Star sizing die shot removal

[FISH4BUGS]

I am casting with a 4 cavity Lyman 358156, and will size the bullets WITH a gas check. I have to say that once that mould comes up to temp, you can do a lot of very nice bullets with it. It isn't a Hensley & Gibbs but it works just fine. I use the Magma Star sizer with a Midway heater and Magma lube. I want to squirt the lube onto the bullets at above the gas check, into the lube groove, and into the first crimp groove. These will be my 357 full house load bullets.
First thing I wondered about is there some other way to close the lube holes in the die other than using #7 or #8 shot? If not, then the shot it is.
The next thought is once I get those sized, lubed and the gas checks crimped, I want to change the die over to doing them without the gas checks for the lighter 38/357 loads.
I plan on casting a ton of bullets in the winter (I did some 4000 this winter) , then switching back and forth between sizing them with gas checks and without gas checks, as dwindling supplies and shooting them up demands. This will require the removal of the shot in one lube row. Same principle for the 44's.
Here is the question: what is the easiest way to remove the little shot that you use to plug the lube holes on the die? I would like to figure this out before I get going on 2000 bullets with gas checks, and 2000 without. THEN I can do the 44's.......Another few thousand........
Help me.......I had enough frustration just getting the Star sizer to work! Jeez........those things are finicky.........but when you get it figured out, there is nothing that beats it!
Thanks...........

[Adam10mm]

#45 or smaller drill bit.

[cbrick]

FISH4BUGS,

One option since your doing that many boolits would be two dies. Other than that I use a drill bit in a cordless drill turning very slowly & drilling about 3/4 of the way into the shot (without touching the die). Stop the drill and by hand turn it backwards and the shot comes out with the bit ,then just pick the shot off the end of the drill bit. It's kinda like an easy-out tool. There are probably as many different ways of doing this as there are people doing it but this has always been very quick & easy for me.

Yep, there is a learning curve with the Star because its different than other machines you may be used to, once figured out there shouldn't be any problems at all.

Rick

[garandsrus]

FISH4BUGS,

Are you sure you need to close any holes when not using a gas check? A section of boolit without a lube groove doesn't get lubed. The boolit effectively plugs the hold :) You may be able to just adjust the top punch slightly, if at all to size both styles.

I have also wondered about using a layer or two of the metal backed tape (or something similar) over the holes you want to plug. I haven't tried it yet though. I would think it should work but I don't know how much pressure is applied to the lube.

John

[Orygun]

Here is the question: what is the easiest way to remove the little shot that you use to plug the lube holes on the die?Thanks...........

First off, I use #9 shot to plug the holes. Now mind you, my sizing dies are 30 yrs. old and I don't know (if) the hole size has been changed since, but the #9 seals just fine.

This makes it very easy to pop out the shot from the inside using a simple curved dental pick. YMMV

[lathesmith]

In the past, I have used a propane torch to quickly and easily remove shot from a Star die so as to avoid damaging it. That may not be practical in your case. I think you need two dies, as switching back and forth will be a major hassle.
lathesmith

[Adam10mm]

Ooo fire. Me like.

[runfiverun]

i like the drill bit thing
i have been using a screw.

[Springfield]

I remove the shot from my dies all the time, and believe me, your puny little drill bit isn't gonna hurt these hardened dies. Just drill slowly until the shot sticks to the end of the bit, and remove.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive done it with both a drill and a torch. whichever is handier.