question about bullets after lee sizing? shaving on base only one side

[bzajdek]

I cast some lee .358 rnfp 125 gr bullets, lubed with 45/45/10 then sized with a lee sizing die to .358.
Now I have some lead from sizing extending down from the base around 50% of the bullet base which is a flat base(not beveled) and I have heard that this is very bad for accuracy. Shooting them out of a 6" GP100 stainless, i am worried that sizing them did more harm than good. Should I take some 220 sand paper or single edge razor and try to clean the bases or will this do more harm than good. I have read several threads and they say the base is most important as this is the last part of the bullet to leave the barrel. The bases were good after casting maybe i should have left them alone?

[Ed1]

interested myself

[ShooterAZ]

I would first clean the heck out of the inside of the sizer, and then lightly polish with some very fine emery cloth. Sometimes they are just rough on the inside and lead snags on the rough spots. I clean and spray a little Dillon case lube on the inside of mine before using. The boolits just slide through smoothly.

[bzajdek]

I will try the trick with the dowel and 1000 grit paper, do you think I can shoot the 700 I sized already or do anything else

[tazman]

Check them for roundness with a micrometer. If they are round then they are good to go. As far as the base, if the lead only extends a short way(a few thousandths) I wouldn't worry about them. It would depend in part on what you intend to do with them. Practice-no problem. Target/competition-try a few to see how they shoot.

[Springfield]

You would probably be better off using some Bullplate and eliminate the base finning, which is probably what the extra lead slivers are. I really doubt sizing is causing the problem with the small amount you are sizing the bullets. Got any pics of pre-sized bullets? I assume you are using a nose first sizer?

[oldfart1956]

Not unusual to see this my friend. When you size them down (or ensure that they are round) by running them thru a Lee sizer the lead has to go somewhere. I just take a thumbnail and snatch that little bit of riff off as I shove them in the case. Something else you might notice is they also get longer when sized. :) Seriously! It's not a lot but it is measureable. If you're sizing .458's down to .452's (I have) they get visibly longer! Load em' up and shoot em'! Audie...the Oldfart.

[bzajdek]

Yes I am sizing nose first, the small riff (never heard this before) was not there when cast, tyey must not be truly round. I am not shooting competition so I will scratch the small amount off with my finger nail, it's not actually that much and see how they shoot. I was just a little concerned.
Thanks for the replies.

[Captain_Howdy]

I would not hit the die with any kind of abrasives at this point, you need to check your bullets for roundness issues prior to and after sizing. If you bullets are running a few thousandths out of round then when the bullet passes through the sizer die it will effectively size the out of round portions moreso than the parts that are less out of round which will give you the appearance the sizer is doing something wrong when in fact it is working properly...check it out dude...I have a lee mold that does this...

[.22-10-45]

What was the as-cast dia. of your bullet? The Lee while it does a pretty good job of nose-first sizing has a pretty generous clearance between pusher plunger & I.D. of die. If much oversize;..that lead has to go somewhere. I have Corbin reloading-press type bullet reducing dies & pusher rod. is a close ring fit in die.

[hickfu]

are you lubing your boolits before sizing? I ran into this problem when i first started casting and sizing a PB boolit


Doc

[Foto Joe]

I'll add a little to what tazman said and point out that if they're round of the the mold I wouldn't even size 'em. Try an accuracy test with some sized and some unsized, you might find that the unsized ones print a little better (if they're round that is).

[bzajdek]

they are lubed prior to sizing and are probably not round out of the mold. Also the plunger is not a tight fit in the die, I need to do some checking on unsized bullets but i think all that I cast are all sized, maybe casting some new ones now that it will start warming up outside.

[tazman]

If the boolits are less than a thousandth out of round as dropped from the mold I would say they are considered round enough to shoot. Many sizing dies do no better than that.
If the boolits will fit through the cylinder throats on your revolver unsized, they can be used that way. Sizing to fit the throats on your cylinder is usually the best course for accuracy in a revolver.
If .358 works then I would try shooting the boolits you just sized and see what I get for accuracy.

[Walter Laich]

agree that a bit out of round is not a major problem. the barrel will do a good job of finishing the 'rounding' process