And just when you thought you had it figured out

[lablover]

Got to do some casting today with the new NOE mold 200 gr swc 453 dia. All wa great until I went o size them in the lee push thru .452 sizer die. This is what I'm getting...YIKES. Pretty depressing, got about 500 of these now..Looks like they will be heading back to the POT.

No lube used.

What is causing this? When I ordered the MOLD I had folks say to order the .453 and size to 452. Now I got flashing on the bottom of the base. Bullets came out great sans that issue

Can't wait to hear this one....LOL

[Mk42gunner]

First thing to try is a bit of lube before sending the boolits through the sizing die. I have read of people using soapy water or tumble lubing first.

If that doesn't work, try sending a few through base first.

What is your alloy?

Hope this helps,

Robert

[lablover]

Yea, just did several with some lube on them..Not a single one with flashing now...I gotta think you can get away sizing a .452 boolit but when you go .453 down ya need a little lube. Now the question begs...Lube em all then size...try the soapy water trick....Powder coat them size..

BTW, my Alloy is WW

So the 250 I sized without lube are heading back to the pot...LMAO

Oh Joy


First thing to try is a bit of lube before sending the boolits through the sizing die. I have read of people using soapy water or tumble lubing first.

If that doesn't work, try sending a few through base first.

What is your alloy?

Hope this helps,

Robert

[Tatume]

+1, problem is too much resistance in the size die. Use some kind of lube. Even plain water might be sufficient.

[shredder]

I always use a finger tip rub of imperial sizing die wax when I use the lee sizer if the boolit is for some reason not lubed in the grooves before sizing. Normally you would put lube in the lube bands before running thru the lee.

[lablover]

Just spritzed the remaining boolits with my home made case lube and what a wonder....They are all normal :)

Thanks for the help guys. I feel like a total dork! Guess I need to decide if pan lube or Powder Coat before I size now. No budget for a lubrisizer yet

[country gent]

Another thing is to lightly polish the inside of the die. A soft piece of cotton or flannel clothe wrapped around a dowel toa snug fit and flitz, simichrome, jewelers rouge or diamond paste on the cloth. run in drill motor low rpms high feed rate on cloth so the polish lines cross over each other like a figure 8. Lightly polish the surface bright being carefull not to remove to much metal.This smoothes and "blends" the lead in, lead in to bore ( can be a pretty sharp corner there), and bore to freebore. This helps some when doing heavy sizing and will hapen over time thru use eventually.

[Yodogsandman]

Try waiting a few days (or weeks) after casting to let the boolits age harden up some before sizing. You could also cut your COWW's 50/50 with range scrap or SOWW to reduce the "as cast" diameter and conserve your COWWs. Add tin as needed for complete fill out.

I size dry with the Lee sizer, like you did, after boolits have "age hardened" a week or more and have no problems. I then tumble lube with one coat of Ben's Liquid Lube (BLL). Quick, easy and no leading. No lubrisizer needed.

[lablover]

I'm not sure I know what COWW and SOWW is?......yet :)



Try waiting a few days (or weeks) after casting to let the boolits age harden up some before sizing. You could also cut your COWW's 50/50 with range scrap or SOWW to reduce the "as cast" diameter and conserve your COWWs. Add tin as needed for complete fill out.

I size dry with the Lee sizer, like you did, after boolits have "age hardened" a week or more and have no problems. I then tumble lube with one coat of Ben's Liquid Lube (BLL). Quick, easy and no leading. No lubrisizer needed.

[runfiverun]

what your learning is,,,, well, it's called finding your own way to make what you have work.

I have my process based on the fact that I use star sizers, and a 40 lb bottom pour pot mainly with 4 cavity lyman molds for my pistol cartridges.
I have to change what I do on the sizer when I make rifle boolits.
and change how I cast if I switch over to a 2 or 5 cavity aluminum mold.

there's a little bit of art and finesse mixed in with all this scientific stuff. :lol:

[runfiverun]

clip on ww's and stick on ww's

[dudel]

I've seen that happen when I thought I could skip lubing the Boolits before running them through a push thru sized.

Did you lube first. A quick tumble in a bit of Alex will do wonders. Check you push thru for leading. Clean if needed.

[popper]

Are you sure the pusher is the right diameter? I use ACWW for 40SW and sometimes get a small ridge. Doesn't appear to cause a problem but I don't shoot 50 yd pistol. I coat, then size. You will probably need to wait a while before trying base first sizing and make sure the die is polished and clean. I don't use water for sizing lube - die is steel.

[lablover]

The Die looks OK, I gave it a good cleaning and ran some more boolits thru it after I gave them a shot of my Case lube.

Popper, sounds like you PC yours. Do you find it helps with any leading you might get? I like the idea of PC and have everything to try it. I've done a few and they came out great. You said you coat before you size

[lablover]

I'm finding that out big time. I'm also finding what I want to change already. That little 10 lb pot is way to small for my needs.


what your learning is,,,, well, it's called finding your own way to make what you have work.

I have my process based on the fact that I use star sizers, and a 40 lb bottom pour pot mainly with 4 cavity lyman molds for my pistol cartridges.
I have to change what I do on the sizer when I make rifle boolits.
and change how I cast if I switch over to a 2 or 5 cavity aluminum mold.

there's a little bit of art and finesse mixed in with all this scientific stuff. :lol:

[Thumbcocker]

That little 10 lb pot is way to small for my needs

Sorry I can't feel to bad for you there. I started on a Coleman stove then moved up to a Lee 4 pound pot with a Lyman dipper and a Lee drive through sizer and kake cutter. Still have them all too.

[Walter Laich]

as for PC: I coat then size. no leading and much cleaner barrel. Plus you can use all those cool colors!

Depending on the mold I sometimes give the finished PC bullets a light spray coat of case lube and off to the sizer.

As you get more practice at it, it gets easier.

If you go the PC route don't (DON'T) use your kitchen stove--all sorts of 'stuff' is gassed off from the coating

[Mk42gunner]

I'm tempted to try powder coating, but what I do now with regular old grooved boolits, both PB and GC, works for me.

Robert