Lost Secret to Setting Up Seating Dies

The following is a tip published in the May/June 1985 issue of American Handgunner.  It could apply to adjusting seating dies when loading bullets with cannelures or revolver bullets with crimp grooves.  The bolt will work as-is for pistol bullets, but you would have to cut some kind of indentation into the tip of the bolt if you were loading pointed rifle bullets.

Texas reader Lannie Dietle suggests dialing a 7/8thsx14x3-inch hexhead bolt into your reloading press to facilitate determining desired seating depth.

"Ordinarily," says Dietle, "this adjustment is a trial-and-error process, performed with the use of the seating die. The disadvantage of using the seating die is inherent in the fact that the operation can't be observed. One must proceed in small increments, checking constantly, until the proper seating depth is discovered. 

"Using the 7/8ths bolt, instead of the die, one can see both the case and the bullet during the entire operation. All you have to do is press the bullet up against the tip of the bolt until the case mouth is properly aligned with the cannelure.  It is then an easy matter to adjust the seating die by lowering the seating plug until it contacts the correctly-seated bullet.  Subsequent seating is performed using the die." 

"CRANE" Extractor O-rings for AR-15/M-16 - $9/100

I was recently reading an article about direct gas impingement AR-15s and reliability.  The author was stressing the need for good springs, and a proper buffer.  It reminded me that I should post about extractor o-rings.

You might have noticed the D-Fender extractor inserts or "CRANE" extractor o-ring upgrades available for AR-15 rifles in Brownells catalogs or wherever.  You can use a pretty ordinary o-ring and get the same effect.

What you want, specifically is:

Viton AS568A Aerospace Standard ID Number: 006 Inside Diameter: 0.125 In. Thickness: 1/16 Outside Diameter: 0.250 In.

That's that description from MSC Direct*, where I bought mine for $8.48 (in November 2009) for a bag of a 100.  The part number from MSC is 09265067.  McMaster Carr has them even cheaper, part number 9464k11, but I needed a 1 1/2" die stock, and MSC had those a lot cheaper.

The D-Fender and "CRANE" o-rings will probably cost you $3 or more each from a gun shop.

Installing the o-ring is pretty simple:

1. Remove the bolt from the bolt carrier.
2. If the bolt isn't clean, then clean it. :-)
3. There are two pins in the bolt, one is solid, the other is a hollow roll pin.  The solid one is the one that holds in the extractor.  Push in on the extractor, and push out the solid pin.  It should not resist too much, and no hammer should be required.  The roll pin holds in the ejector and spring, leave that one alone, it is harder to remove and replace, and if you're not careful when removing the punch from the bolt, the ejector and spring may fly across the room, and you may never find them again.
4. The extractor spring should be captured in a hole in the extractor.  In the middle of the spring there should be a little rubber insert.  If the spring is broken, get another one.  If the insert is missing, or crumbled, get a new one.  All you need to do to install the o-ring is to roll it over the extractor spring, and seat it up against the extractor.
5. Reassemble the rifle and test fire.  Make sure it still works.  Just in case.

You're supposed to remove, clean, and inspect the extractor each time you clean an AR-15 type rifle, but I've noticed that some of the instruction manuals have this step out from the cleaning procedure.


On a somewhat related note, I'm also told that a #41 O-Ring over the front takedown lug of the upper receiver will help keep your upper and lower receivers from rattling together if there is a sloppy fit.

* - MSC runs a lot of coupon deals, check retailmenot.com for coupon codes if you're going to order.

Paper For Sighting In

Perhaps you've had trouble sighting in.  Your first shots aren't on the target, and there's so many holes in the backer, that you just don't know where your shots landed.  You have someone spot for you, but they only see dust kick up from somewhere behind your target.

You need to cover that backer with something, right?  But what?

As it turns out, there is an inexpensive solution readily available.  I found tissue paper at the Rite Aid next to the wrapping paper and gift bags.  For about $3, I got 24 sheets about 2 feet square, which is enough for me to sight in probably 8 times, using several sheets at once to cover the backer.  .22 caliber bullet holes with the soot rings aren't too hard to spot through a spotting scope at 100 yards on the white tissue paper.

If it rains, then you're on your own. =D