Lube Sizer Die

[rodwha]

Considering a Lee lube sizer setup for my .456" cast bullets, but noticed they don't have he appropriate size. Would the .457" sizer work for lubing the groove? The next size down is .454" and that's just too small for my ROA chambers.

Hand lubing isn't so much fun anymore, and I don't have a .45-70 Govt case.

[rodwha]

The .453" measurement was with calipers so it's quite possible, as I've read, that it's off a touch. It makes me want to seat a ball and measure it...

Is there a good reason to have the projectile (conical/bullet) more than .002" wider than the chamber?

I'm certainly glad I had Accurate make my lube grooves to a diameter of .400"!

[dondiego]

Funny, I didn't know that they didn't work so I just went ahead and shot a bunch of them. Very accurate and easy to load in my ROA's. My Lee 0.457 round balls work well too. They shave a slight ring off of the ball.

[Fishman]

Here is the White Paper about that.

117317

My vintage Lee .456 hp single cavity is definitely rebated at the base and seats just fine. I am baffled by a writer who would buy one mould from Lee, cast with it, find a problem, and then conclude all the moulds are just like that and the design is flawed. He never even called Lee to find out what the specs should be, or asked for a replacement mould. While well written and well photographed, the writer failed to do his due diligence and conclusions from a sample size of N=1 that are contrary to everything else written on the design should be eyed with skepticism, especially by the author himself! Also, shame on Lee for letting that mould out of the factory.

To answer Rodwha's question regarding lubing with a .457 die, as long as you have suitable soft lube, it should work fine. You will have a bunch extra around the rebated portion of the boolit, but that is probably a good thing.

[dondiego]

....and ultimately.....that's what we all do. Just shoot the gosh darn things. :-)

I should note here that my mold is "vintage" as well and definitely has a rebated base and is easy to load.

[dondiego]

Tar Heel - Do you have any idea when or why they did away with the rebated heels?

Don

[Fishman]

Well spoken sir. As the owner of 14 Lee molds, and a avid fan of Lee molds (most aren't because they don't read the owners manuals) I can assure you that even their *New* 454 Conical mold, which specifically states "Has a rebated base for easier loading", that the mold does NOT have a rebated base.

I suggest your rebated base, as you described it, is for a GAS CHECKED bullet since you include in the description that it is a "hp" mold. That isn't a BP conical design and therefore is not what we are discussing here.

I've done my due diligence and better yet, I shoot. I shoot a lot. I actually use the products discussed and my lamentations are user based, not arm chair based.

I am sure you shoot a bunch as well. Please don't veil your attack against my article in cushy praise. My data stands, it is accurate, and it not only is vetted, it is supported with Lee documentation and measurements. Please present your findings (data) rather than espouse opinion.

Your supposition that I did not call Lee is based on assumption. You have no idea what I did.

....and all that being said, I'm off the range to shoot the 1860's.

I am sorry you took offense to my well deserved criticism. You are right, I have no idea what you did regarding mould verification/validation because you did not include it in your article. I am not presenting myself as an expert on this bullet design, you are.

My 456-220 hp is not for a gas check, it is the single cavity version of this design created with a hp by Lee. I have quite a few cast up and I will post the relevant measurements when I am able to get my hands on them this evening. This information will be relevant only as a casual bit of curiousity though, as it is vintage as I stated. A more important question, one you did not answer in you article, was when or if Lee has done away with the rebating that was a part of the design for so long.

I don't like writing my criticism so directly, but you did request that I do so. Please understand that I had no idea that it this was your article or I would have crafted my criticism in a more helpful way. That is how we get better at something.

[Fishman]

I grabbed five random examples from my stash and measured them. .449-.450 at the base band and .456-.457 at the front driving band. Cast in pure lead with a little tin. This little mould is a well used example I got off this forum about 3 years ago and I have no idea of its vintage.

[Omnivore]

I've used a slightly oversized die for just lubing. It works but as already said, you may get more leakage. It's certainly doable.

Buffalo Arms sells dies in any size you want. They're for the Lyman and similar lube sizers. I don't know about any Lee lube sizer. 'Twouldn't be difficult at all for someone with a lathe to take the undersized die and open it up a little.

Then there are those little, hand-held plastic lubing tools made for BP shooters. I don't remember where I saw one for sale, but TC maybe? Pedersoli sells a more elaborate bullet luber made of metal, for use in the field, but I believe they are exceedingly proud of them.

On a not altogether unrelated note; I will at some point try making a plunger of Delrin or Teflon for a Lyman lube sizer die, which fits the die with a press fit, i.e. so it can't leak. Several of my dies seep a soft lube just sittin there, even after I've backed out the pressure screw. The technology certainly leaves somewhat to be desired.