Anyone have any pointers on die making. I am using W-1 steel. I want to use Redding or Wilson .500 bushings for resizing. What's best way to cut .500 hole for these bushings in alignment with cartridge shoulder and body?

Wally

To start with you will ahve you piece of steel through which you have drilled your pilot hole. You will cut centers in each end ensuring that they are concentric with this hole. You will then set the peice between centers and take a truing cut. You can then dial the piece in and cut the chamber. After cutting the chamber dial at the shoulder area inside to ensure that the chamber is running true to the outside. Then simply flip the die, dial in at both ends until it is running true and bore for the bushing.
An alternative is to make a tapered mandrel that fits into the chamber just like a morse tapered center etc. and mount the die on that to bore for the bushing. If you machine this fixture to fit the center sleeveof the lathe you should be able to get it so it runs true even when removed and replaced. Always dial everything to confirm the setup.
The important thing is that you must work from the chamber or from an outside that is perfectly concentric and in line with the chamber. Regards, Bill.

WallyW--

First off, DONT use W-1. It won't harden correctly inside. It's best to use a free machining mild steel and case harden it.

If you're going to use nothing but the bushing to resize with the die doesn't have to be heat-treated. If you're using the die to resize you MUST have an undersize reamer to cut it.

It's easier and cheaper to buy Wilson blanks and chamber with a chambering reamer.

Good advice from Mr. Belk. For neck sizers using a bushing I use either mild steel or c1045 carbon steel. The c1045 machines and reams nicer than mild steel. For a full length sizer do as JBelk says and use mild steel and case harden. If you don't harden the die it will be "sticky".
There are two schools of thought on the bushings. One group feels that the bushing should float while the other group (to which I subscribe) likes the bushing to be held snugly in a well aligned recess. Regards, Bill.