.452 sizer die dropping .4505, anybody?

[Triggerhappy]

Anybody heard of a problem like this. I just got this Lyman sizer die from a guy who recently bought it. This weekend I cast up some 230 grain .45 round nose (#2) and when I sized them and miked I came up with .4505. Loaded up a few to try thru the wifes new XD but I'm expecting some leading with them that small. With a .452 die shouldn't I be getting .452 sized bullets? Or do I have something wrong?

Should I gripe to Lyman or just hone it to size?

Thanks for any advice.

TH

[sundog]

TH, not all that unusual for an H&I to size different than what's stamped. I'd lap it out ala Buckshot's instructions on castpics, and move out smartly.

[dubber123]

What do the boolits measure before sizing? Being off spec is very common, but 1-1/2 thou is alot. I'd send it back, but paying $5 to ship something that costs $18 burns me.

[Dale53]

First be certain that you are reading things correctly (has you mic been recently checked?). If you are checking with a caliper instead of a micrometer caliper, your caliper may be off. If you are a machinist, just disregard the comments (everyone is not trained to properly handle a micrometer:roll:).

All of that said, if it still checks out too small, I would contact Lyman and let them replace it. After all, .452" should be .452" (it is normal to be off a few tenths depending on your alloy - as the alloy changes, the final measurement will change). Harder alloys have a bit of spring back, and will measure slightly larger. Lyman bases everything on Lyman #2 alloy for a size standard.

FWIW
Dale53

[Triggerhappy]

The micrometer is correct, checked with standard and used a couple different mics to make sure. I was surprised it was so much out. Will look for the thread from buckshot about opening one up. Probably not worth sending it back, plus I don't want to wait on it. Easier to size the sizer...

Thanks for the input, just wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong.

TH

[Willbird]

The only other thing I can think of is that it may have a 3 or 5 lobe out of round condition.This is not an uncommon condition. The die itself may measure .452 with another measuring method.

It's a stretch tho :-).

Just an off the wall thought here, but what dia does the push out pin in the die measure ?? The thing that pushes a bullet back out of the sizer die.

Bill

[markinalpine]

...but I read somewhere that someone had the same problem, and either had it suggested, or figured out himself that he had his alloy casting temperature way too high (750 degrees), resulting in excessive shrinkage, also out of round boolits.
Hope this might help,
Mark :coffeecom

[Triggerhappy]

Doubt the temp was too high. Bullet is being sized all the way around and looks correct and symmetrical. Would assume if the bullet as cast were too small it wouldn't size it at all or very little. If I remember right the bullets as cast are .4535 or so. Will have to measure one again.

[lathesmith]

Have you actually used a set of pin gauges to check the die? This is really the only way to tell what size the die actually is. It would not be unusual at all for a soft alloy to come out of a .452 sizer slightly on the small side. Another factor that some guys report is bullets that "grow"--they actually can spring back around .001 or so in 24 hours vs. a measurement taken immediately after sizing. So, there are several things to check before assuming the worst...and a pin gauge measurement is the only sure way to tell what you have.
lathesmith

[cabezaverde]

Do they also grow after being freshly cast?