Lee sizer question?

[fanner 50]

Does the lee sizer use one boolit to push the other boolit through the die? How does it install a GC? I am thinking about using it but it would seem that the Lyman 4500 is a much better process, and the gas check seater on the Lyman makes a much more secure installation of the GC. Am I all wet here?:confused:

[jonk]

The sizer comes with a punch that pushes the bullet through the sizing portion of the die; though the bullet does push the one above it clear of the die body, there should be no pressure, bullet to bullet.

Crimp on checks are seated in that the flared bit- the crimp on bit that is- is squeezed around the base of the bullet. It bites in so to speak, and does the very same thing the 4500 will do but at a fraction of the cost. In fact, the Lee system does it so much better, I first seat the checks on the Lee, then run into the Lyman dies to lube. Just my two cents.

[leftiye]

Actually, for some boolit designs the Lee push through sizer does a better job. That's for any design that in a lyman or RCBS wouldn't line up reliably with the die (nose punch doesn't straighten out boolit in die). Notably short RN designs like the 9mm and .45 acp boolits. Base pushing sizers avoid this and other alignment problems as well a.

The sizing is done in the first part of the Lee die, and the previous boolits are just sitting in the looser upper section of the die.

[1Shirt]

The lee push through dies have an added advantage of being able to be inlarged quite easily comparied to Lyman/RCBS if there is a need for same. I use both lee and Lyman, and sometimes a combination of both as I sometimes use the lee as a gas check seater and the Lyman to just lube.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[fanner 50]

Now I'm more confused. I was putting GC's(hornady) on boolits I cast from the Lee C452-300 the Lee sizer wouldn't get the GC's to stay on. On the other hand The Lyman GC seater allowed me to put pressure on them and get a good seat. I then removed the seater and lubed the boolits. These were the rounds that shot so well at the range. I get the feelin I'm doin something wrong with the Lee equipment.?????

[leftiye]

Maybe, maybe not (doin' sumpthin wrong). I can't see from here how the boolits fit in the lee die. Were the gas checks entering the die shoothly (not too big)? Were they already seated on the boolits (boolit in the bottom of the cup) when you drove the boolits through the die? If so I'd guess there might be something wrong with the die. Need to know more.

[44man]

Thats what it sounds like, the check was not on the base of the boolit, maybe a little oversize on the check portion and he is just setting the boolit on top and forcing it on in the bottom of the die. That would be totally wrong because the check is closed in the die and lead has to be shave to force the boolit in.
The check MUST be fully seated on the boolit before running through any die even if it has to be tapped on the bench first.
I have boolits I have to beat on the bench top to get checks on and thats how I like them. I don't like loose checks.

[fanner 50]

checks were loose they could be turned by hand after installed. If there was any lube on the plunger it pulled a few of the GC's off. I had three boolits in the Lee set up and nothing had popped out. I aasume that when you are down to the last ones you have to use a dowel or something to push them out? The instructions that come with this stuff leave alot to be desired.

[versifier]

I believe the problem is that the gas check shank on the boolit is too small - in other words, the problem is with the mould, not the sizer. With a Lee mould that is usually curable, but it may be easier for you to just send the mould back to Lee for a replacement as it is defective. Not an uncommon occurance with Lee moulds these days, unfortunately.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I have a short length of 22 barrel threaded like a loading die to fit a press. The bore of the die accepts a nose punch facing the shellholder and has a setscrew to hold it. I have a shellholder without the shell recess. I use these to gently set gas checks squarely and firmly together. Then off to the sizer. Sometimes poorly attached gas checks affect shooting negatively no matter how nicely you size & lube. BvT

[lovedogs]

44Man... just thought I'd tell you the GC doesn't have to be fully seated to run a bullet through ANY die. I have one Saeco .44 mould that throws a bullet that has slightly big bases. So big that the GC can't be put on by hand or tapping. I start the check on the base then carefully align the bullet with the top punch in my Saeco sizer, with the check seater in place. Then by pushing gently I can seat the check. I then lift the handle slightly and turn the bullet a little and seat again to make sure the check is straight and tight. It's kind of a hassle but it works. No problems with loose checks for sure!

[44man]

I tried that with mine, being lazy of course and wanting an easy way but it pushed the base punch down into the die without pushing the check on. That made the check harder to get on because it squeezed the sides in. I do like the idea of a separate punch and will have to make one.
My checks on some of my boolits are TIGHT!

[Ricochet]

I've tried letting the press ram push the checks onto the boolits as they go into the Lee dies. Won't work. They go cockeyed. They must be fully seated and straight before sizing. And boolits that are a tight fit for the checks can be a real pain. I'd rather have them slightly loose. Some of my group buy moulds suffering from boolit obesity syndrome make me struggle with 1/3 or more of the boolits to get a Gator Check of appropriate caliber to go on the shank. I hate to have to add more steps of annealing and flaring checks that should work properly as made, but may have to.

[leftiye]

You might have to flare the checks a little with an appropriately sized tapered punch, then seat them properly. You then might even have to crimp them a little base first if using a nose first sizer so that they don't catch on the die when sized.

[Ricochet]

More than I want to get into.

You know, depending on which way you want to look at it, either the bullet or the check is defective if you have to do stuff like that to put 'em together. It's either the mould specs or the loose Lee tolerances, I'm thinking.

[leftiye]

No arguement here. But if your base were just a little big, it is still possible to get a nicely set check.

[Ricochet]

You're right. And I do, I just grumble and struggle more than I want to. If I rigged up an appropriate expander, whether a punch, ball, or whatever and did the number of checks I need for the number of boolits I had before starting, it would save enough aggravation to be worth it, in all likelihood. I'm just in a mood to complain.
:-D

[44man]

It still boils down to what you want to do. I would rather fuss with a few boolits that hit where I aim then 10,000 that don't. If you just blaze away for fun or cowboy action, the work is not worth it and an easy way must be found. A PB boolit would be best. At the price of checks, I don't want to waste them for fun shooting. The expense makes me work very hard for the best boolits for hunting or testing loads. I don't care if it takes all day to make some. Sometimes speed doesn't pay.

[TAWILDCATT]

if the load is mild you dont need checks.mike the base and mike the check.are they right?

[Unter]

Fanner, screw the sizing die far enough into your press so the boolet and the installed gas check are sized in the first stroke of the handle. In other words the sized boolet can be pushed up through the remainder of the sizer without any drag on the wall of the sizer.

If the gas check is not tight, I anneal the gas check. That keeps them from springing back. If the check will not go on by hand, perhaps the lower ram of the sizer will snap it on when you block the sizer body bore with a chunk of something(professional sizers term I picked up).

John O.

[fanner 50]

OK guys I just got my first bunch of 314-299 boolits done and the Hornady 308 GC's worked great. I have deceided that using the GC installer in the Lyman 4500 works best but the fit is important. The boolits cast from the Lyman mold are the right size for the gas checks. The Lee die for the 45's is a little too small I think although I've discovered that as the mold reaches temp it tends to fill better giving a tighter dimension. So what I have learned is to get all things right such as temp of lead and mold and the GC's fit better. It also seems that the aluminum mold is more critical to temp than the steel one but the cost difference is huge. Part of the fun is learning and sharing the experience with others. JMHO - F50