So Im thinking about telling people to get me expanding mandrels for Christmas to get them off my back about gift ideas.
Im pretty sure that the PMA tool looks like the best option, it doesnt look very different from the 21st or Sinclair dies, and looks to be the same in function... unlike K&M which looks proprietary in every way. (I also have an email into porter precision products for their collet die pricing etc)
So with the body being chosen my next choice is the material that the mandrel is made of. Now obviously carbide is the best answer but how much better really? PMA has a carbide mandrel and thats the only ones that advertise carbide expanders, they also have stainless. 21st century has a TiN mandrel and a stainless. Sinclair has stainless. Is the carbide really worth 48 more bucks or a 600%+ upcharge?
I thought that the carbide required zero lube but Ive since learned that lube should still be used with them so that less of a selling point afterall. And since I have to lube them is there really any benefit to using them? I dont imagine that Ill be doing so many thousands upon thousands of rounds annually so as to wear one out. And by that same notion whats the deal with TiN? Just a half way between stainless and carbide?
A year ago I would have jumped at the carbide in a second due to my incorrect notion that carbide expanders were lube free but Ive since learned that only applies to straight wall pistol cases and even then lube wouldnt hurt anything besides tumbling time. If the stainless leave a lubed case the same as a carbide what gives?
PMA expander body- 24.95
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cdn6.bigcommerce.com\/s-kefrxvu\/products\/105\/images\/291\/DSCN1550__38901.1420222054.500.659.JPG?c=2"}[/IMG2]
PMA Carbide- 56.95
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cdn6.bigcommerce.com\/s-kefrxvu\/products\/248\/images\/912\/CarbideExpanderWeb__48890.1497548209.500.659.jpg?c=2"}[/IMG2]
PMA stainless- 8.95
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cdn6.bigcommerce.com\/s-kefrxvu\/products\/99\/images\/285\/PMAExpanderMandrel1__01278.1420222044.500.659.jpg?c=2"}[/IMG2]
21st stainless- 8.95
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/nebula.wsimg.com\/f33e2cf227bb30e42613f591c51399c6?AccessKeyId=D665AA0C95BD1D877538&disposition=0&alloworigin=1"}[/IMG2]
21st TiN- 18.95
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/nebula.wsimg.com\/23ca7462f6f755a97a8be3467653fc1d?AccessKeyId=D665AA0C95BD1D877538&disposition=0&alloworigin=1"}[/IMG2]
Sinclair Stainless- 9.99
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/www.brownells.com\/userdocs\/products\/p_749001145_3.jpg"}[/IMG2]
Im pretty sure that the PMA tool looks like the best option, it doesnt look very different from the 21st or Sinclair dies, and looks to be the same in function... unlike K&M which looks proprietary in every way. (I also have an email into porter precision products for their collet die pricing etc)
So with the body being chosen my next choice is the material that the mandrel is made of. Now obviously carbide is the best answer but how much better really? PMA has a carbide mandrel and thats the only ones that advertise carbide expanders, they also have stainless. 21st century has a TiN mandrel and a stainless. Sinclair has stainless. Is the carbide really worth 48 more bucks or a 600%+ upcharge?
I thought that the carbide required zero lube but Ive since learned that lube should still be used with them so that less of a selling point afterall. And since I have to lube them is there really any benefit to using them? I dont imagine that Ill be doing so many thousands upon thousands of rounds annually so as to wear one out. And by that same notion whats the deal with TiN? Just a half way between stainless and carbide?
A year ago I would have jumped at the carbide in a second due to my incorrect notion that carbide expanders were lube free but Ive since learned that only applies to straight wall pistol cases and even then lube wouldnt hurt anything besides tumbling time. If the stainless leave a lubed case the same as a carbide what gives?
PMA expander body- 24.95
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cdn6.bigcommerce.com\/s-kefrxvu\/products\/105\/images\/291\/DSCN1550__38901.1420222054.500.659.JPG?c=2"}[/IMG2]
PMA Carbide- 56.95
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cdn6.bigcommerce.com\/s-kefrxvu\/products\/248\/images\/912\/CarbideExpanderWeb__48890.1497548209.500.659.jpg?c=2"}[/IMG2]
PMA stainless- 8.95
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cdn6.bigcommerce.com\/s-kefrxvu\/products\/99\/images\/285\/PMAExpanderMandrel1__01278.1420222044.500.659.jpg?c=2"}[/IMG2]
21st stainless- 8.95
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/nebula.wsimg.com\/f33e2cf227bb30e42613f591c51399c6?AccessKeyId=D665AA0C95BD1D877538&disposition=0&alloworigin=1"}[/IMG2]
21st TiN- 18.95
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/nebula.wsimg.com\/23ca7462f6f755a97a8be3467653fc1d?AccessKeyId=D665AA0C95BD1D877538&disposition=0&alloworigin=1"}[/IMG2]
Sinclair Stainless- 9.99
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/www.brownells.com\/userdocs\/products\/p_749001145_3.jpg"}[/IMG2]
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