Because Browbnells no longer carrys them I bought some A2 3/4" and 1 1/4" round stock and used my Brownell's N frame tap and die to make 11 of each. Then I hardened 1 of each. Then I took the rest to my mill and use a 1/4" carbide end mill to put chip reliefs in them. Cleaned them up and ran each of them through the un relieved hardened set a couple times to clean the small burrs from milling operation. Milled the taps to have 7/16" square heads and put a 1/4" dimple in sides of dies for a holder to bit on. Then they got wrapped in stainless foil and a 40 min soak at 1800 f in my ht oven then an air quench (A2= air hardening so good dimensional stability) then a 2 hour temper at 350f so about 61 to 62 Rockwell C. Then all were run back through the original unrelieved set again.
I don't know how well they would cut virgin threads, but they will certainly chase a set of beat up threads on a barrel or frame. I ran several of the taps though a model 29 frame I got the barrel out of and some of the dies on the barrel.
Gonna be selling most of them once I make holders for the dies (1 1/4" OD)
PS I am making a 5" pinto Smolt 44 mag using a stainless Anaconda barrel and a stainless model 629 cylinder in what was a boring 29-3.
I don't know how well they would cut virgin threads, but they will certainly chase a set of beat up threads on a barrel or frame. I ran several of the taps though a model 29 frame I got the barrel out of and some of the dies on the barrel.
Gonna be selling most of them once I make holders for the dies (1 1/4" OD)
PS I am making a 5" pinto Smolt 44 mag using a stainless Anaconda barrel and a stainless model 629 cylinder in what was a boring 29-3.
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