Lyman sizer off

[KrakenFan69]

i just picked up a new .358 die for my Lyman 2500 sizer. It is clearly labeled .358. The projectiles are Hi-Tek coated and running around .358/.359. After running through the die they are .356/.357. WTH?! Anyone else seen this before?

Thanks,

Kraken Fan #69

[beagle]

Quite frequently with Lyman sizer dies. Send it back. Eventually they'll send you one that's close. Never ever trust the marked diameter on a sizer die. One winter I sat down with a variety of round balls and cast bullets and sized using my dies and measured the results. Of over 100 sizing dies, I encountered maybe four that were pretty close to "as stated" diameter. The remainder were off as much as .002+/- either way. This is not a bad thing if you have that many sizers as it gives you a bigger choice in diameters but if you own only a couple you can't live with it. Send it back to Lyman./beagle

[KrakenFan69]

I only have .225 and .356 and they are both spot on.

Flip. I hate waiting...

Kraken Fan #69

[Char-Gar]

Beagle is spot on correct. I have had quite a number of Lyman bullet sizing dies that do not size bullets to the size they are marked. I sized many, many 45 ACP bullets in a .452 Lyman sizer, and then one day decided to measure a sized bullet. It was .453. Since that time I have run across the same issue a number of times.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I've acquired several lyman sizer dies in my few years of this casting hobby. Early on, I bought a box at a auction, a Lyman 45 lubesizer with 5 dies. When I discovered that one of those dies, a .358 die, was sizing my boolits to .360 I made it a common practice of testing each die (new or used) when I got it, then documented the size it actually sized the boolit. Now I understand some alloys may spring back more than others, and with PC???? who knows? So when I'm sizing a new batch of boolits, I document the actual size after sizing, in my log book which has details like the alloy and other such info.

Suggestion: If your die is sizing them .357 I'd hold onto that die for future use, if you ever plan to load 9mm (.357 is my 9mm gun's prefered size), and just order another one, probably from another source.

[Grmps]

I believe Lymann is outsourcing its manufacturing and quality control is terrible. I've had too many bad experiences with their newer product and customer service so Now I just avoid them. To many better options availible now..... Love the old stuff back in the Ideal era.

[KrakenFan69]

I sent them an email. We"ll see what they say.

Kraken Fan #69

[blikseme300]

Not only Lyman dies have this problem. I ran into this with 2 different San Diego Star dies which were undersized. Easy to fix with 1000 & 2000 grit wet/dry paper and a dowel. One of the dies caused me to have the fits when trying to get a Marlin 336 in 30-30 to shoot right. Die is marked .311 but was sizing to .309.

Since then I have made it a habit to measure everything before assuming that the marked dies are correctly sizing. Yes, I do use micrometers that are verified accurate. Amazing how things can fall into place when CB's are sized correctly.

[KrakenFan69]

Lyman just got back to me. They are sending a replacement out today.

just thought I'd update the thread. I'll post again after the new one arrives and I test it out.

Kraken Fan #69

[runfiverun]

they do that so their sizers size their undersized bullets form their undersized molds.

[beagle]

I'll second that comment./beagle


they do that so their sizers size their undersized bullets form their undersized molds.

[KrakenFan69]

Just thought I'd mention I got my replacement sizer today and its dropping perfectly. Even threw in some catalogs stuff and a Lyman sticker!

Kraken Fan #69