opening up a push-thru sizer?

[moptop]

Well I check the actual size of the .358" push-thru sizer that I've been using and what do you know, it's too small! Boolets are coming out
.356"-.357". The .356' sizer I have is correct as they come out .356". What gives?


Anyway, I've read where these things can be "oened up" to size correctly and was hoping someone here has done it and can point me in the right direction. I have a drill press but I do not have a lathe or a mill.


Thanks all!

[runfiverun]

dowell.
sand paper wet dry is best.
slit dowell
wrap paper around it till semi tight in the die.
put oil on paper
roll die up and down your leg.
push boolit through and measure.
try again
measure again.

[huntrick64]

Don't forget that two bullets the same diameter, but of different alloy (think of BHN 9 vs. BHN 18) will come out of the same push thru die different diameters. My softer bullets are actually almost .001 smaller coming out of the sizer than my harder bullets. It also has to do with how slow you size them. I think they hard bullets spring back more. Since I shoot mainly softer bullets, I reamed out the sizer using the wet-or-dry sandpaper as stated above. I used 220 first, then 320, then finished up with 400. I kept testing it with 50/50 bullets until I got the size I wanted. Make sure you run a few through it first before you judge it. That first bullet or two through following the sanding routine go through pretty tough.

[moptop]

Thank you both for the help. I'm running out of options and if this doesn't make a big improvement I'm going try a different style boolet.

[wmitty]

There's another way to open a die that might work for you. take a boolet which has been pushed thru the die and roll it on it's side in a small amount of lapping compound; then run it thru the die several times.Then check the die size with another oversize slug. If it's still too small, take this slug and roll it in the lapping compound and run it thru the die and again check size. The Lee dies are relatively soft material in my experience and can be opened fairly quickly this way.

[huntrick64]

I went back and reread your OP and had another thought.

When you stated that your bullet came out .356-.357 were you saying .356 measured one way and .357 measured perpendicular to the first measurement? Or, were you saying they were always round but some were .356 and some were .357? Make sure your bullet measures greater than .358 before you push it through the .358 sizer. I used to have the exact problem with my Lee moulds. Bullets would come out .359 measured one way and .357 the other. Even after running through a .358 sizer, .357 stayed .357. They had to be lee-mented and I eventually just replaced them with MP, Lyman, and RCBS Molds.

When I sanded out my sizing dies, I actually chucked the dowel up in a drill and ran it about 300 rpm while moving the whole thing up and down in the die.

Don't give up, you'll get there.

[ipijohn]

When I sanded out my sizing dies, I actually chucked the dowel up in a drill and ran it about 300 rpm while moving the whole thing up and down in the die.


I have used the process above to adjust almost all of my push through sizing dies with great success and it only takes a few minutes.

[captaint]

The Lee push thru dies are fairly soft steel. Easy to open up. Mike

[popper]

I recommend the diamond coated round knife sharpener. Reduce a 1 hr task to 15 min., done by hand, no drill needed. $7 @ Academy. And you can use it to sharpen knives also.

[Maven]

moptop, Read Buckshot's tutorial here: http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/HowTo/How%20to%20Hone%20a%20Size%20Die.pdf

[RobsTV]

Using a drill with dowel rod and 400 grit, took around 20 to 30 minutes to enlarge Lee sizer from .401 to .4025. I would hate to see how long that would have taken to do it without a drill. Plus, it got so hot you needed to wear gloves, and required frequent breaks to cool down and recheck sizing progress. I do not use any oil, so perhaps oil would have made the job easier. But end results were perfect.

[1Shirt]

You can't go wrong with the advice that buckshot gives!
1Shirt!

[moptop]

Once again everyone, thanks much!

[ofreen]

The Lee sizer dies are rough inside, so I'd usually buy one under the size I needed and polish it to where I wanted it.

[lead-1]

Another +1 for buckshot's method it worked for me, .308 to .310

[HighHook]

Can this be done on a rcbs die? Or only a push through sizer?:coffee:

[Maven]

HH, I've polished the innards of an RCBS die, but haven't lapped one. I understand they're a bit harder than both the Lee & Lyman sizing dies. However, I used Buckshot's method to lap out a Lyman die .005". Work slowly and check your progress often; but yes, it can be done.

[HighHook]

I agree about the hardness on rcbs and also the old star sizers. I think i will try a lyman first

[LEADHOPPER]

Make friends with a machinist who has access to a honing machining. Takes all of 2 minutes to hone a die. Come out nice and pretty too, no polishing needed.

LH