Lube/sizing Bevel Base Cast Bullets

[Elby]

I am sure someone has the answer to this. I have a 4-cavity NEI mold for a 9mm bullet with a beveled base. When I run them through my Lyman 450 lube/sizer, lube squeezes into and then under the bullet base and then goes all over, wasting lube, and making it impossible to continue without a big cleanup. This lasts until the next bullet.

I called Lyman about it, but they were no help.

It seems to me the only solution is to have the ram (for lack of a better term for the rod that fits down the center of the sizing die) modified to match the base of the bullet. I do not have access to a lathe, so I have not tried it.

Is there a better way?

Thanks for any help.

[462]

A search will reveal many threads and posts.

[lavenatti]

One or two little circles of stryofoam from the trays the supermarkets pack meat in may help. Just place them under the bullet and leave them in the sizer die. They'll help fill in the space and only compress under the middle of the bottom of the boolit.

[Cadillo]

One or two little circles of stryofoam from the trays the supermarkets pack meat in may help. Just place them under the bullet and leave them in the sizer die. They'll help fill in the space and only compress under the middle of the bottom of the boolit.

I use a Lyman 45000 sizer, and I tried this but it didn't work very well as the foam gasket, which is just a little too thick for this, began to compress at variable rates around the base of the bullet causing it to yaw as it entered the die. Plus the foam was very fragile and broke up quickly.

Bullets were sized off center; ugly and nor really accurate.

Solution:

Size a case. Sharpen the mouth using a campher tool. Use the case to cut some gaskets from thin cardboard. I've tried many types of material, and the one that works best is the box that Zip-Loc bags are sold in.

I lay the cardboard on a piece of leather and either tap it with a mallet or clamp it, the cardboard and leather in a vice (best result). The resulting gasket is placed on the piston of the sizing die and the bullet on top of the gasket.

You will learn that you need to run less lube pressure to prevent leakage between the piston and gasket, but once you negotiate the learning curve, the bullets will enter the die straight, they will come out clean, and the gasket will last for about sixty rounds before it needs replacement.

Because I am not wiping bullet bases, this really speeds up my sizing efforts. I started doing this on bevel base bullets, but it works so well that as a matter of routine, I now do it with even my flat base bullets, which also now come out cleaner than before.

[Rich/WIS]

Check the yellow pages for a machine shop and take the bottom punch to them. They can chuck it in a lathe and cut a reces into the punch to match the angle of the BB. Also have thenm drill a small hole in the punch for any lube to collect in. I did this with mine, although I had them cut to leave about a .100 rim as all my bullets are FB. Final trick is don't pump in grease until the bullet all the way down and keep pressure on the sizing handle.

[onondaga]

The Lyman lube/sizer is an investment and it can be a pretty big shock to the ego to experience something so cheap that will do a superb job on that bevel base bullet. Yield to the opposition and tumble lube that bullet forever-after. Give the lube covered Lyman as a holocaust offering to the Ebay god. Then get some liquid alox, Johnsons paste wax and mineral spirits for the terrific 45:45:10 mix that has captivated so many thousands and converted them to the new millennium thinking: If it is easy, cheap and works well, do it and cut your losses. The stuff works well with any design bullet for me. Many, including my self, will never turn back.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/BS2003.pdf

Gary

[captaint]

OR - Just get yourself a Star and forget about these problems. The boolit goes in nose down. enjoy Mike

[HighHook]

+1 on the Star... Now for a new set of fun problems to deal with.

[Doby45]

Star or bust. Tumbling is made for rocks or clothes in a washing machine.

[onondaga]

These are bevel based, tumble lubed 45:45:10 for my .500 S&W Handi-Rifle and I shoot them at 1885 fps with no leading.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/rhymeswithwhat/lubed454510.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/rhymeswithwhat/bullets.jpg

These 250 gr bullets group less than 1 inch at 50 yards for my grandson or myself.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/rhymeswithwhat/TLsized.jpg

You can see the bevel base. These Lee R.E.A.L. bullets drop at .513" and I tumble lube, size to .501" and tumble lube again before seating. The 45:45:10 dries in 10 to 20 minutes. I lube about 300 at a time in less than 1 minute.

Gary

[Mavrick]

I took a Dremel and took the bevel out of the mold. Haven't had a bit of trouble since.
Have fun,
Gene

[epj]

Use the styrofoam from an egg carton instead of a meat tray. It is thinner. I use this for several different boolits and it works great.

[cabezaverde]

I have tried the styrofoam trick and always have a problem with it disintegrating after very few boolits.

Also tried the gas check trick and it always sems to want to crimp itself onto the base of the first boolit I size.

[thehouseproduct]

Here is my take. I asked the same question, got the same answers above. What I ended up doing was buying an RCBS lube die that has one row of 4 holes. I adjusted my sizer so those holes line up with the lube groove, then I tossed the ratchet handle and got a 1/4" wrench. I push the boolit down, turn wrench, release pressure, and pull it back out. there is never a point where the bevel base is exposed to the lube under pressure and it solved my problems. Life is now happy.:bigsmyl2:

[lonewelder]

Might could use JB weld to make a plug to fit the bevel base.Kinda like making a custom top punch.If you used oil to keep the JB from sticking to the die it would be a bottom punch.BUT... I would make sure oil would stop the JB from sticking before I put it in my die.It's just an idea.

[Elby]

There are a lot of good ideas here. Thanks for your input gentlemen.

onondaga, I have tried the tumble lube method before, but I didn't care for the lube left on the exposed part of the projectile. Do you make any attempt to remove it? Where can one buy liquid alox, as referred to in your post.

[onondaga]

No, I don't wipe it off, the mix I referred to, 45:45:10 is not sticky, dries completely and not as poop brown colored as straight Liquid Alox. I get my Lee Liquid Alox from:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=466811

Gary

[rodsvet]

Look up Buckshot in the members list. If I remember correctly he can make an ejector rod for your die that fits your bevel beved boolits. I hope I remember this accurately. Rod

[bayhawk2]

Midway USA.com......I don't lube the bullets twice.
I take a Q-tip,dip it in the pure Liquid Alox,and coat the inside of my sizing die.I
size 25 bullets then recoat the inside of the die with the alox.After sizing I tumble lube.Just a little dab with Mineral Spirits 50/50 will do a lot of bullets.I use the big plastic Folgers containers.
Tumble the bullets around in this mix and dump them out on wax paper.Let dry 24 hours.A very fine film on the bullets is all that is needed.Works for me.I
also pan lube.I use this recipie.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBDFO0ftCQc
Of course this is just me.I will say this though.Tumble lubing with alox is messy,sticky,and
best to have some old clothes on when handling it.Kind of reminds you of liquified wheel bearing grease.

[bayhawk2]

OnOndaga-sounds like the Johnsons paste wax is a good idea.I;ve been using a 50/50 mix
of the alox and mineral spirits and it is a bit messy.Not as bad as the strait alox but
messy enough.The paste wax must help.I now only tumble lube
when I have a few loads and I don't want to go through the trouble of pan lubing.Alox works.Good stuff.bayhawk

[Buckshot]

http://www.fototime.com/CB05DB435202131/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/196912D467E731D/standard.jpg

..............Two problems with a recessed ejector pin. One is that it doesn't end ALL lube there at the BB, just most of it. In order to be practical the outter circumfrance of the lip has to have a bit of a flat on top as a true knife edge would be fragile and could eventually be ruined by catching on the lube holes. Second problem is that now THAT ejector pin is ruined for regular FB slugs.

.............Buckshot

[Elby]

Buckshot, if you are manufacturing those, please let me know how I can purchase one. Thanks.

[nighthunter]

I modified the ejector rod in my .401 sizing die to fit the bevel of my cast bullets in 40 caliber. It ended the lube deposit on the base of the bullet. While I had the rod in the lathe I turned .125" off the other end of the rod. This prevents the bullet from sitting so high in the die on the up stroke and helps center the bullet to the nose punch. I can now size bullets much faster because I don't have to finger fuddle the bullet and nose punch alignment.

Nighthunter

[Elby]

Nighthunter, are you willing to modify the one one I have?

[nighthunter]

Elby, It would probably be faster and cheaper to find a person local to you that has a lathe and is willing to do it for you. It is a very easy 3 minute job to do it. If you can't locate someone send me a PM and we'll get it done.

Nighthunter

[cabezaverde]

Here is my take. I asked the same question, got the same answers above. What I ended up doing was buying an RCBS lube die that has one row of 4 holes. I adjusted my sizer so those holes line up with the lube groove, then I tossed the ratchet handle and got a 1/4" wrench. I push the boolit down, turn wrench, release pressure, and pull it back out. there is never a point where the bevel base is exposed to the lube under pressure and it solved my problems. Life is now happy.:bigsmyl2:

I have been a member on this board for 6 years, and the shooters board before that.

This has to rate as one of the top 5 ideas I have picked up here.

Thanks thehouseproduct

[BigRix]

I found this thread when trying to figure out why I was having problems lubing my Lee 452-200 SWC bullets. When I ran them thru my Lyman 450 the bottom was covered in more lube than was in the groove. I tried several suggestions from backing off the screw before removing the bullet to cutting out cardboard gaskets and nothing was quite doing the trick.

I finally combined several suggestions and shot a video that shows what finally worked for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kElGHsgePU

[bigboy 2]

you the man bigrix works great fought this problem for years thank you