Anyone make their own reloading tools?

[lightning22]

Not the same as metallic reloading i know, but having given up hope of finding .410 dies for any of my reloaders I've been making hand tools on the lathe.

Nearly got a full set now having made a decapper, priming/wad rod and RTO tool (drill mounted) I was wondering if anyone else made their own reloading tools?

Rich
;)

[MikB]

Certainly made bits and pieces - new expander rods, a hydraulic decapper, replacement primer punches, wad punch/cast bullet sizer for .577 etc., but I'd have to be more strapped than I am to tackle, say, a case sizing die - after all there's quite a bit of toolmaking time just making something to cut the shoulder and neck profile, even if you can bore the body.

Regards,
MikB

[harricook]

Hi MikB

Intersted to see what you did for the 577 sizer/luber - been promised one by Peter Dyson for ages - but cant seem to get one.

May I be so bold as to ask what would you charge to make one for me ??

Cheers

Roy

[MikB]

Well, all I did was take about an inch of 7/8" dia. silver steel, drill and bore it .592" through, turn a 15 deg included chamfer to a sharp edge, then heat treat it hard. I lube the bullets by hand and stuff them through the blunt end with a stick to size 'em, and use the sharp end with a vice, some cardboard and a piece of scrap timber as backing to cut out wads. No great shakes for rapid output, but does what's needful.

I'll have a think about doing another - won't cost you much, but it's a question of finding the time.

Regards,
MikB

[andrew375]

I make the bit or two. Mostly sizing dies for non standard diameters. My last one was .3135" to fit my Mosin, the Lee .312-185 cast out at .3141" and my Mosin barrel slugged out at .3133". Most of my other bullet sizing dies are sized to the as cast diameter so the bullet is lubed only. FWIW, I only use mild steel for my dies and I have not detected any wear, even on the ones that have had in excess of 20,000 bullets through them. Also, I cut a 7/8 UNF thread on the outside of dies not going into a lubresizer so they can be used in a press.

I also make collets for the Lee collet die, custom base plugs for Minie moulds, odd screws and such. In an earlier life I made bullet moulds.

Before anyone asks, NO I do not do this as a business, I will only undertake work as a favour to help close friends.

[Treebone]

I have custom made both 7/8 press dies and hand dies using the same reamers i used for chambering my rifles, these have then been bored from the other end to accomodate Redding or Wilson neck sizing bushes.
Alternatively you can purchase undersize reamers in all popular calibres that are specially sized for custom making your own F/L sizing dies.

TB