Need help making a lube tool - getting diameter right.

[DaveInGA]

Okay, for some weird reason, the brain is not focusing well this week. Been working on the Loadmaster doing all the mods I want to do with it before using it and it's being a fine toy.

But in the meantime, I will soon need to deal with a lot of .30 carbine w/w bullets my child managed to get lube all over. My plan is to pan lube these, as I've always shot them as cast with great accuracy and no leading.

For some bizarre reason, I can't think what I need to do to make the business end of the shell casing big enough to fit over the bullet. Even a .303 once fired I have is not quite large enough. I need to stretch the case mouth out to fit over these bullets and I'm wondering if a Lee depriming die with a Brit .303 stem would be the way to go to get the case mouth right.

Can somebody please help me pull head from posterior? I don't know why the electrics of the case feeder I'm building and the mods I'm making to the Loadmaster's case feeder to handle .308 win brass comes so easy and this ain't coming at all, but it's driving me crazy.

[mikld]

From what I remember, Lee's powder through dies have a built in flaring tool and this feature flares the case mouth to be able to start a lead bullet in the case mouth. I wouldn't want to open the entire neck up much as "neck tension" may not be sufficient to hold bullets in place during recoil, and insure good ignition/powder burn. Before i got a larger expander stem I would flare the case mouth, seat a bullet, pull the bullet with an impact tool, and measure/compare to an unseated, as cast bullet. If the case swages the bullet down more than one or 1 1/2 thousandths then look for a larger stem...

There's several other ways to flare case mouths for lead bullet seating; I've used a bottle necked case inserted into the neck and turned while pushing. I've used long nose pliers, inserted and twisted which will give the case mouth enough flare, as well as the striker end of a punch/chisel and just about anything smooth and tapered will work...

[Ranch Dog]

I think he is talking about making a wax cutter out of a cartridge case.

My experience is that they just will not last. You need tough aluminum or steel tubes.

[DaveInGA]

I think he is talking about making a wax cutter out of a cartridge case.

My experience is that they just will not last. You need tough aluminum or steel tubes.

RD, do you know what the inner diameter of the .308-.313 tube needs to be to trim the lube adequately?

[Ranch Dog]

Here you go. This is a old, new Lee .311" Pan Lube Kit. The Cutter is marked "30C" and with an inside caliper measures .319". The sizing die is .311".

Lee 311 pan lube kit.jpg

[DaveInGA]

Wow, that's a nice set. Wish they still made them.

[mikld]

OOPS! Misinterpreted OP. I made my "cookie cutters" out of stainless steel tubing and reamed the ID a few thousandths over bullet diameter (which is fine if you have access to reamers). You could take a couple bullets to a good hardware store and check the fit in some thin walled steel tubing. Cut some to length and sharpen one end. I've read a lot of folks have cut golf club handles to fit the bullet diameter (the club handles are tapered inside and out, just cut at the appropriate diameter).