mail and send it off to Jim Carstensen @ JLC. I have several that he's converted for me. Great work, reasonably priced and quick turn around from Jim.
 
Boyd

The necks have been skim turned for approximately 90-95% clean up which gives me .002 clearance on a loaded round. My reamer has a .2715 neck and a loaded round measures .2695. I'm thinking the neck of die was a tad on the big side right from Forster. The body portion of the die seems to work just fine.
 
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What I am considering doing, is to bore and internally thread a piece of stock with an internal shoulder, to screw the die into. Check the indication on the neck of the die, then bore and rethread for the bushing and new decapping rod holder. I'm just wondering if the face of the die is the best way to square it up.
 
Is that die surface hardened or is it hard through??If it is surface hardened you may be able to do that. If it is through hardened maybe not;most likely not.

Mike Swartz
 
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