Do I need to lube before using the Lee sizer?

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I ran some through without lubing and didn't see any problem. Will not lubing before I size them cause a problem? Thanks!

[azrednek]

YES. I use dishsoap and water to run unlubed castings through a Lee sizer. I then rinse off the soap and stick them in the over to harden. Without any lube you will eventually lead the sizing die.

[jmort]

The sizer kit comes with Alox for a reason. It works well, but there are many other options. Short answer - Yes

[btroj]

Depends. If sizing very little then it may not matter at all. If sizing down more than .001 then lube is a good thing.

What do you plan on lubing them with in the end? Why not lube first, then size?

[Grumpa72]

Lee says to lube first then size because of leading. He also says to re-lube if necessary. So far, I haven't had to re-lube my TL 230s in .45 acp.

[TXGunNut]

Boolits need some lube to go thru the Lee sizer. Fryxell recommends sizing before heat treating. I don't enjoy the smell of baking LLA. Process I've come up with for TL rifle boolits is a little tedious but it works for me. I lightly lube the boolits in a small bowl with WD-40, soapy water would probably work just as well. After sizing I wash off the WD-40 in warm, soapy water & rinse. Then I heat-treat, lube, install GC's using the Lee sizer and re-lube.

[Garyshome]

I try it first, if it's hard then lube is needed.

[btroj]

I try it first, if it's hard then lube is needed.

Exactly. If the bullet is barely sized by the die then lube isn't needed.

[beex215]

ive tried before on some .360 to .356 without lube. no leading of the die body. nice clean shiny boolits

[Echd]

I do not generally lube boolits when sizing through a Lee push through die.

I did manage to stick a particularly fat ~0.361 in a 0.357 die that I still need to push out though... That one actually was lubed! In a moment of supreme stupidity I put all my weight on the handle (as in feet off the floor) to try and get the bullet to go through. It didn't, but it did loosen my press from the bench and require me to move it and redrill holes...

[Bullshop Junior]

I have sized a billion and 2 boolits of all calibers in lee sizers and have never lubed the boolit before sizing.

[ofreen]

I have sized a billion and 2 boolits of all calibers in lee sizers and have never lubed the boolit before sizing.

Yep. Since Lee sizer dies are rough as a cob as they come from the factory, I generally buy them undersized and polish to a mirror finish to the size I want. But even rough as they are new, I've never seen leading or had any trouble pushing a bullet through.

[mdi]

I would think for best results you would go by what the guys that make the tool say (aka Instructions). I too, have sized a bunch (bunch; a unit of measurement more than "some", but less than "scads") of lead bullets in my Lee sizers and while not entirely necessary, when I pre-lube, the sizing is easier and I get consistant results. I don't use alox for a lube though, too messy. I use my case lube, Mink Oil Boot Dressing...

[grouch]

I've never found a problem sizing and gas checking in my Lee sizers without lubing, EXCEPT it can sometimes be very difficult. With plain base bullets, it is less likely to pull a "skirt" of lead around the base of the bullet if the bullet is lubed.
Grouch

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Sounds like a number of people have done it without the lube and it worked fine. I sized mine from 0.457 to 0.453 and it worked great and was easy to do.

[rintinglen]

No, it is not necessary.
I have an older .358 that has easily sized 90,000 boolits over the last 20 years. The vast majority of them were not lubed, and I have experienced no leading. In larger diameter boolits, like the .457-193 though, lube helps reduce the effort. I have not noticed any difference in accuracy. I never lube boolits to be heat treated.

[btroj]

I would think for best results you would go by what the guys that make the tool say (aka Instructions). I too, have sized a bunch (bunch; a unit of measurement more than "some", but less than "scads") of lead bullets in my Lee sizers and while not entirely necessary, when I pre-lube, the sizing is easier and I get consistant results. I don't use alox for a lube though, too messy. I use my case lube, Mink Oil Boot Dressing...

I don't screw sizers down to the shell holder either.

Instructions are how they say to do it, sometimes I know better. I trust my experience far more than some companies instructions.

[JWFilips]

I usually polish out all my Lee sizers when I get them. I use instructions for opening up a sizer die ( posted some where here on this forum) but I start with 400 grit paper & move to 1000......if I don't want to change the size as is much.

I many times size none "TL" boolits before pan lubing. I just coat a soft flannel rag with Johnson's paste wax until it is damp then just roll the "to be size boolits" on this rag lightly. This give them the slip through the Lee sizing dies!

I'm sure it would work with TL boolits also.....but I usually follow Lee 's instructions if I ever do ( but very seldom) have to re-size a TL boolit: " TL then size then TL again"
The only difference is I use Recluse's formula exclusively for any TL boolit Just the way I like to work

[Larry Gibson]

I've sized thousands of cast w/o lube when GC'ing and minimally sizing bullets with standard grooves. With smaller TL grooces I always lube 1st to avoid swiping the grooves away. I always lube (LLA or spray case lube) PB'd bullets before sizing in Lee push throughs.

Larry Gibson

[Shiloh]

I use about half a teaspoon of mineral spirits for my lube. I have also used the same amount of LLA cut really thin.

Shiloh

[azrednek]

Lee sizers and while not entirely necessary, when I pre-lube, the sizing is easier and I get consistant results....

That's the key, "the sizing is easier". With soap and water the castings slide through like a hot knife through butter.



I too, have sized a bunch (bunch; a unit of measurement more than "some", but less than "scads") Dressing...

Now if I were only going to size a "few" I'd likely skip the lubing. A few being less than "some". No way would I skip the lube if I were going to be sizing a whole "chit-pot full". A chit-pot full is more than scads, considerably more than a bunch and it sneaks by the auto censor.

[bangerjim]

I NEVER lube slugs for sizing. Unless your are trying to cram a slug that is 3-4 thou over, they go thru just fine. I PC all my slugs, so lubing would keep the PC from sticking. I size again after baking the coat.

Pushing a LEAD slug (relatively soft) thru a STEEL die (relatively hard in comparison) at a <0.5 FPS velocity will NOT lead the die!!

Go ahead and size with no lube......you will know if you need it! You can polish them, but you will increase the size from what you originally bought it for.

bangerjim

[detox]

I never lube my softer boolits before sizing in the Lee. Although hard linotype (larger .45 calibers) can be difficult to downsize...a little lube would help.

[pdawg_shooter]

I reduce my .457s to .451 in a push through dry. Also .311s to .3015 dry. No problems here. Been doing it for years.

[reloader28]

I NEVER lube slugs for sizing. Unless your are trying to cram a slug that is 3-4 thou over, they go thru just fine. I PC all my slugs, so lubing would keep the PC from sticking. I size again after baking the coat.

Pushing a LEAD slug (relatively soft) thru a STEEL die (relatively hard in comparison) at a <0.5 FPS velocity will NOT lead the die!!

Go ahead and size with no lube......you will know if you need it! You can polish them, but you will increase the size from what you originally bought it for.

bangerjim



I totally agree. I've never understood how a boolit with absolutely no gas pressure behind it could lead a size die. Internet myth I think.
Although i use a Lyman, I've sized MANY boolits with no lube. Try it. You will know.

[Airman Basic]

As said, depends on the bullet size and the sizer. Some of my molds need no sizing, some need almost none, some quite a bit. Match your sizer lube to the job. None, a little or more.