I inherited my late father's Star tool, with .358 sizing die installed, which he had acquired from the Anne Arundel County Police Department, when he opened his gun and junk shop in 1950 or so. Family history is that my late grandfather authored the legislation creating the department during his term in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1937-39. This makes the tool and die over eighty years old.
I have changed the die in the tool about a dozen times or so. The H&G potbelly mold (#50 wadcutter), Lyman 358495, and SAECO #382 (150-grain semiwadcutter) throw to .361 and always have. I have sized them through this tool for over thirty years. Last evening the bullets got stuck, one on top of the other, and would not budge. I am trying to figure out why.
Does this just happen from time to time with Star tools? I got two dry bullets stuck in a new die, but this one has plenty of lube through it. I have run it out of lube in the past until sized bullets came out dry, and I just added lube to the reservoir. the only alteration is to place #7 1/2 shot pellets in the holes I wanted to plug so as to only fill the bottom groove on the bullets. Could one of them have worked loose (completely through the holes) and jammed the bullets (impeding their travel through the die?
Do the dies become off center with years of use? I have noticed a partial cylindrical fin at the base of the bullets as they push through. But this has always gone on, and I attribute it to bullets .003 oversize.
Caveat: I noticed a scratch developing on the bullets I size trough this die over the last several years, but I have removed, cleaned and adjusted the lube flow a couple of times since then, never had an issue with clogging.
I had this problem before and someone suggested melting the bullets out with a propane torch. Would that not warp the die? or do I just hold it partially submerged in the casting pot? Would that not weaken the steel?
Is there any type of collar I could rig to the die in a vise, and use a punch to remove the bullet? Maybe like a .356 inch pin gauge long enough to force the bullets out? I do not have at heavy presses, except my RCBS single-stage, and a bench vise (Heavy enough to hold an axe or splitting maul for sharpening) to generate force against the slug in the die to remove it.
Suggestions?
I have changed the die in the tool about a dozen times or so. The H&G potbelly mold (#50 wadcutter), Lyman 358495, and SAECO #382 (150-grain semiwadcutter) throw to .361 and always have. I have sized them through this tool for over thirty years. Last evening the bullets got stuck, one on top of the other, and would not budge. I am trying to figure out why.
Does this just happen from time to time with Star tools? I got two dry bullets stuck in a new die, but this one has plenty of lube through it. I have run it out of lube in the past until sized bullets came out dry, and I just added lube to the reservoir. the only alteration is to place #7 1/2 shot pellets in the holes I wanted to plug so as to only fill the bottom groove on the bullets. Could one of them have worked loose (completely through the holes) and jammed the bullets (impeding their travel through the die?
Do the dies become off center with years of use? I have noticed a partial cylindrical fin at the base of the bullets as they push through. But this has always gone on, and I attribute it to bullets .003 oversize.
Caveat: I noticed a scratch developing on the bullets I size trough this die over the last several years, but I have removed, cleaned and adjusted the lube flow a couple of times since then, never had an issue with clogging.
I had this problem before and someone suggested melting the bullets out with a propane torch. Would that not warp the die? or do I just hold it partially submerged in the casting pot? Would that not weaken the steel?
Is there any type of collar I could rig to the die in a vise, and use a punch to remove the bullet? Maybe like a .356 inch pin gauge long enough to force the bullets out? I do not have at heavy presses, except my RCBS single-stage, and a bench vise (Heavy enough to hold an axe or splitting maul for sharpening) to generate force against the slug in the die to remove it.
Suggestions?