.45 ACP expander issue

[Ranch Dog]

Any chance of getting a picture?

[6Gears1Speed]

I can but I think I know what's up... On my turret press I used to use the thumb nut to secure the auto-disk to the die so that there was no movement at all. If I didn't it would flop all over the place. I adjusted the expansion by moving the die up or down.

My friend has a Loadmaster and helped me set mine up. When I secured the autodisk to the die tightly like with my turret press he said to not do that. He said it has to be loose so that it rotates as the ram goes up and down. I didn't understand why he would want to do that but he's had the press or a while and has made 10's of thousands of rounds with it so I just did what he said to do.

Well, for the heck of it I tightened it down so it is secure and no longer rotates and now the case mouth is expanding just enough for the bullet to sit without toppling over. It can't be adjusted any wider than that as it is all the way down now but as long as it works it doesn't have to be any wider. It's interesting that the turret press has a very wide range of adjustment and the Loadmaster has almost none.

So, the moral of the story is to do what you think is right not what someone else tells you to do . He must think that because it's attached to the chain it has to be able to rotate but I don't think that's the case.

[Ranch Dog]

So, the moral of the story is to do what you think is right not what someone else tells you to do

Very true! Glad you figured it out!

[6Gears1Speed]

I just spoke with him and he is adamant that the thumb screw on the autodisk is supposed to be loose and not secured tightly to the die. He has no reason to back it up aside from the fact that it came that way in the box and he has always done it that way. I told him that's not really a reason to think it's supposed to be that way but he won't budge even after telling him it solved my problem and I see no reason for it to be loose. He just thinks that because the chain is attached it needs to be able to rotate freely. Well, it does have about 1/4" movement even when torqued down tightly so the thumb screw doesn't have to be left loose.

So, is the thumb screw supposed to be tight by deign or loose by design? I can't seem to find anything in print that says one way or another and that's the only way I think I will convince him.

[62chevy]

Keep mine tight on my turret, just seams natural it was a lock to hold everything tight. It is called the SWIVEL ADAPTER but figured that was so you could swing it out of the way of the safety prime then lock it down. Yes even locked down it moves some but works just fine.

[6Gears1Speed]

Keep mine tight on my turret, just seams natural it was a lock to hold everything tight.

Exactly. Not sure why he thinks otherwise but he can do it his way and I'll do it the right way . I'm sure I'll be able to convince him he's doing it wrong at some point.

Thanks.

[ljnowel]

The thumb screw(if you are talking about the nut that holds the measure to the die) should most certainly be tightened down.

Your buddy is delusional if he thinks otherwise. That's like telling someone not to tighten their lug nuts.

[62chevy]

That's like telling someone not to tighten their lug nuts.

[6Gears1Speed]

No not that part. The thumb adjuster at the base of the Autodisk. The red arrow below is pointing at it.

[62chevy]

Yup that's the one. Had to use pliers to get it tight.