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February 8, 2018, 06:55 PM | #1 |
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Reaming Carbide Sizer Die?
I have an S&W Model 25-5 with a pinned barrel that has large chambers. Fired cases measure .481-.482 with 13k loads. A .454 diameter bullet will easily go through all 6 of the chamber throats. I'm getting split cases from just a few firings, because my sizing die takes them down to .472 at the base.
Is it possible to ream a carbide die to larger diameter? If it would only size to .477-.478, then they wouldn't expand so violently into the large chambers. What other solutions can I try? Thanks in advance! |
February 8, 2018, 07:01 PM | #2 |
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Probably not.
Whole point of carbide die is it's harder than regular steel. |
February 8, 2018, 07:08 PM | #3 |
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Opening a carbide sizer
Cannot be ream3d, but can be honed bay a machine shop with a diamond hone for machining carbide.
Good luck! |
February 8, 2018, 07:43 PM | #4 |
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Thanks, guys, I figured it was that simple!
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February 8, 2018, 08:02 PM | #5 |
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I would explain your situation to the die manufacturer. The only thing that's harder than carbide that can machine carbide is diamond.
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February 8, 2018, 08:45 PM | #6 |
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S&W would prolly make a new cylinder since yours is out of spec. Take advantage of the lifetime warranty and make it standard size chambers. It would save you a lot of problems in the long term.
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February 8, 2018, 11:08 PM | #7 | |
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February 9, 2018, 03:04 AM | #8 |
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That's to resharpen an insert that's already been softened through machining processes and you're just putting an edge on. This is to leave a smooth finish and then for diamond lapping.
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February 9, 2018, 09:29 AM | #9 | |
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What "machining processes" soften tungsten carbide cutter bits? That sounds like something that would be good to know. |
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February 9, 2018, 11:43 AM | #10 |
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I've sharpened carbide tools on the "green wheel" but the embedded material wasn't carbide, I believe it was industrial diamond dust. IIRC the wheel were very expensive...
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February 9, 2018, 11:47 AM | #11 | |
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February 9, 2018, 12:16 PM | #12 | |
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February 9, 2018, 01:30 PM | #13 | ||
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Quote:
Quote:
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/D...327-P1179.aspx |
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February 9, 2018, 01:49 PM | #14 |
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There is a good chance if you sent that die back to the maker they could adjust it for you.
You will have to explain what is needed so the maker knows what to do. The best way to fix the problem is as said earlier - send the gun to S&W and have a new cylinder fitted. |
February 9, 2018, 03:01 PM | #15 |
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The 25-5 throats you have are meant to accommodate the old 0.454" diameter .45 Colt bullets. Today most cylinders are all made for 0.451 bullets, AFAIK, so your modern carbide resizing die is trying to make the cases small enough to hang onto those narrower bullets. But if you have a cylinder for the old bullets, it will be wider. The SAAMI standard allows a 45 Colt chamber throat to be anywhere from 0.452" to 0.4595" diameter, so I doubt you are out of spec. If you slug your chamber throats or even borrow a set of pin gages to determine their diameter and get bullets from equal diameter to 0.001" smaller, you will get the best accuracy, no matter how much squeezing down the forcing cone has to do to get them into the bore.
I believe Lee will make you what you need by custom order. This is better than grinding the die out for yourself as they have a specific elliptical profile they use and they polish it so it doesn't scratch the brass. But before you do that, make the chamber measurements and find your bullets so you can send them a couple of the bullets and fired cases to let them determine what diameter to make the sizing ring. I believe Redding will customize dies as well. You will have to call these guys for prices.
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February 9, 2018, 07:23 PM | #16 |
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What will also help is using softer bullets.
Use a 1-20 or softer bullet so it will upset and fill the chamber throat. And the best is a custom die. |
February 9, 2018, 08:22 PM | #17 |
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Try resizing the brass with Lee Carbide Factory crimp die without the crimp ring.
Then resize the upper part of the brass where the bullet seats with the regular sizing die. |
February 10, 2018, 05:03 AM | #18 | |
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Quote:
Got my cutting tools mixed up.
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February 10, 2018, 11:41 AM | #19 | |
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February 10, 2018, 12:38 PM | #20 |
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Well, guess what? I find that I am back into the 'only one' category. I have rock sharpeners, I can grind the diameter, angles or I can grind the length. If I was grinding a die with straight walls with an insert I would not grind the length of the rock because the rock will reduce in diameter as it is used.
And then there are tappers, use coolant, most would be surprised at the finish, I am not the fan of the cross hatch. F. Guffey |
February 10, 2018, 01:36 PM | #21 |
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That's a .45 Colt size cylinder. How old is your M25?
http://stevespages.com/jpg/cd45colt.jpg "...carbide doesn't get soft..." Nope. It does shatter if you look at it wrong though. Doubt very much a reamer is hard enough to do anything but break the thing.
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February 10, 2018, 06:25 PM | #22 |
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You can also find a steel resizing die and hand lap it to the diameter you want.
I have found that the older dies do not reduce case diameters as much as the modern ones. |
February 11, 2018, 12:30 AM | #23 |
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Thanks for all the responses. My 25-5 is in 45 Colt, not the ACP version, and was made in 1980. In 1983 they went to the modern, smaller chamber dimensions. I will give S&W a call about a new cylinder, and if that doesn't happen, then try Lee to see about a custom sizing die.
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February 12, 2018, 10:04 AM | #24 |
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The "carbide die" actually has a carbide sleeve crimped into place, so I'd contact the die maker and get a die for the .454 bullets you need to shoot. Matts Bullets has some .454 cast bullets. I've used the 280 SAA for a while and they are very accurate.
http://www.mattsbullets.com/index.ph...roducts_id=261 |
February 12, 2018, 10:52 AM | #25 | |
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