Laboratory-scale extrusion facilitated a parametric study of the metal extrusion process under controlled conditions. Hot extrusion experiments were performed on billets of both aluminum Al1100 as well as, magnesium alloys AZ61 and AM30. Tests were designed and executed with the purpose of recording load and temperature data to validate full-scale thermo-mechanical simulations performed with the commercial code HyperXtrude. Various aspects of flat die and conical die extrusion were observed, studied and modeled with the code. Conventional sine hyperbolic inverse material model was used in the simulations due to present limitations of HyperXtrude. Although this model showed a perfect viscoplastic response at constant temperature and strain rate, by proper changes in the material parameters the model captured the stress softening response characteristic of dynamic recrystallization in magnesium alloys, as shown for the case of AZ61. A framework is also presented for designing and understanding hot extrusion experiments and simulation boundary conditions.