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  #1  
Old 03-21-2021, 08:01 PM
Win1885 Win1885 is offline
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Default .17 Ackley Bee Case Forming Dies

Is case forming for the 17 Ackley Bee done with one die, or two?
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  #2  
Old 03-21-2021, 11:19 PM
Daryl Daryl is offline
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I used my .17Ackley Bee seater die to size down .218 Bee brass to .020 cal(thereabouts) then the FL .17AckBee sizer die to size them the rest of the way to hold a .17 cal bullet for fireforming.
No special dies were needed.
So - 2 steps, 2 dies, but the same ones I already had, .17AckBee FL 2-die set.
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Old 03-21-2021, 11:51 PM
Win1885 Win1885 is offline
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thanks Daryl, and i assume an anneal after?
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Old 03-22-2021, 02:38 AM
GLWenzl GLWenzl is offline
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Bullberry still makes nice double ended form dies that don’t cost an arm and a leg if you decide you want a dedicated die for it.
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  #5  
Old 03-22-2021, 01:18 PM
Johnly Johnly is offline
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I've tried both methods of forming 17 Ackley Bee from 218 stock brass. All have worked, but I've had fewer forming failures using my RCBS forming die. Given the limited supply and cost of 218 Bee brass available these days, I'd opt for using forming dies. In either case Imperial Sizing wax is your friend when undertaking the forming process. And yes, anneal the cases after forming and before firing to reduce splitting.
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  #6  
Old 03-23-2021, 05:48 PM
Daryl Daryl is offline
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My dies were custom made and really polished well. I never lost a case in forming, using the seating die first. Then anneal. I then went 14 shots in each
case before losing a single one with a split, then annealed again.
Len has all my .17AB brass and as far as I know, hasn't had to re-anneal them yet. We don't use the CF's much now - only 50 to 100 shots per year. Mostly RF's and HMR's at that.
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Old 03-26-2021, 11:17 PM
Kiwishooter Kiwishooter is offline
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I just had a look at my 17 Ackley Bee dies, which are RCBS, and there is a form die and a trim die plus an extended shellholder that are used for forming cases.

I cant see why using a seater as explained by Daryl wouldn't work, I was just lucky enough that when I got my T/C barrel it came with a set of dies and the RCBS forming dies...….Kiwi
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Old 03-27-2021, 12:25 AM
Daryl Daryl is offline
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I use the same .17 Ack Bee seater for sizing .22 Hornets down as a first step, then I use my Wilson hand necking die for sizing the now .20 Hornet down to .17 Ack Hornet in my arbor press.
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Old 03-27-2021, 12:56 PM
Hal Hal is offline
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Win

Can you tell us more about your rifle and maybe post a picture or two.

Hal
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