I need to tap into the brain trust ... a mystery ...

F

flashhole

New member
At some point in time in my reloading career I owned a bullet seat die that had interchangable inserts for different caliber bullets and cartridges.

I have two rogue inserts - one for 25-06 and the other for 243 Win. I have no memory of the host die that used these inserts but it is no longer an active tool on my bench.

I know it is is not a Lyman die as I have one for 25 cal and that insert is substantially smaller diameter than the inserts I have.

Any thoughts or ideas?
 
I've heard of seating dies with different stems for different bullet profiles, and I know they make sizing dies with different diameter neck inserts. But know anything about caliber inserts for a seating die.
 
Never heard of anything like that in 40 years. Certainly nothing that would do long and short cases interchangeably either. Seating dies usually have a crimp capability as part of the die. You won't be crimping multiple calibres.
 
Lyman and Herters made "universal" seating dies that used inserts.
If Lyman is out, I'd investigate the Herters version.


Hornady, too. But I'm sure you're familiar with them and have discounted that option.
 
I was thinking Vickerman as I have a vague memory of owning Vickerman dies. Long since gone but Vickerman may be the missing link.
 
I have and still use Herter dies, I have Herter Universal seating dies that came with one die body and various inserts, the nice thing about the threads on the seating die allows a reloader to use the sizing die body as a seating die meaning the inserts will fit the sizing and seating die.

Dies were sold in boxes marked Weatherby, same thing with one exception, the seating die had the hole/window in the die for bullet alignment, the Herter and Weatherby die was made by the same company.

F. Guffey
 
Older 300 Weatherby dies have an insert in the seating die and with a side window. I believe Pacific Tool made dies for Weatherby and for their own brand name. You can change calibers in my Weatherby die by using a different caliber insert.
 
I have to assume these inserts were for round nose bullets,
Assumption that most high power reloaders in those calibers shoot pointed bullets,
And these would be the round nose bullet seater inserts that most of us used to ignore?...

That extra insert doesn't come with a lot of seating dies anymore,
(Like pistol seating dies often don't come with wadcutter inserts much anymore)

As to origin, since you know calibers, again, we have to assume the inserts were marked with caliber???

If I'm reading this correctly, you are asking us to guess what brand of dies the extra inserts are?
What brand of dies the inserts originally came with?

What is the prize?
A question like this has to be a 'Stumper' and come with a prize for the guy that blindly guesses correctly!!!

Otherwise without a detailed description and/or picture there isn't a 'Correct' answer...
It's purely speculation on your part for any answer given, since the seating die body apparently doesn't exist, there simply is no quantifiable way to even check any answer given!

THIS IS WHY ALL EXTRA PARTS OR ACCESSORIES GO BACK IN THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER'S BOX,
AND WHY YOU SEE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURERS DIE BOXES IN THE BACKGROUND OF EVERY SERIOUS RELOADER'S BENCH/ROOM!

Considering the information given, and the disposable nature of the die set in general (completely forgettable), I have to guess LEE.
Cheapest dies on the market, easy to forget, and people don't keep those round die cases like they do everyone else's rectangular boxes...

The only addendum to that is Lee dies are so cheap (and I didn't say less costly) they often didn't come with any extras, like flat nose, round nose or pointed nose seater rods...
You often had to call Lee up to get the proper seater if other than 'Common'.

--------

If you REALLY want an answer, measure the threaded rod diameter and thread per inch count,
Note if the seater is threaded all the way up or not with a screw driver slot on the end, or has a knurled thumb screw head on the rod.

All threads on the top side used a jam nut to lock it down, and a screwdriver slot to adjust, probably RCBS.
If knurled finger adjustment, is the insert aluminum or steel?
Different manufacturers used steel, some used aluminum.
If it's aluminum & fat, it's probably Lee.
If it's steel and about the same size as the case neck, it could be any one of about 5 common MANUFACTURERS.

Just not even close to enough information for an educated guess...
 
What is the prize?
A question like this has to be a 'Stumper' and come with a prize for the guy that blindly guesses correctly!!!
Click to expand...

If a reloader has a set of Herter dies they can remove the decapping assemble from the sizing die and then insert the seating plug, I have purchased sizing dies from reloaders that thought they were selling a seating die. The difficult part to find is the primer punch/neck expander assemble.

And then there is that reloader that has not spoken a kind word, he was a little rough on Herter, he purchased a set of dies thinking the die set included a sizing die, it didn't. He purchases the cheapest set of Herter dies, they were cheap because the die did not size the case body.

What is the prize?
A question like this has to be a 'Stumper' and come with a prize for the guy that blindly guesses correctly!!!
Click to expand...

What was the prize? Someone had to tell him, I do not need the graduate and I am not here to compete for attention, if I was I would post big pictures.

F. Guffey
 
Will try and post a pic this weekend. Photobucket is no longer a friendly site so have to find a new one. Tried Imgur but couldn't make it work.
 
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