I asked this question over at the Cat Boolit forum and never got an answer so thought I would try here:


Decided to just jump in and try my hand at casting so I ordered the following Lee molds:

Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold C501-440-RF 500 S&W
Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold C430-310-RF 44 Special, 44 Remington Magnum, 44-40 WCF (430 Diameter) 310 Grain Flat Nose Gas Check

Which top punches should I order for the RCBS Lube A Matic?

Gonna take a stab and size the .500's at .501 and the .44's at .430 unless someone has a better idea. Handguns are a S&W 500 and a newer 629.

The top punches are interchangeable between Lyman and RCBS. Usually right along with the ordering information for the blocks is a key for the correct top punch. You may have to look at the RCBS/Lyman ordering information and find the next most similar bullet and order that punch.

If they're flatpoints, just order a punch that's flat & at least as big as the meplat diameter. Use it for everything except round nosed bullets. This business of having fitted punches designed for every bullet is total nonsense when you're dealing with flat points. Round nosed bullets need contoured punched unless you don't mind a small flat on the bullet nose. Most punches aren't in perfect line with the die anyway and could actually damage your bullet.

I ran into that problem with an oddball bullet fom a mold with no maker's name. Bullet was an RNFP but the punches I had for that type bullet would not fit. I took a spare top punch and carefully filed the cup part off so the the portion that pushed on the bullet eas perfectly flat. Worked like charm for that bullet. Just be sure the bullet is perfectly square on the luber/sizer before running it though the die.
Paul B.

I use a flat nose punch for most every cast bullet. As said above, the round nose may have a small flat on it but you won't have any trouble with it. I've been doing this for years but wish I had learned even sooner. Would have saved me a ton of money on nose punch sizes.

If you can't find a top punch that will work, I can custom turn one on the lathe.

I generally just use the largest flat point top punch I can find and use them on swc, lfn and wfn mold designs. I think having a flat top punch that allows the bullet some leeway to "float" as the bullet enters the sizer is a good thing.

flat point nose punch?

get a bolt that will fit and cut the head off and use it.

otherwise you can get a top punch, hot glue gun and some syran wrap.

get the bullet you want, cover it with syran wrap, put the "unfitted" top punch in the sizer and then put a big gob of hot glue from the glue gun on the top punch and the top of the bullet, lower top punch onto bullet, let it cool.

after cool, take out and trim as needed. tadaaa, custom top punch.