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View Full Version : Lyman 4500 swaging my .225 and .310 boolits shorter by 0.020"



oldandslow
04-30-2013, 07:38 AM
Greetings casters, 4/30/13

After finally getting pistol casting and reloading down I branched out to rifle casting and reloading. Boy what a difference there is between the two.

For my 30-30 and 30-06 I've been using Tom's Accurate Mold #310-180-f in brass. It drops boolits at 0.3107" to 0.3116" depending on cavity. When using the Lyman 4500 sizer it takes a lot of pressure to size the boolit both on the downstroke and upstroke even when well lubed. I measured my cartridge base to land-ogive contact and loaded the length just short of that number (0.010"). Unfortunately many of the cartridges would not chamber as the boolit had swaged down shorter by 0.020" forcing the ogive fatter. I tried flat top punches as recommended by Tom and shaped ones without improvement.

Same thing for my NOE .225 round nose mold. Also shortened by 0.020" with some nose deformity.

I solved the problem by using one of my 5/16ths drillbits that mic'd out to 0.3105" and drilled out the Lyman .310 die. Then I put the boolit and gas check in upside down (nose down) and used the inner stem connected to a short 0.25" metal rod inserted where the top punch inserts to push the boolit through. The boolit comes out full length and sized to 0.3105" and function great in my 30-30 and 30-06. I've since found a Lee push through sizer in stock and used that after opening it up to 0.3105" as well (30-30 slugged to 0.3091, 30-06 to 0.3087").

Same for the 225. I flipped the .225 boolits (drops at 0.226") and ran it through upside down. No shortening observed and sized to 0.2252".

BHN hardness was 8.2, air cooled with the GC seated at sizing. I then heat treat these at 460 degrees for 60 minutes and water drop for a BHN of 16 after 48 hours.

Does anyone else have similar problems with boolit shortening/swaging with sizing using a top punch sizer.

thanks- oldandslow

runfiverun
04-30-2013, 12:18 PM
mashing soft lead in a sizer will distort it.
this is the same thing as swaging.

Larry Gibson
04-30-2013, 05:33 PM
mashing soft lead in a sizer will distort it.
this is the same thing as swaging.


That be the "phenomenon" alright........Easiest, if using softer alloys or sizing (swaging actually) is to use a push through Lee type sizer of the same size as the 4500 H die. Do initial sizing (a spray of the bullets with spray lanalin case lube before sizing works wonders) and seat/crimping of the GC with the push through then lube with the 4500 and end up with very good bullets. Be advised that sizing some bullets as such will slightly lengthen the bullets.

Larry Gibson

runfiverun
04-30-2013, 10:13 PM
I use push throughs when dealing with soft lead also.
I made a bunch of little rods so I can push them in to size, and then push them all the way through one at a time.

uscra112
05-01-2013, 01:45 AM
Trying to size when the tool is too cold will do exactly that. I dare you to ask me how I know! Use a heater!