Will drastically resizing a boolit deform it?

[ccjcc81]

I'm going to buy a resizing die to resize a .433 boolit down to .430, is that enough to cause a deformation of some kind? It's pure lead with a little tin. I picture it creating a protrusion on the rim of the base of the boolit, or in the same place on the top. I've never done it before, so I have no clue. Thanks.

[robg]

Might be worth trying to push boolit through base first.

[Shiloh]

Maybe, but probably not if only .003.


Shiloh

[bangerjim]

I size 003 all the time. You might loose a little of the space in the grease grooves. The almost pure Pb will flow into the groove spaces not out the bottom.

I have found that base 1st will allow the boolits to go thru catty-whompus and WILL create lop-sided slugs. The nose guides the boolit into the sizing die straight and true. The base may not.

Best advice - - - - -JUST TO IT and find out!

banger

[MarkP]

I have sized 0.420 as cast to 0.418" with gas check installed then sized to 0.411" just noticeably increased the length, still nice a square at the base. Wanted to try some of my 416's in my 41 Mag. I lubed and sized on my Star then used a push thru on a reloading press.

[TCFAN]

I have mold that cast WW at .363.I size in two steps. First is in a Lyman 450 sized and lubed with a .363 lube die. The second step is with a Lee .358 push through.This makes a very accurate wad cutter for my 686.......Terry

[country gent]

You didnt mention what sizing die you are purchasing for this operation. That makes a big diffrence in what its capable of. Some sizing dies have very little "lead" into them ( taper to actual dia). This lead into the die can help to center and squeeze bullet down rather than shave and be off center. A little polish work on the radious into the size die can help alot. On the Lee style push thru dies a little polish work with metal polish breaks the sharp transitions from lead to dia smoothing its operation. If you see lead shavings on the edge of the die your not sizing your shaving and thats detrimental, a little work may be needed. .003 shouldnt be a big problem to do especially with a softer alloy. You need to watch if its a long bullet that you dont bend or swell it with the force also. Try it and experiment a little to find the best way

[swamp]

If I am going to size down a lot, I first size close to as cast just to fill the lube grooves. Keeps from losing the groove.
swamp

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The old view on sizing was that it damages the bullet; the more sizing the more damage. More modern viewpoint is that it ain't totally true. Back in the day sizers were not as well made as nowadays and in fact did a lot more damage. Lets start with the idea that a good bullet comes from a good mold to start with. If the as cast diameter is the right size to start with then why size at all? If some sizing is necessary then do it. .003 is not a great deal and if the die does it concentrically then fine. What counts is what the accuracy print looks like on the target. Post #7 is a pretty good description of how it should be done. LLS

[rsrocket1]

I size my 9mm PC bullets from 0.360"-0.361" down to 0.356" all the time without any problems but you need some sort of lube or you will have a high likelihood of getting flashing at the base of the bullet. The powder coat acts as a lube already for me. When I used to use tumble lube with 45/45/10 (a variation of Lee liquid Alox), you are supposed to lube/size/lube. There is a thread here (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?303482-And-just-when-you-thought-you-had-it-figured-out) that was started this week showing what happens when you try to size without lubing. It shows the flashing at the base of the bullet.

Good luck

[ccjcc81]

Thanks for the info guys, and that link. I'm going to be using the NOE sizing die with the swap-able bushings, and I've decided to try .432 and .431 first to see how the bullets interact with my cylinder throats. I was going to rezise the .433 boolits to .431 first, then powder coat, then resize to .432. I hope I don't get flashing, as that gentlemen in the other thread did. I don't want to use any lube on these bullets, as I'm powder coating, and I'd have to devise a way to get the lube off once I've powder coated. However, I wonder if I would have any problems if I powder coated before resizing, and took the boolit down .004 or .005 after coating? My 9mm mold throws .356 boolits, but they grow to .36 pretty consistently after coating. I'll just have to do some experimentating. Thanks for the help again guys.

[ccjcc81]

Sorry guys, need 2 more posts to get to 30. I want to sell something.

[ccjcc81]

And here's 30.