Boring A Hornady Die?

[cdhknives]

Are Hornady dies hardened steel? I want to bore my pistol case flaring dies to make them powder through dies for progressive press use...but if they are hardened too much tat is just going to ruin bits and dies. So before I smoke something...does anyone know how hard they are? I figure I can get Rc 40 or so drilled and bored...much over that and my light lathe is gonna have too much flex and slop.

No, I don't have access to a Rockwell tester.

 

[wrmiller]

Run a file over it?

 

[David VanNorman]

The file will tell you all you need to know.

 

[cdhknives]

The little I have used the file skate method, it was to test for Rc on garage hardened simple carbon steel knife blades...Rc 55+ A file will scratch reloading dies...don't think that means my little lathe is stiff enough to cut Rc 40+ range steel. Maybe it is, I dunno, but I try to find out before I start smoking my good drill bits.

 

[dlane]

Mine are carbide ,

 

[cdhknives]

Carbide sizing dies, sure, but carbide for the mouth flaring die? Not my Hornady dies...

 

[David VanNorman]

If you are just wanting a station to drop powder either thread up a piece of cold rolled or find a length of 7./8 " all thread and bore it to do what you want to do .

 

[derf]

Most die manufacturers use 12L14 and then carbo-nitride. The case is about .020" deep. You can bore it with carbide tools.

 

[cdhknives]

I need the flaring+powder drop combo to load pistol ammo in a 4 stage progressive...and most manufacturer's (except Lee and DIllon to the best of my experience) standard flaring dies are solid.

 

[Andre]

Toolpost grinder, or pencil air die grinder holder.