Home Forums Hunting & Shooting BPCR RCBS luba matic top punch _Village idiot is back...

Edited again: Got the issue below figured out. It's a #600 RCBS top punch. Thanks for the help

OK. Was setting up to load today (45-90 first timer). Will be starting with the 405gr 0.458" Gov slug from recently purchased RCBS molds. Got the RCBS LubeAmatic out and find I do not have a "top punch" to shove the pill into the lub/sizer component.


Skip the next 3 lines as they are not relevant.
Really gets my goat when I make a purchast to start a project, only to get home and find I need 1 more component to get to work. I'm in a small town and a run to the store is 260 miles round trip. Are there knowing sales persons anywhere that can prevent those extra trips!? Sorry, that was the rant. Now to the rest of the story.

On the RCBS web site, I find an extensive list of top punches with part numbers and 3 digit numbers on the tail end. Nothing there specifically indicates which top punch fits what bullet or sizing die or whether the last 3 digits are indeed diameter measures in inches, mm, or cubits (goes back to Noah days). An example listing is:

82543 - LUBE-A-MATIC TOP PUNCH 445

I do not see any listed that say 458

The question: Can some one advise me on the proper top punch? Again 405 gr 0.458" Gov bullets with a bit of a flattened nose (that's a technical term). Appreciate the help. 1Minute

Top punches can be confusing. The RCBS top punch you mentioned is a Number 445, doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the bullet diameter. It seems that very few sporting goods/gun stores carry stuff for bullet casting. I've found mail order to be the only source.

If you have or can get your hands on most any RCBS or Lyman top punch (they are interchangable) that is close to your bullet shape, you can fake it by putting release agent on a bullet, then putting a dab of epoxy in the cavity of the top punch, and letting the press push the bullet gently into the punch. When it has set up you will have a punch cavity that fits your bullet's nose. I've also heard of folks using heat melt glue, but I always use epoxy.

Edited: When I wrote "close to your bullet shape" I meant the contour of the nose. All the punch cavity has to do is hold the bullet nose in alignment so the epoxy can form around it. Diameter of the bullet doesn't really have anything to do with it, as the punch never gets down to the bullet's major diameter.

Good luck.

Paul

I would call RCBS, bet they can help.