Received My Custom 32 Win Spl EZ X Expander
Posted: 11 Mar 2017 22:54
Over the course of a year, I've been ordering custom oversized EZ X Expanders for all my bottle-necked cartridges, the expander for my 32 Win Spl and 35 Rem showed up on Friday.
I cut my teeth on the 30 calibers, trying to figure out the relationship of bullet size vs. expander but I think I ended up getting a grip on it. To confuse matters, I was also ordering custom mandrels for the Collet Sizing Die, and that is a bit confusing as it is sizing brass under compression vs. expansion. Plus, you always need to consider that brass is very malleable but that said, I think I'm there on what size is needed.
The expander in the 32 Win Spl Pacesetter Sizing Die has a greater diameter of .320" so there is no way that I can get a .323" bullet started down the case neck even if it were to deliver that diameter. After years of doing this, I do not think that flaring the case is the way to go. I had thought about switching from the Lee to Lyman "M" dies for my bottle neck cartridges but along came the NOE Expander Plugs for the Lee Universal Expanding Die and that use confirmed for me that an expanding plug is better than a flaring plug for these types of cartridges. Flaring is great for straight walled cartridges, but I'd rather expanded a bottle-neck. What I didn't like with the Universal Expanding Die with the NOE Expander Plug is that it added another die to the process.
So, with the .324" expander in the Sizing Die, a case was formed and then some measurements were taken. I use pin gauges. In the top of the photo the .323" pin rests just into the inside chamfer, it can pass no further but a .322" pin slides in. With the feel of the fit, I would call the diameter inside the neck .3225" +/-.0001". So, after passing a .324" expander through the neck, the brass sprung back to .3225".
This worked out real well as what I've learned from mistakes I've made ordering expander plugs is that the inside diameter needs to be .0005" to .0010" UNDER the bullet diameter. If it is at bullet diameter, there is no neck tension even after it is seated and if it is more than .001" under diameter, it is tough to get the bullet started. Here it is, the .323" bullet sitting straight and proud at rest within the chamfer inside the neck of the case.
Here is my proof that a proper expander leaves everything alone while getting a bullet seated under neck tension. The outside diameters of the case that has just been sized are identical to the case that has just had the bullet seated.
Well here it is, back to four dies and the NOE plug has been retired!
Will do the same checking with the 35 Rem prior to loading ammunition.
I cut my teeth on the 30 calibers, trying to figure out the relationship of bullet size vs. expander but I think I ended up getting a grip on it. To confuse matters, I was also ordering custom mandrels for the Collet Sizing Die, and that is a bit confusing as it is sizing brass under compression vs. expansion. Plus, you always need to consider that brass is very malleable but that said, I think I'm there on what size is needed.
The expander in the 32 Win Spl Pacesetter Sizing Die has a greater diameter of .320" so there is no way that I can get a .323" bullet started down the case neck even if it were to deliver that diameter. After years of doing this, I do not think that flaring the case is the way to go. I had thought about switching from the Lee to Lyman "M" dies for my bottle neck cartridges but along came the NOE Expander Plugs for the Lee Universal Expanding Die and that use confirmed for me that an expanding plug is better than a flaring plug for these types of cartridges. Flaring is great for straight walled cartridges, but I'd rather expanded a bottle-neck. What I didn't like with the Universal Expanding Die with the NOE Expander Plug is that it added another die to the process.
So, with the .324" expander in the Sizing Die, a case was formed and then some measurements were taken. I use pin gauges. In the top of the photo the .323" pin rests just into the inside chamfer, it can pass no further but a .322" pin slides in. With the feel of the fit, I would call the diameter inside the neck .3225" +/-.0001". So, after passing a .324" expander through the neck, the brass sprung back to .3225".
This worked out real well as what I've learned from mistakes I've made ordering expander plugs is that the inside diameter needs to be .0005" to .0010" UNDER the bullet diameter. If it is at bullet diameter, there is no neck tension even after it is seated and if it is more than .001" under diameter, it is tough to get the bullet started. Here it is, the .323" bullet sitting straight and proud at rest within the chamfer inside the neck of the case.
Here is my proof that a proper expander leaves everything alone while getting a bullet seated under neck tension. The outside diameters of the case that has just been sized are identical to the case that has just had the bullet seated.
Well here it is, back to four dies and the NOE plug has been retired!
Will do the same checking with the 35 Rem prior to loading ammunition.