Top Punch

[Bullseye54]

Would anyone know what size top punch I should use for a .54 cal. Rapine Sharps ring tail
mold? Also a RCBS Hodgdon .578 Minie.. I have a rcbs lubrisized..
Thanks, Joe

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

Joe,

I size my .54 caliber Lyman ringtails with a push-through type sizing die in my RCBS press, negating the need for a nose punch. If you are using a sizing die in a lubrisizer you will want to size only and not try to lube at the same time otherwise you will get lube all over the ringtail portion of the bullet. Better to dip the bullets nose first in melted lube afterwards.

For my .50 caliber Sharps rifle I use a NEI ringtail and size it with a .512 die in my lubrisizer. I have an assortment of nose punches and try to find the one that fits best. I believe the Lyman nose punch I use is .45 caliber but it could be for a .30 caliber bullet - can't recall. It's not a perfect fit but it does not deform the nose all that much. In your hunt for the best nose punch keep in mind it doesn't have to be the same caliber as your bullet, but it should at least approximate the nose shape of the Rapine bullet.

Jim Burgess
15th CVI

[Bullseye54]

Hi Jim,
Wish I still had my lathe..
All I had was a lubrisizer die.. Where did you get the die to fit a reloading press?
I tried to find one for a Lee and figured I could get it to fit my RCBS press. No luck.
Made a holder to fit the bullet nose and bonded it to the pusher on the die.
I'm going to feed them nose 1st into the die the same as they would load
into the chamber. Makes sence to size them nose 1st . Should work..
Joe

[Francis J. Miller Jr, 02601]

Joe,
I got my sizing die that screws into my RCBS loading press from John DeWald of North East Trade, who is a sutler at the Fort in Winchester. Here is his website: http://northeasttradeco.com/ Hope this helps.

[jonk]

While I have seen lube sizer dies with a milled out base portion that allowed the ringtail to ride snugly through the die without lube being applied to it, I agree, it's a lot easier to just use the push through. I got mine made on the cast boolit forum by a member named buckshot; excellent work. I roll my unsized bullets in some dilluted Lee case resizing paste (the white stuff), let dry, then size, followed by loading and dipping in the melted lube.

To your question, though, if you do go the lube sizer route, I would get as big of a top punch as possible, bore it out, and make a custom fit using some JB weld. Quite easy to do, just fill the punch, and rest it in the press on the nose of a greased bullet.