Sizing Boolits

[GregLaROCHE]

I was wondering how much you can down size a boolit? Reduce its diameter. I am sure there is a difference if it is .45 or .223 and the alloy may make a difference. I think first the lube rings will be getting shallower, but if you use Alox, maybe that’s not so big of a deal.

Thanks

[Dusty Bannister]

This search link will give you 35,800 hits to look at. There is also the factor of what method you use to size the bullet, as nose first or base first. Nose first will usually have less distortion, to a point, and of course then can it be done in steps, and how much at a time? If you lube the bullet before sizing, then you will preserve the lube grooves, for a time. Dusty

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/google.php?cx=partner-pub-6216953551359885%3A1942134700&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=how+much+can+you+size+down+a+cast+bullet%3F&sa.x=8&sa.y=15&siteurl=castboolits.gunloads.com%2Fshowthread.php% 3F360033-Sizing-Boolits%26p%3D4358674%23post4358674&ref=castboolits.gunloads.com%2Fforumdisplay.php%3F 8-Cast-Boolits&ss=10648j8407992j42

[fredj338]

Grooved bullets start looking a bit ugly sizing down more than 0.007" for me. That is reducing 0/459" bullets to 0.452".

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

some time back, I quoted the RCBS cast bullet reloading manual on this topic. I can't seem to find the post, but the Quote went something like this...


For every .001" you size a cast bullet smaller, you can expect to add 1" to your group size at 100 yds.

I suspect the author was just "shooting from the hip" with that comment, but the gist of what he is saying is true, which is the more you size the bullet, the more likely you are deforming it.

So, the answer to your question is another question, How accurate do you want your cast boolits to be?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I found the old thread
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?137277-Sizing-a-Boolit-makes-it-less-accurate&highlight=
Then pay close attention to post #7 as that is a great answer to my question in the OP.

[gwpercle]

I was wondering how much you can down size a boolit? Reduce its diameter. I am sure there is a difference if it is .45 or .223 and the alloy may make a difference. I think first the lube rings will be getting shallower, but if you use Alox, maybe that’s not so big of a deal.

Thanks
Another factor to consider is the wear and tear on a sizer. Pins and linkage have been known to break when trying to size a hard boolit too small.

[Tatume]

I have often sized 0.460" bullets to 0.452" to use in a revolver.

I know a John LaRoche here in Virginia; any relation.

[lightman]

I try to stay under .003, preferably .001 to .002. The less the better in my opinion.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

And I have thought that the best situation is to not size the boolit at all. A custom mold maker should be able to provide a mold that drops .002 over groove. Ýou would need to have slugged and pound casted the barrel so you could ask for what you needed. And a mold that drops a bit smaller would allow you to lap it out to what you want. Molds are married to guns.

[GregLaROCHE]

This search link will give you 35,800 hits to look at. There is also the factor of what method you use to size the bullet, as nose first or base first. Nose first will usually have less distortion, to a point, and of course then can it be done in steps, and how much at a time? If you lube the bullet before sizing, then you will preserve the lube grooves, for a time. Dusty

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/google.php?cx=partner-pub-6216953551359885%3A1942134700&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=how+much+can+you+size+down+a+cast+bullet%3F&sa.x=8&sa.y=15&siteurl=castboolits.gunloads.com%2Fshowthread.php% 3F360033-Sizing-Boolits%26p%3D4358674%23post4358674&ref=castboolits.gunloads.com%2Fforumdisplay.php%3F 8-Cast-Boolits&ss=10648j8407992j42

Thanks Dusty. You’ve given me a lot to read!

[Walter Laich]

And I have thought that the best situation is to not size the boolit at all. A custom mold maker should be able to provide a mold that drops .002 over groove. Ýou would need to have slugged and pound casted the barrel so you could ask for what you needed. And a mold that drops a bit smaller would allow you to lap it out to what you want. Molds are married to guns.

personally I like to size all mine to make sure they are the same diameter. I never know when I might end up with a bit of trash between the mold halves and the come out a bit larger.

but then this is just me and my likes

[Thumbcocker]

In an old handloader annual they sized .375 boolits to .358 and shot them in a Blackhawk. Got decent accuracy. Boolits were not pretty.

[Rcmaveric]

Some bullets wont perform even marginaly unless sized to fit and some wont perform at all if sized. This is that voodoo magic part of cast bullet shooting lol. Rule of thumb is to size as little as possible and no more than needed and preferably not at all. Life lesson is to get the gun, base the sizer off the gun and never trust the size on the mold. I have noticed that unsized bullets are more accurate than sized bullets. A bullet that doesn't fit and sized to fit is more accurate than bullet that doesn't fit at all.