best way to enlarge lee .309 size die to .311

[Denny303]

I looked through the stickys and didn't see it but I have a lee bullet size kit in .309 and might want to "ream" it out uniformly to .311 for 30 cals whats the best method I can use at home with no lathe or special equipment? sandpaper in progressively smaller grits till final polish?

[Maven]

Look at this, Denny: http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/HowTo/How%20to%20Hone%20a%20Size%20Die.pdf

[john hayslip]

I have a small lathe and I took a 308 out to 320 for a cast bullet gun. It was harder than hades. I drilled with oil and much protest and then reamed, again with much protest. To go out that distance I think I'd try cutting a 6 inch or so rod about 1/4 inch in diameter down the center of the rod the depth of the bearing portion of the die and use sand paper to enlarge it. Put a short piece of sand paper The width of your cut with fine grit in the slot and wrap it around the rod. Spin with an electric drill trying to keep the rod in the center of the bearing surface in the die..
I think what I'm going to do if I need another odd size is get a 7/8 by 14 thread bolt and start from scratch - we have a good supplier of industrial size nuts and bolts here in town.

[Denny303]

its all in technique! I should be set to go thanks guys!

[blikseme300]

I have a small lathe and I took a 308 out to 320 for a cast bullet gun. It was harder than hades. I drilled with oil and much protest and then reamed, again with much protest. To go out that distance I think I'd try cutting a 6 inch or so rod about 1/4 inch in diameter down the center of the rod the depth of the bearing portion of the die and use sand paper to enlarge it. Put a short piece of sand paper The width of your cut with fine grit in the slot and wrap it around the rod. Spin with an electric drill trying to keep the rod in the center of the bearing surface in the die..
I think what I'm going to do if I need another odd size is get a 7/8 by 14 thread bolt and start from scratch - we have a good supplier of industrial size nuts and bolts here in town.

I use my small lathe and a Proxxon grinder to open up dies or when making new ones. The pic included is from a set on my website which you can find here: http://bliksemseplek.com/boolits.html

61499

[texassako]

I have done it several times for turning a .243 into .251, .285 into .302, and .323 into .327. Cast some bullets that are at least as large if not larger than the size you want. Place a bit of valve grinding compound around the body of the boolits, push them though the sizer, and use just enough of them to just keep swapping them back into the sizer(4-5 boolits). You may need to size them first depending on the alloy and size since the grit makes that first sizing a bit tough. I rotate them randomly as I go to keep the die from getting out of round. I use them for 6 or so pushes through the die and switch to a new set of boolits. Clean up the die and measure a freshly sized boolit between each set. Once you are .001" or so from what you want switch the abrasive to something finer to polish out the scratches while going up that last thousandth. Each string removes about a thousandth and the post will still work fine after that small a change. The post will look a little rough when you are done but still works fine. I only had problems with the big jump from .285" to .302" one I made with gas checks deforming on the undersized post, but a slight resizing of my .308 die's post let it work for both.

[MT Chambers]

Keep the .309 and buy a .311, you'll always use the .309 for other testing and other cartridges.

[rintinglen]

30 minutes work with a drill, a 1/4 " rod and some sand paper, 320, 400, 600 grit, and some unsized boolits. Cut a slit in the end of the rod about a half inch deep. Cut strips of sand paper to match the length of the slit. Put a strip of the coarsest grit paper in the slit and coil it tightly around the Rod until it will just fit easily into the hole. Keep the rod concentric, start the drill and slide it back and forth. Try for even strokes and spend a hair more time on the entrance to creat a little bit of a funnel effect. Stop every minute or two and check the size. Swap to the 400 grit when you get within .001 for just a minute or so, then about the same with the 600 grit. Finish with the 600 grit, checking often. Thoroughly clean the die to remove any grit that might be in side with brake cleaner and snug fitting patches.

[Old Iron Sights]

I have some stick on sand paper for my table top sander. I cut a strip and wrap it on a long screw driver, stick it through the die and roll the die back and forth on a 2x4. With pressure, about 20 strokes will take off a thousandth. I test a boolit every 20 strokes. I use medium grit so it goes faster.

[shadowcaster]

Keep the .309 and buy a .311, you'll always use the .309 for other testing and other cartridges.

You took the words right out of my mouth! :)

Shad

[Char-Gar]

Opening up a sizing die does not require laps or machinery. Get some clover 320 lapping compound, slather it on a a couple of bullets larger than the die and push them through. Continue to do so, adding more lapping compounds as needed and measure from time to time to see where you are. It won't take long to open a die from .309 to .311. There is no chance to go to far or make the die oval this way, just measure slugs without compound every once in a while. as you go.

[Char-Gar]

Opening up a sizing die does not require laps or machinery. Get some clover 320 lapping compound, slather it on a a couple of bullets larger than the die and push them through. Continue to do so, adding more lapping compounds as needed and measure from time to time to see where you are. It won't take long to open a die from .309 to .311. There is no chance to go to far or make the die oval this way, just measure slugs without compound every once in a while. as you go.

[Pooch]

I have a 1/4" steel rod that I attach 600 grit emery to. I attach it with masking tape and make sure that I wrap it with enough emery for it to fit snug. I fit the rod into my cordless drill & turn on slow speed. Go slow & check often by pushing an unsized bullet through. Yes, it is in my press the whole time. Recently honed one out to .315 for my 7.62 x 54R.

[1Shirt]

Agree with MT Chambers. And in the short run, you can beagle it and probably do fine.
1Shirt!

[zuke]

I've used an M-14 patch holder in my small drill press to do the job,several time's.
I bought several LEE 285 sizing dies and opened them up to 303,305,307,314.
I started with 400 grit emery to remove the bulk of the material. When I was .002 under I went to .006 for a thou then brought it to size with 1000 grit.
It took awhile but it worked for me.

[zomby woof]

Opening up a sizing die does not require laps or machinery. Get some clover 320 lapping compound, slather it on a a couple of bullets larger than the die and push them through. Continue to do so, adding more lapping compounds as needed and measure from time to time to see where you are. It won't take long to open a die from .309 to .311. There is no chance to go to far or make the die oval this way, just measure slugs without compound every once in a while. as you go.

This is what I do

[detox]

Wow! lots of over thinking here. Please keep it simple people.

Small dowel, paper tape, small piece 600 grit paper.

Wrap tape around dowel until undersize, then wrap and tape 600 grit paper around that until you feel slight resistance when slipped into resizer. Chuck dowel in electric drill then spin inside of die. Be very careful not to go oversize. Resize your boolits until you get the diameter you want.

Dooing this mod to your lubrisize die will cause excessive lube to flow from die, because your solid center sleeve of die is now undersize.



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