As far as I know, they are custom made for the intended bullet, at least mine were.

Thanks.  Is anyone matching them these days?

Green_Frog wrote on Aug 26^th, 2026 at 1:58pm:


I can see making a one-time use half-diameter reamer out of drill rod to match the taper of a bullet. Am I correct in assuming that's basically how Charlie did it? (Get it close with drill bits /chucking reamer and then bring it to final dimensions with the one time use reamer.)

I have a Barnett and an unknown maker lube pumps which I gotta make inserts for. I pan lube generally but the idea of lubing handfuls of bullets in between relays  for something constructive to do is appealing also.

I wonder how simply sticking a Zerk fitting on the outside of the barrel right over the throat would work? Give it a pump with an automotive grease gun filled with bullet grease before breech seating a bullet. Oughta do the trick, no?!

At one time, Charlie would buy aluminum rod stock (3/4”?) and turn up a batch of inserts (external profile and grooves for the two O-rings) and while they were still in the lathe drill a pilot hole for the “chamber”. Then he would part one off and go on to the next one.  Once upon a time he set me up to make about ten blanks and gave me a few to keep for my own use. 

When he needed to finish an insert, he would first drill the radial holes for lube to pass through, drill a slightly undersized hole using the pilot hole the finish fit with a half diameter reamer.  Add two O-rings and install. 

One point I should mention; I like to shoot my bullets in the order cast, so they went into a little plastic liner from 38 Spl or 9mm that I could set on the bench. For each shot I’d take out the next bullet, lube it with a Charlie Dell lube pump, and immediately breech seat it with a mechanical seater made by singleshot. Not a strategy for everyone, but it worked for me! 

Froggie

PS  Oddly enough, I just picked up another Dell lube pump Friday, which is good because I allowed myself to be talked out of one of mine a while back and have regretted it ever since!