Old oddball .38 Special dies

[mgmorden]

I was plundering around some stuff today in my reloading room and came across a set of old RCBS .38 Special dies I'd stuck aside years ago. I'd bought them off a table at a gunshow and thought they were incomplete.

I got to looking them over tonight and it turns out they're just setup weird:

The sizer die has no decapper or insert. The expander die has the decapper pin in it. I'm so used to thinking decapper pin = sizing die I didn't even realize that that was the expander die .

I'm sure it wasn't really an issue back when these were out but I don't even think this arrangement would work on a progressive press. On a single stage it would work fine - you'd just have to be used to it .

I've already got another set of carbide .38 Special dies so I don't see myself really using these, but I just found it interesting and thought I'd share.

 

[cfullgraf]

Not oddball at all. Many, if not all RCBS dies made before about 1980 had the decapping pin in the expander die.

No, as delivered, the dies will not work in current progressive presses. Some of the sizing dies were threaded for a decapping rod but the rod had to be purchased separately.

I have two sets of RCBS dies, one from 1977 and the other from 1978, that have the decapping pin mounted to the expander ball.

 

[rcmodel]

No, not odd.
Almost all my RCBS dies are made like that.

I much prefer them to what they make today..

I prefer to size.

Then de-prime and expand in the next step.

Maybe because I've always done it that way for 54 years??

rc

 

[mgmorden]

Well I guess ya learn sumpin new every day. First time I'd ever seen them setup like this. I started reloading circa 2003-2004 and most of my dies were bought new so this was the first time I'd seen them like this.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Progressive presses weren't very common until about the late 1970's when CH was producing the Auto Champ in-line presses, which used regular 7/8x14 threaded dies. The other common progressive press that was in use was the Star, which used dies of a different size, and were made especially for the Star presses. There was also the LoadaMatic, by Tri-Standard, but it also used a different size die. The only other progressive at the time was the Hollywood, using 7/8x14 dies, but most of those presses were beyond the means of the common reloader.

The most common presses were all single stage for the average reloader.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[mbopp]

I have a set of old RCBS 357 dies with the decapper in the expander. But the sizer die was set up to take a decapper rod. Two emails to RCBS, and they sent a sizer decapper rod gratis.

 

[fguffey]

I got to looking them over tonight and it turns out they're just setup weird:

I thought the reloader that purchased the 357 Mag die set was weird. In the beginning the 38 special die set would load the 357 Mag. All the reloader had to do was adjust their dies. Then it got stranger, RCBS made an aluminum expander die.

When RCBS made the last 38/357 die set they used the first 38 Special sizing die with a spacer for reloaders that secured the lock nut to the die instead of locking the die to the press with the lock nut.

F. Guffey

 

[X-Ring]

It’s not oddball, it’s just only us old guys are familiar with them.

 

[243winxb]

Not oddball to me (old) . Photos http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=797125

 

[FROGO207]

I also have a set for 45 Colt made by Bair and a set of Herters 38 SPL dies that are set up this way.