Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Talk about your 450b reloading experience, ask questions, etc...

Moderator: MudBug

Forum rules
Please try and keep it safe!

This information is the responsibility of the community, not the forum. 450bushmaster.net is not responsible if you blow yourselves up.

Re: Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Postby Hoot » Sat Nov 05, 2016 9:33 pm

dantheman wrote:Someone should market these on Ebay
Dan


Dan, I worked for many years in Manufacturing and Product Test Engineering. Even with all my best effort to control the consistency of the dozen or so that I've made, no two turned out exactly the same. The up front cost to make tooling that manufactures them consistently, would take a lifetime recovering the cost from onesy twosy sales on Ebay, at a price that would move product. That's just one challenge. My experience has also been that no two people who reload are the same. While a more experienced person might get excellent results, the less experienced person might struggle and that can lead to costs due to returns from unsatisfied customers. People are not bashful about voicing their displeasure on Ebay, even when a refund comes to them. Bad feedback from even a few customers, can overshadow sales to many satisfied ones. Then there's the liability from some cowboy blowing up his overloaded rounds. The list of drawbacks goes on.
Reloading walks a fine line between art and science. My experience has been that science is the greater variable than the art part of it. Reliance upon powder and primer performance as if its gospel, while reloading at or near the top of the safety window, is going to catch up with even the most fastidious person and not every reloader bothers to spend more time turning pages and reading as they do pulling on that press handle. :roll:

Hoot
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
User avatar
Hoot
 
Posts: 5083
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:34 am
Location: Minnesota

Re: Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Postby lungingturtle2 » Sun Nov 06, 2016 10:27 am

Amen Hoot, as usual you are right on target. When you make something foolproof there are many that look on it as a challenge.
lungingturtle2
 
Posts: 97
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:11 am
Location: Manteno, Il.

Re: Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Postby Texas Sheepdawg » Sun Nov 06, 2016 10:57 pm

Hoot wrote:
dantheman wrote:Someone should market these on Ebay
Dan


Dan, I worked for many years in Manufacturing and Product Test Engineering. Even with all my best effort to control the consistency of the dozen or so that I've made, no two turned out exactly the same. The up front cost to make tooling that manufactures them consistently, would take a lifetime recovering the cost from onesy twosy sales on Ebay, at a price that would move product. That's just one challenge. My experience has also been that no two people who reload are the same. While a more experienced person might get excellent results, the less experienced person might struggle and that can lead to costs due to returns from unsatisfied customers. People are not bashful about voicing their displeasure on Ebay, even when a refund comes to them. Bad feedback from even a few customers, can overshadow sales to many satisfied ones. Then there's the liability from some cowboy blowing up his overloaded rounds. The list of drawbacks goes on.
Reloading walks a fine line between art and science. My experience has been that science is the greater variable than the art part of it. Reliance upon powder and primer performance as if its gospel, while reloading at or near the top of the safety window, is going to catch up with even the most fastidious person and not every reloader bothers to spend more time turning pages and reading as they do pulling on that press handle. :roll:

Hoot

Dittos Hoot. And I have now found that my screaming 230 Grain FMJs don't need all that powder in the single shot and bolt actions. So. Any of you guys thinking about using AR type hand loads in a bolt action, back it back down to 38 grains of LG, use your LSC and work up but IMHO, anything above 40-41 grains is insane in a 1:16 twist bolt actions and single shots.
-Texas Sheepdawg

http://youtube.com/c/TexasSheepdawg21
NRA Life Member
User avatar
Texas Sheepdawg
 
Posts: 4731
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 10:55 am
Location: North Texas

Re: Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Postby Hoot » Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:01 am

Texas Sheepdawg wrote:Dittos Hoot. And I have now found that my screaming 230 Grain FMJs don't need all that powder in the single shot and bolt actions. So. Any of you guys thinking about using AR type hand loads in a bolt action, back it back down to 38 grains of LG, use your LSC and work up but IMHO, anything above 40-41 grains is insane in a 1:16 twist bolt actions and single shots.


Not to diverge from the topic, but I had a 1:16 AR barrel to play with once upon a time. The amount of gas lost in the DI action of a AR does not square 1:1 with the increase in pressure and velocity in a bolt action or single shot. The faster 1:16 twist adds more resistance to the bullet's travel down the bore and results in greater pressure. It milks more energy from the power charge in this caliber, so Dawg's advice to start lower is good advice. In the case of 1:24 single shots and bolt actions, that difference in resultant velocity can be attributed to the lack of gas lost. If you want to see how it adds up in an AR platform, just shoot a few rounds and then rotate the gas block to seal off the port and see how the velocity changes.

Hoot
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
User avatar
Hoot
 
Posts: 5083
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:34 am
Location: Minnesota

Re: Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Postby Shtf45acp » Sat Jan 05, 2019 11:21 am

So I'm getting into loading 450 bushmaster. I see on the first page that it says to get a 460 S&W factory crimp die but I dont see anywhere how to modify that one. Is it the same as the 45-70 die? Thank you very much!
Shtf45acp
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2019 8:29 pm

Re: Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Postby Hoot » Sat Jan 05, 2019 6:43 pm

Shtf45acp wrote:So I'm getting into loading 450 bushmaster. I see on the first page that it says to get a 460 S&W factory crimp die but I dont see anywhere how to modify that one. Is it the same as the 45-70 die? Thank you very much!


Welcome Aboard OM!

Yes, same procedure without having to remove so much metal. Lately, I've taken to doing the collet portion on the lathe. Much easier sharpening the bite width than using tapered stones. I still do my length cuts using my trusty drill press and Dremel cutoff disks however.

Hoot
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
User avatar
Hoot
 
Posts: 5083
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:34 am
Location: Minnesota

Re: Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Postby Shtf45acp » Sat Jan 05, 2019 7:46 pm

How much are you cutting off the 460 die? I see in the first post it says 1/2", or 3/4" if you want the adjustability. Then in the second part where you made the shims from the cut off piece is says 3/8"? Sorry for the confusion. I just don't want to ruin it. I just need the total length that needs cut off. I'll make the shims put of round stock. Thanks!
Shtf45acp
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2019 8:29 pm

Re: Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Postby Hoot » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:44 pm

Shtf45acp wrote:How much are you cutting off the 460 die? I see in the first post it says 1/2", or 3/4" if you want the adjustability. Then in the second part where you made the shims from the cut off piece is says 3/8"? Sorry for the confusion. I just don't want to ruin it. I just need the total length that needs cut off. I'll make the shims put of round stock. Thanks!


Just got back from my evening walk in the cold. When I get a chance, I'll go down to the man cave and measure the one I did. Might be tonight, then again might be tomorrow but I'll get you the info. Waiting for my feet to thaw right now. ;)

Hoot
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
User avatar
Hoot
 
Posts: 5083
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:34 am
Location: Minnesota

Re: Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Postby Shtf45acp » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:53 pm

Thank you!
Shtf45acp
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2019 8:29 pm

Re: Lee FCD Mod Step-By-Step w/images

Postby Al in Mi » Sun Jan 06, 2019 6:12 am

Lee now has a 450B Factory Crimp die for like $16 which will crimp at the case mouth if that's what your after. SKU# 70003-S12934
User avatar
Al in Mi
 
Posts: 1982
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:24 am

PreviousNext

Return to Reloading for the 450b

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 28 guests