Legitimate question for those who know.
roger

Count me among those who do not know. How do you load for a rifle for which you do not have dies?

Lost Sheep

You mean like the half dozen or so flintlocks out in the gun room...?

Rich

I own dies for every gun -- rifle, handgun or shotgun chambering I own

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:
I own dies for every gun -- rifle, handgun or shotgun chambering I own

None. Since my Brown Bess is a smoothbore, it's a musket and not a rifle.

I've had several. Counting wildcats while they were being designed. Any number of times using a complete different set of dies to neck size a case to fireform then using that same die to neck size only prior to have custom dies cut.

Like my 340PDK in a 338Wmag, 280PDK in 7mag etc.

None

No frontstuffers in my harem. Yet

I have dies for rifle calibers that I don't own now and never have owned.

I think I understand the question, which is what calibers do you load for using something other than a set of dies specifically made for that caliber.

I load 7x33 Sako using a set of 7mm BR dies to neck size and seat. I also load .221 FB with a Lee Collet die modified from a .222 die; similarly I resize .222 Magnums with a Lee Collet die for a .223; and have loaded in the past for a friend's .338/8mm RM wildcat using .338 Win dies backed out of the press the proper amount. I cut the bottom half-inch from a set of .264 Win dies to use them for loading 6.5 Rem Mag. And before locating a proper .300 H&H Collet die I neck-sized my H&H brass with a .300 Win die. Before coming across a set of 7mm STW dies at an attractive price, I simply used 7mm Rem Mag dies backed out of the press the proper amount. There probably have been more, but these are the ones I can recall offhand. Oh, yeah. I've got an old Herter's Vickerman-type seating die that is part of a .300 Savage set, but I like it for not only .300 Savage, but .308 and .30-06 as well.

quote:

have dies for rifle calibers that I don't own now and never have owned.

+1.

I spent seven years shooting in year-around formal competition with the .30 BR and did not EVER own a set of dies for that cartridge. Still don't. I do own a chambering reamer and half a dozen rifles for it though.

I don't find factory dies sufficient for winning BR accuracy with cast bullet rifles, but that's just a personal foible which may or not be based on absolute fact. Fact is, though, that it is entirely possible to make/load match winning ammo without using ANY dies at all. I did it for years.

Didn't keep me from loading/firing about 200 rounds a week from my rifles in that chambering.

Have numerous others that I don't necessarily shoot a lot, which I also load with mix/match parts of various other die sets. Typical of such are the .220 Russian improved, 6.5x257 Roberts, 6m/m Donaldson Ace, and so on.

Stone Creek's post here on that is typical of what knowlewdgeable reloaders do to load without specific die sets. (Might be worth noting that I do have about 150 die sets to mix/match from.)

I'm sure Roger does the same thing, as do many others here at AR.

when i started loaded the 458 lott, 45-120, and all of my wildcats, i had to cobble together things to get started...

right now? none -- but i have

NONE.

One rifle 54cal
One revolver 45cal

All of um.

I just bought a set of dies for 7x57 Ackley. Now I have to build a rifle for them. The only round I don't load is 9mm Luger.

AC,Jeffeosso ,Stonecreek! Talent; Good company to be sure. We've really got to add Vapo Dog as he did it with the 6.5 R-Bar even if he didn't own the rifle. He primed, charged, and seated the bullets without the actual die. In fact the set of dies does not exist. This also has been done with Butch Lambert's bushings which have been a great help to me. roger

You would be surprised what you can load with a 6.5 X 250 Savage sizer die.

A question for those guys who are always bumming equipment from their friends?

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
This also has been done with Butch Lambert's bushings which have been a great help to me. roger

Agreed, Roger!!

A set of Butch's (or similar) bushings and a die body to hold them can be invaluable when forming cases from donor brass. Nothing I know of works better or more easily
for reducing neck diameters and/or setting shoulders back as needed.

I have been using a similar set made by the late Skip Otto of Colorado, for about 25 years. Heaven only knows how much money those Skip Otto bushings have saved me...money I DIDN'T have to spend on lots of different die sets. I finally got off my Lazy-Boy chair (it was just a shop stool...I was the Lazy Boy) a few years ago and started cranking out my own bushings when Skip passed on.

I have also used somewhat similar tools which were made by Herter's for specific bore diameter cartridges and were called Universal Dies. My Herter's 6.5 Universal still sees a lot of use. The neat thing about a Herter's Universal die set is that you can set the tool up for either neck sizing or bullet seating.

Using cast bullets I find that with careful cartridge case dimensional control at the start, one can make the rifle chamber do both neck sizing, and bullet seating to a specific pre-determined depth. (One could do that with jacketed bullets too, but the danger level would be immensely higher.)

You know, AC, that it sure would have been nice to have had this communication power back in the 50s,60s, and 70s; not that Elmer and Jack were all bad but there would have been a lot more voices to be heard. roger

quote:

I have dies for rifle calibers that I don't own now and never have owned.

X3

An doubt I ever will own !!!. What was that I heard someone mention sale got to go !.

For the OP.

My Cooper........57M in 22LR!

Alan

I have half a dozen dies that I don't have rifles for. They are for sale at some future time. Have a set of 270s that I cm about to purchase a rifle for and looking for a set of 25-06s for my rebarrelling of my '03. "Ole Betsy" served me well for 20+ years of deer hunting/plinking. Replaced it with a 77 a few years back-also in '06.

06,
I sent you a PM.

If "load for" means handload--since this is a handloading forum--the question makes as much sense as a communist libertarian

quote:

Originally posted by amamnn:
If "load for" means handload--since this is a handloading forum--the question makes as much sense as a communist libertarian

Golly! I just knew I screwed up!! roger

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:

quote:

Originally posted by amamnn:
If "load for" means handload--since this is a handloading forum--the question makes as much sense as a communist libertarian

Golly! I just knew I screwed up!! roger

Gee Roger, I didn't think your question was a screw-up. I thought it was both a good topic and interesting.

One certainly doesn't have to have a specific set of dies to handload or reload brass cartridges.

I thought it was interesting to see if others do it without dies dedicated to a specific catridge. It is clear (from responses to your question) they do. I felt some satisfaction from seeing that a number of people here do it.


For my 30 BR rifles, once I have made the cases to the correct dimensions, I need only a decapper and a recapper, together with a powder measure, to handload and reload those cases.

Some of the individual cases, because I don't overload them, and because I don't have to re-size them, I have handloaded several hundred times or more each.

Still, with my loads they move 210 grain cast rifle bullets at 2,300 f.p.s. or more from a 1.56 long case, so they seem pretty useable for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:

quote:

Originally posted by amamnn:
If "load for" means handload--since this is a handloading forum--the question makes as much sense as a communist libertarian

Golly! I just knew I screwed up!! roger

Gee Roger, I didn't think your question was a screw-up. I thought it was both a good topic and interesting.

One certainly doesn't have to have a a specific set of dies to handload or reload brass cartridges.

I'm sure you know that was a little tongue in cheek, ole buddy. Just got through helping a friend load some 6.5x53.5mm Daudeteau without benefit of dies or cook book.
Reflecting on your 30BR; my .358x41 and .375x41 each push 300grain gas checks over 2300 fps. also. That's 1.625" long cases reaching 30-06 energy levels. roger

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:


my .358x41 and .375x41 each push 300grain gas checks over 2300 fps. also. That's 1.625" long cases reaching 30-06 energy levels. roger

Are those based on '06 case head brass of some sort, or something else?

I have even worst case scenarios.
I have rifles and the correct die sets but I use other dies to load with.

I load 6.5X53R Dutch with assorted sizers and seaters of several types.
Several sizers form the case and a 6.5 X 55FL die neck sizes, I seat with a variety of 6.5 dies.

I load 7.65 Mauser with a Redding bushing sizer and a RCBS 30-06 Competition seater.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:


my .358x41 and .375x41 each push 300grain gas checks over 2300 fps. also. That's 1.625" long cases reaching 30-06 energy levels. roger

Are those based on '06 case head brass of some sort, or something else?

My cases are made from 06, .308 .257 Roberts, 25-06 etc.When the friction force of copper to steel is substantially reduced the energy used to overcome friction is transferred to the bullet in the form of velocity. roger

I'll stand by my reply with one addition--for folks doing oddball things without the proper equipment----ready?????? WOUNDED libertarian communists

quote:

Originally posted by amamnn:
I'll stand by my reply with one addition--for folks doing oddball things without the proper equipment----ready?????? WOUNDED libertarian communists

I understand you have strong opinions. What I don't yet understand is who elected you as the ultimate judge of what is "the proper equipment"? Perhaps you could also enlighten us on that score?

I form my .30 BR cartridge cases so that there is no NEED for a sizing die, because the necks on the cases do not expand beyond their ability to naturally spring back after firing. So they still hold the bullet correctly when reloaded, without resizing, AND I am able to seat the bullets by hand with no tool other than fingers.

I also make the cases with a ring (or donut) on the inside of the neck where I want the bullet base to be when the bullet is fully seated in the case.

Thus, all I have to do is seat the bullet with my fingers until the "donut" stops it. That way I need no seating die either.

So basically that means, for these rifles, I have used my mental equipment to make it possible to handload without dies. Is that not using the proper equipment?

Funny, I was always taught that the most important equipment a handloader has is his or her brain. Maybe my teachers were wrong?

Please excuse any typos. I am a handloader, not a clerk-typist.

Two, 308 Win, 7mm Rem Mag. I need to dump the latter as I know I will never own one again.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by amamnn:
I'll stand by my reply with one addition--for folks doing oddball things without the proper equipment----ready?????? WOUNDED libertarian communists

I also make the cases with a ring (or donut) on the inside of the neck where I want the bullet base to be when the bullet is fully seated in the case.

Thus, all I have to do is seat the bullet with my fingers until the "donut" stops it. That way I need no seating die either.
The Carcano ammo has been loaded and crimped that way. In fact you could wobble the bullets by hand.
Mental aptitude is what some folks never had to deal with a whole lot. roger

I was given a Mas 36 a few years ago, and never bought dies. Factory ammo first, then I have a few 30 caliber dies for neck sizing. I probably used the 7.5x55, it is a fat case at the shoulder.

Jeffe, I still have that Mas 36.

I sometimes load and shoot 257 Roberts, but dont have the dies, I use my AI dies.. Does that count?