Dusty Stevens
Hollow Point Dispenser
Just powder and paper towel is good- COW is bad. It will mess you up in some way every time.
I tried a hydro form die for the first time this week. I decided to start forming brass so I would have something to shoot next year if I decide to go to a match.
My hydroform die is not a Whidden die but I had the same problem. I clamped the die in a vice and used a brass drift to drive the punch out of the die then chucked in my lathe and polished it a while with some 400 grit sand paper at 1400 rpm. I did this about 6 times to form 50 cases and figured out it is a good idea to take it apart and lube everything every 5 cases to stopper from siezing up on me.
Got another 50 cases loaded up with cream of wheat ready to pop em off tomorrow, its so easy and the weather is nice and I don't wanna be be inside swinging a dead blow hammer any way. Might be OK at -20° and snow balls blowing 40 knots but not right now.
I use 10 grains Unique and a case full of cream of wheat and a 1" square of bounty packed into the case mouth with an Allen wrench. I do this to pack the C.O.W. tight. Makes good cases. I false shoulder my brass after expanding, this time with a 257 mandrel. I have used a 6.5 mandrel and don't know that it gains anything to stretch the neck that far.
I use a a dedicated fireform barrel for the C.O.W. fireforming.
Do you push a piece of paper towel down over the powder or just a wad in the neck?
Just put a 6br load in it and shoot a match.