Sizing & Lubing The Lyman 356402 120gr TC Cast Bullet Problem

[Tar Heel]

I am at my wits end attempting to size & lubricate the Lyman #356402 Truncated Cone, 120gr, 9mm bullet. I am using a RCBS Lubrasizer with RCBS sizing dies of .356 diameter. No matter how I adjust the plunging depth of the ram, to get lube to flow into the lube groove, it also flows severely under the bullet as well. I have added a washer to the plunger stop post to attempt to get it higher and control the plunge depth of the bullet into the die. I have cut down a top punch as well to get the seating depth limited to a specific depth. No matter what I try, to get lube to flow into the lube groove, it flows copiously underneath the base of the bullet too. Seat it too far and the lube flows over the bullet, seat it to shallow, no lube at all. I can’t find the correct spot and I don’t think the RCBS Lubrasizer has the correct dimensions for this bullet on the stop post knob????

I doubt Lyman would field this bullet mold if the bullets could not be sized and lubed properly so there is something here I’m missing. So you know, I have been bullet casting since 1983 and cast bullets for 14 calibers. With 30 bullet molds in use, I am not a novice to casting and sizing/lubing.

Please advise.....

[plainsman456]

I have felt that same pain.

I had one that would not lube where it was supposed to.
I took the nut off the depth rod and darned if it didn't give me the extra height i needed.

Don't give up just take a break from it for a while ,it worked for me.

[Spokerider]

Make sure the holes in the die are free and clear and not plugged with old hard lube. Also, is the lube too warm? A stiffer / colder lube might not flow to excess as much.

[dragonrider]

It is a bevel base boolit, and lube on and under the base is a common problem with Lyman sizers/lubricators. These machines operate under constant pressure to the lube chamber that the die sits in. The center rod in the die blocks the lube from squirting into the die until a boolit is used to push down on the rod, when a bevel based boolit is used the spaced created by the bevel is an opening for the lube to squirt into. A flat based boolit provides no space to allow the lube to squirt into until the lube groove passes by the hole. There are some who have found that using pieces of foam from meat trays or similar material, cut out by using an empty case. Placing the foam in the die provides material that will fill the space of the bevel and prevent lube from entering. Others have machined the pin to fit the base of the boolit and enclosing the bevel leaving no space for lube. I never tried the foam thing but I did machine the pin and it worked pretty well.

[Tar Heel]

Attachment 80389

I have felt that same pain.

I had one that would not lube where it was supposed to.
I took the nut off the depth rod and darned if it didn't give me the extra height i needed.

Don't give up just take a break from it for a while ,it worked for me.

Spot on with both suggestions. Walked away for a while to ponder the situation. I knew from the last run with this bullet I had jury rigged the sizer to make it work.

For the record, here is what needs to be done:
1. Run the bullet ejector rod all the way up by screwing in the Bullet Ejector Screw all the way in. (We knew that)
2. Get yourself an aluminum top punch from Tom at Accurate Molds and file it down until its head depth is 0.19". (I sacrificed one)
3. Bullets lube up just right now even though it's hotter than Hades in the shed and the lube is flowing easy.

Thanks for all the input folks. It was a depth issue as suspected and corrected last year with a washer on bullet ejector rod under the head of it. Perhaps the correct Top Punch from Lyman would have worked too but I'll never know now will I?

[williamwaco]

You will not have that problem with Xlox or LLA.

[Tar Heel]

You will not have that problem with Xlox or LLA.

WilliamWaco....it was a depth issue not a goop issue. Thanks for the input!

[noylj]

Well, I DON'T resize and tumble lube. Have been since I first tried LLA. Before that, I either pan-lubed or used a lubri-sizer with a sizing die the same diameter or 0.001" larger than most of my cast bullets.
Correct top punch is very important. Never had your problem with bullet not going down deep enough.
Glad it's solved.