Factory bullets

[FallRun]

Hello
Could someone please tell me if I need to size lead bullets from the factory?
I have a couple of books on reloading and cant seem to find an answer to this question Perhaps its a really dumb question I don't know Thanks in advance

[454PB]

People generally don't, they buy the proper size. Are they swaged or cast? If you have determined that the ones you have are too big, there's no reason you couldn't size them. After sizing, you could add some Lee liquid alox, since the factory lube may disappear on a swaged bullet. If they are cast, just add some lube when you size them.

[FallRun]

Yes they are the right size and they are hard cast Thank You for your help

[August]

I use Bear Creek Moly coated bullets in .459 and 515 grain. They have grease grooves, but no lube (other than the moly, of course). I put them through the lubriciser and apply SPG in the process so that I can use them with gunpowder (read BP).

My experience is that these factory cast bullets vary considerably in weight and occasionally in diameter -- usually being slightly out of round.

Therefore, I think for the best consistency with factory bullets, it is best to assume that quality control has been left to the end user. For the best consistency, I have found that sizing factory cast bullets is important to me. And, weighing them is essential.

[Bucks Owin]

FWIW, I found that the swaged .38 cal boolits from Speer leaded my M-19 Smith badly. Both the 148 WC and the 158 SWC and SWC-HP. I would suggest some additional lube of some kind even if just a tumble in some liquid alox....

Speer's "lube" don't "get it" IMO,

Dennis