Clean your reloading dies every 50 yrs., no matter if they

need it or not. It's enjoyable to see the old dies loosen up and brighten to their former glory. After yesterday I went rooting around for some .270 Win. dies., thought I had some. All I found was some odd .270 WSM set. But Gary gifted me a big old box of odd dies, all types, fruits of a big bench cleaning. I was delighted.

Wouldn't you know it, I found a RCBS .270 Win. seat die and a FL die only missing the de-capper and internal sizer ball/rod. Not a biggie. I have a universal de-capper and I can use the .270 WSM for that expander ball. There you go!

Also I got lost in the Pandora's box. I found a .38-40 RCBS pair of dies that looked a bit unusual. Now understand when I was a lad in the mid 1970's NOBODY cared much for loading .38/40 at all. The kit around was mostly post war vintage if that late. These dies are likely from the late 50's early 60's. I found a FL sizer marked "D" I think. It has an internal rod that is interesting. I believe it to be a de-capper, internal size ball, and neck flare, all in one. The shiny ring above the de-capper is a internal sizer that is exactly 0.399". Pushed past that much and you get a neck flare. You size FL first then back off to do the deprime and flare in another pass? Perhaps there may have been another die to the set? My old .44-40 Win. Lachmiller set has a single FL sizer that has no internal threads for any other operation. Then a separate die that holds this special de-capper/.425" expander/neck flare rod. There are in both kits a separate "Seat/crimp" die.

I think that's how it goes. Change my mind.