LEE Lube and Sizer...How does it work?

[Southern Shooter]

I am going to buy a couple of Lee Lube and Sizers. I was wondering how do they "resize".

Do they compress the lead or do they actually shave lead off?

Thanks

[375RUGER]

compress

[Southern Shooter]

If the sizer compresses the boolit, does it make the boolit longer??

[theperfessor]

To a very small extent yes it does. But a lot displaces into the grease/crimp grooves. A smooth sided bullet would get longer than a bullet with grooves.

[Bullet Caster]

Southern Shooter,
I don't think the Lee sizers compress the boolits. Every one I have put through my sizer will shave off a little lead to size at the proper size. I use a .309 sizer for my .30-06 as my mould drops them out at .312. My .30-06 bore is .308 and you want the boolit to be .001 over actual groove diameter. I use a .452 to size for my .45 Colt clone and .451 sizer for my .45ACP. You should lube the boolits before you size them. Hope this helps. BC

[Southern Shooter]

Thanks, folks !! :smile:

[runfiverun]

it does displace metal,not shave it.
size an unlubed loverign down 3 thou, then a lube groove filled one down 3 thou..
look at the drive bands..
if it shaved lead you would have a pile of it on top of the sizer [or under in the case of the lee]

[nwellons]

For those who plan to lube after sizing (I pan lube for my BP cartridges), just roll the boolits in dish soap. After sizing, it is easy to rinse off.

[oldfart1956]

Just ran 1200 boolits thru Lee 358 and Lee452 sizers and cleaned the sizers afterwards and haven't found a lick of shavings anywhere! The fat Lee 454's was a bit snug going thru but I gotter done. Might have to alox 'em as they ain't much groove left. I did lube before sizing. I just now measured and the .452's went from .660 in length to .662 if it matters. Audie,,,the Oldfart..

[35remington]

The Lee dies have a tapered lead in to the sizing section that ensures the bullet is swaged to size and it is definitely not "shaved."

It is considered one of the most forgiving and concentric sizing dies on the market, and it will produce a sized bullet that is second to none in terms of producing a properly sized bullet.

[prs]

Yep, no shavings here either. I do use some lube on them before sizing. Actually, I have gotten pretty good at casting the boolits to fit the particular gun as cast; a little softer alloy to be smaller and harder to go a tad bigger -- all within reason of hardness and size limitations. Next time I do size some, I think I will take a sample and do before/after length measures -- I have never noticed them getting "taller".

prs