Hello

I have bought a new Hornady Custom Grade - New Dimension Dies for the Smith & Wesson 500.

In the box there are 6 pices, but I only know what 5 of them are for.
1pice = seater
1pice = expander
1pice = sizer
1pice = shell holder
1pice = seating stem
and

1pice = ????????
On the top of it stands Hornady 500 S&W T.C.
What purpose does it have?

Describe the physical characteristics of this mystery piece, if you would.

If it's a wire spring thats about 2/3 circle with a hook on one end it is a spare sleeve retainer spring for the seating die.

Otherwise, as RSY said, describe it and we'll try to help.

Here comes the describe of physical characteristics of this mystery piece?!

On the package it stands:

Hornady - Custom-Grade New Dimension Dies
500 S&W
Series II 4 Die Set Full Length
Item# 544585

The pice look like the "Expander" die but it has a hole through it, without any thread inside. It stands on the top: Hornady 500 S&W T.C

The hole dia. is 0,5276 inch (bottom)
hole dia. is 0,5098 inch (top)

No moving parts.

http://www.hornady.com/media/Handgun_Dies_and_Accessories.pdf

Dave

Check with hornady first but ,I will tell you that I purchased a new four die set for a 454-casull and I had the same question My mystery piece was the seperate crimp die. This extra die is needed so that the heavy recoil doesnt pull the bullets out causing lock-up of the cylinder.Sounds to me like the extra crimping die .Good luck figuring it out.

I'll put my money on a taper crimp die.

On large straight walled cases like the .454, .475, .480, .500, .45-70, .458...it is best to seat and crimp in two steps. Likely your seat die has a built in roll crimp, most do, but some like the way the taper crimp works the brass less and tends to make the brass last a bit longer, or so they say. I have never had a problem with short case life and I've been using roll crimp dies for 35 years, only using the taper crimp dies for rounds that headspace on the mouth, which the .500 S&W does not.

The taper crimp is also preferred by autoloading pistols such as my 1911 for smoth loading.

Lou

If the die is such that the case mouth will come out the top, it's likely a file trim die (unlikely) that may have gotten thrown in there somehow. Otherwise I'd say crimp die, as well.


RSY

Thanks guys...

It´s looks like it was a "The taper crimp"....

/ Andreas

Thanks guys...

It´s looks like it was a "The taper crimp"....

/ Andreas
It is a taper crimp die. I contacted hornady a few months ago about it and they replied to that effect. I immediatly contacted Lee and had a Crimp die made. Heck of a deal!!! Works great, I like it allot more than the roll or taper crimp. Sorry to jump in so late, been fishing!