Cast, Size and lube the same day?

[454gene]

Getting ready to cast another batch of 45's from a Mihec H&G 68 mold. the first time I water dropped them but noticed the dia. was closer to .453 and went thru the lube sizer with more difficulty than the few bullets that I dropped on a towel.
After reading that you are supposed age cast bullets can you cast, size and lube the same day then shoot them later?

[ShooterAZ]

The water dropped boolits are hardened. You can cast, size & load the same day, but you should give them 24-48 hours min. to "age". They will continue to harden during this period, especially with air cooled ones. I usually let them sit for a week or so. I have found that you really don't need to water drop 45's...I am assuming you meant 45 ACP.

[454gene]

Yes I'm loading in mixed 45 acp brass with 4.0 gr. of BE powder

[gray wolf]

Air drop is fine for the 45 ACP

[HARRYMPOPE]

I've shot air cooled WW rifle and pistol bullets within hours of shooting and had good luck.I dont go for the age hardening theory being paramount to top accuracy.My best match with my 40X 30BR was with bullets cast and loaded the night before.When i processed the reminder and shot them two weeks later there was no accuracy improvement.they still shot 1/2-3/4 MOA.As long as they dont sizzle when you size them they are good to go.( i stole that quote)

George

[MtGun44]

No need for water dropping for any pistol boolits, but especially unecessary for .45 ACP.

Bill

[Bardo]

I have found when I size right after I cast them they are usually .0005" smaller then if I wait a few days. Thats not a good or bad thing just something I keep in mind. I use a pretty soft alloy of about 9 bhn.

Bardo

[44man]

It depends on how much a boolit needs sized. Then it is a good idea to size soon.
I water drop everything because it is so much easier then fussing with boolits on a towel on my small casting area. I do get better accuracy from the big bores.
99% of my boolits do not need sized and are run through lapped out Lee dies just to remove excess lube, even a .430" boolit goes through a .432" die.
My .475 boolits drop at .476" and I use a .476" die but if I let them age, they expand to .478". They are still easy to run through the Lee die. When I size has never seemed to hurt anything.
A lube-sizer does not have the mechanical advantage the loading press has so it can get tough. You have to use what you have and make it easier.

[youngda9]

I drop onto a towel 44mag and 357 mag. I let them set a couple weeks before size and lube. I plan ahead, to never get my stock lower than for 1 years worth of boolits, so this is not an issue. :)

[popper]

I have found when I size right after I cast them they are usually .0005" smaller then if I wait a few days No 'spring back' in softer lead. If you load before hardened the case may resize. That .0005 may make a difference.

[williamwaco]

If they are cool enough to handle in your bare hands they are ready to size, lube, and load.

Of course if you tumble lube, you should wait for them to dry.

[largom]

Don't know about handgun boolits. Air cooled rifle boolits sized immediately can result in boolit noses being swaged oversized. I let mine age 3-4 wks. before sizing.

Larry