closing holes in size/lube die?

[40-82 hiker]

For .45 200 gr. SWC BB:

I've searched Cast Boolits with a number of combinations, but came up dry. I thought I had read a thread describing how I can close off a row of holes in my sizing/lubing die on my Lyman die.

I can't adjust my die setup so I don't get lube in the BB gap in the die. So, what are my options if I have any?

Thanks

[220swiftfn]

Number 4 or 5 shot to plug the holes you don't want/need.

EDIT...... lead shot, naturally.....

Dan

[243winxb]

Plugging holes dont work. You need a base plug to fit the bullets base. Someone on here was modifying them, but i cant find it now. Besides, Lyman's new sizing die does not have the same amount of holes as the old units. http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/th_OldTypeLymanHIDie_01.jpg (http://s338.photobucket.com/user/joe1944usa/media/OldTypeLymanHIDie_01.jpg.html) http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/th_NewTypeLymanDie_01.jpg (http://s338.photobucket.com/user/joe1944usa/media/NewTypeLymanDie_01.jpg.html)

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I posted this, primarily I do this to the old style dies, with 4 rows of large holes. I plug the holes where the bottom of the boolit aligns with when the stop is properly adjusted.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?166565-Lyman-45-buying-guide-and-cleanup-instructions&p=1864430&viewfull=1#post1864430

[geargnasher]

Plugging holes dont work. You need a base plug to fit the bullets base. Someone on here was modifying them, but i cant find it now. Besides, Lyman's new sizing die does not have the same amount of holes as the old units.

Actually, it does help if lube isn't constantly migrating up the ejector from below. Plug all but the top row, adjust the stop depth so that row aligns with the lube groove, and apply pressure to the reservoir screw only when the boolit is fully against the bottom stop.

JonB's link is the answer. I use solder because it's handy, the right size, and you can easily peen a rivet-type "head" on the plugs.

Gear

[243winxb]

What lube are you using?
Actually, it does help if lube isn't constantly migrating up the ejector from below. Plug all but the top row, adjust the stop depth so that row aligns with the lube groove, and apply pressure to the reservoir screw only when the boolit is fully against the bottom stop.

JonB's link is the answer. I use solder because it's handy, the right size, and you can easily peen a rivet-type "head" on the plugs.

Gear

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

What lube are you using?
While you weren't probably asking me, I'll tell you anyway.
In my Lyman lubesizers:
For pistol, Now I mostly use Randyrat's Tak#1
in the past I have used Carnuba Red, BAC, Speed green, and my homemade recipe that's about identical to Randyrat's Tak#1...I switched to Tak#1 instead of making my own, since Randy's price is about the same as if I make it.
I prefer Bullshop's Lotak for Rifle boolits 2000fps and up.

[runfiverun]

What lube are you using?

wellllll.
there is a 2 year sticky with about 2500 responses in it that would tell you [approximately] his formula right now.
but he just calls it TnT.
I'd bet his response is based on felix's lube [modified] though..

[geargnasher]

wellllll.
there is a 2 year sticky with about 2500 responses in it that would tell you [approximately] his formula right now.
but he just calls it TnT.
I'd bet his response is based on felix's lube [modified] though..

What lube am I using right now? I'm sorry, is that a "true/false", multiple guess, or short essay? I don't understand the question?

Actually, there are about three separate piles of lube ingots between my shop and gun room, and sheets of paper piled about with dozens of golf-ball-sized samples of this and that which have been used in the last couple of months to hand lube samples. To be honest I really don't remember what's in two of my sizers anymore. One always has a modded Felix in it and the other is filled with TnT, one of the later formulas with an ester blend to cut the polybutene and a titch of plain lithium grease to keep the soap fouling down.

Gear

[243winxb]

TnT is essentially 11 Tablespoons Maxima K2 ester two-cycle racing oil per small bar of Ivory soap. You can use equal parts AC ester 100, full-synthetic ATF (I used Mopar ATF +4 because it has a higher viscosity than the more recent full-synthetics), and K2, or two parts K2 to one part ATF, depending on how "wet" your bore likes to be (residual oiliness, the esters are very dry), and how deep and abundant are your lube grooves (K2 has a lot of polybutene in it so it doesn't like to jettison from "Keith" groove unless cut with AC ester, which at ISO 100 or 500 SuS is virtually identical to the K2 base oil viscosity).

Pistols generally liked the K2 diluted a bit to improve "fling" or lube jettison, and if maintained below ~20K PSI can be shot indefinitely without cleaning. Rifles and pistols above that pressure will require some sort of granular filler to keep the soap from accumulating a brownish/black layer of goey fouling in the first part of the barrel that makes for some impressive vertical stringing after about five rounds.

The principle advantages for me have been temperature insensitivity of the lube both during storage and shooting (the stuff has a drop point of several hundred degrees and doesn't get hard when frozen), and the ability to eliminate the first-shot flyer thing entirely by pre-seasoning a clean bore with a patch dampened with whatever oil concoction was used in the lube and then pushing through one clean, dry patch.

Don't worry, the quest is still going on, almost daily. TnT has too many production and load-development drawbacks to be "mainstream DIY".

Gear http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?148746-quot-Extreme-quot-boolit-lube-The-Quest/page130 Not of any use to me. I just started using White lube in 50/50 bees wax & xlox. Said to be like the old NRA 50/50 Its not, to hard without a heater in my old Lyman 450. And after 40 years, i am not now buying a heater. :-)

[Duckiller]

Why can't you adjust the die? Don't believe I have any bevel base mold but if i Ddo and couldn't adjust the die to keep lube off BB I would just wipe it off with a paper towel . In fact I polish the bottom of all my boolits with paper toweling to remove any stray lube.

[243winxb]

A plush cotton towel will remove soft lube after sizing. Just push the boolits down into the towel a little and turn. This is how i have been doing it.

[40-82 hiker]

Why can't you adjust the die? Don't believe I have any bevel base mold but if i Ddo and couldn't adjust the die to keep lube off BB I would just wipe it off with a paper towel . In fact I polish the bottom of all my boolits with paper toweling to remove any stray lube.


Pretty simple really. 200gr. SWC for .45 is a very short boolit, so if you adjust high you get a glob of lube under the boolit. If you adjust low you get lube caked on the nose of the boolit. There is no way to keep the lube out of the BB area and off the nose of the boolit, and still get lube in the grease groove. That is, unless you make mods listed so far. I'm learning...

[geargnasher]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?148746-quot-Extreme-quot-boolit-lube-The-Quest/page130 Not of any use to me. I just started using White lube in 50/50 bees wax & xlox. Said to be like the old NRA 50/50 Its not, to hard without a heater in my old Lyman 450. And after 40 years, i am not now buying a heater. :-)

TnT is only one lube that I regularly use. I have four sizers, all with different stuff in them. I run lubes from heavy grease consistency to fairly hard through them, plugging the bottom holes help keep from goobering up the bases with any type of lube, PARTICULARLY if using a the bevel-base tricks of a plug cut from a meat tray or a bevel-cupped, custom ejector.

Gear

[40-82 hiker]

I posted this, primarily I do this to the old style dies, with 4 rows of large holes. I plug the holes where the bottom of the boolit aligns with when the stop is properly adjusted.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?166565-Lyman-45-buying-guide-and-cleanup-instructions&p=1864430&viewfull=1#post1864430

I really like this idea. While my Lyman is a "two row" die, I like the idea of closing off any holes not needed on any die. Looks like I'm on the prowl for some large shot or some solid solder that is large enough. That shouldn't be too hard to find...

Thanks

[geargnasher]

"Stained glass 60" solder is solid core, comes in pound rolls at the hardware store, and doubles as an excellent and easily measurable way to add a little tin to your casting pot.

Gear

[MtGun44]

IME, no need to block holes in Lyman dies, only in Star dies.

Bill

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

IME, no need to block holes in Lyman dies, only in Star dies.

Bill
Bill,
You've said that before when this has come up. Do you mind me asking, have you ever used the "old" style Lyman dies, like I show in my photo ? Those 14 to 16 Large holes are just problematic for some boolit designs. Before I tried blocking certain holes, I tried a few other tricks which would kind of work, but not with the success I get from blocking the holes...Only better plan is to use only the newer style dies or custom made dies...I have many of each of those, no need to block holes with them.

Lastly, I should mention, I do prefer the larger Holes...if they are in the right spot. I had Buckshot make a couple sizer dies for .226 and .227 and asked him to put larger holes in them (one row only). I got the impression he though it was unnecessary and mentioned the problem of the intersection inside the die. kinda like the RCBS dies have a groove that can be problematic. Well, they worked as good as I hoped.
Jon

[243winxb]

Lining up the lube groove on the bullet with the die hole is the easy part. Getting just the right amount of pressure on the lube flow is the trick to learn. Good luck with that. Here is the real fix, a bevel-cupped, custom ejector.
IMO. http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab348/Killshot44_bucket/beating-a-dead-horse.gif

[newmexicocrawler]

I plunged mine with shot from shotgun shells.....can't remember which size worked, I had to cut a couple different ones open till I found the one that fit