H&I sizing die Q's

[zubrato]

When removed from packaging, the ejector plunger dropped out of the die and wouldn't stay in the die unless I held it in place. unless it runs at a temperature just barely at the point where Carnauba red will flow, i get a lot of bleeding around the plunger.
The ejector plunger has two surfaces, one concave and one flat beveled. the concave surface traps the lube, and I have to wipe the gas check bases. Every hundred boolits or so enough lube builds up in the concave part that prevents lube grooves being filled, and I have to scoop out the lube plug and continue.

I don't use excessive pressure, and I don't run it hot. This never happens to my other sizing dies, so I'm wondering..

should I modify the ejector plunger to a flat base, reverse the plunger rod for the flat beveled side, or send it back?

what is the acceptable tolerance gap for sizing dies? At least I can try cleaning it up and measuring with my calipers.

The RCBS dies plunger wouldn't move without finger pressure, or a good shaking up and down.

funny side note, I purchased but didnt end up using their Gas check seater. Inside the little plastic box it came in they had "Inspected by ______"
but the H&I sizing die had no inspection stamp or info. One of these things is not like the other one..

I'll probably end up sending it back, and hope they tell me I got a bad one, it's just too frustrating to continue lubing any appreciable amount this way.

[454PB]

Sounds like you got an undersized punch. I make my own dies, and most of the center punches are .001-.002 smaller than the die ID.

[Bent Ramrod]

The "I" plunger shouldn't be that sloppy a fit. All the ones I've had are a sort of smooth running fit. Bone dry, you can shake the "I" out of the "H" as you mentioned, but it shouldn't fall out by itself. You should contact Lyman about it and get a replacement.

The plungers in most of the new die sets seem to have that concave top. When I make a plunger, I just leave the top flat. I have seen no difference in the way it works.

A certain amount of lube on bases is a fact of life with most lubrisizers. The lineup of the lube holes with the boolit grooves is pretty critical, but the makers generally put a generic hole spacing (and number of holes) in their size dies in hopes of catching all the grooves in everything that might get run through them. You can adjust where your die puts lube (somewhat) by plugging the out-of-line holes with lead shot.

Of course, there is always the scrap of worn out blue jean near the bench to wipe the boolit bases before loading to fall back on.

[zubrato]

Thanks guys, I'll be sending the die back. Should I go to the trouble of boiling off the lube? Seems like common courtesy but I just dont want to kill some poor pots/pans with Carnauba Red

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I use a heat gun to clean the lube out of H&I dies.
You could also just use a rag and a bit of mineral spirits, and maybe a small allen wrench to push the lube out of the little holes.

Yeah, I'd send it back, as well.

[Victor N TN]

Call them first. Some places you have to have a return authorization number or they won't take it. But I'm sure if you call first, there should not be a problem.

Good luck.

[retread]

WD40 will take the lube right off.

[zubrato]

Luckily I was able to peel some lube off in the garage, and ran it under hot water.
Same story as before, the ejector falls clean through as if the sizing die didn't exist. I think I see what the problem could be, the taper down to die size (.325) only really sizes at or just above the first set of lube holes, but in the "up" position when you withdraw the lubrisized/gc bullet, the die diameter is .328 and the ejector rod is .3235" with a die opening of .339"
when the ejector rod position is any lower than that, I remember I couldn't remove the bullet from the die without considerable force.
The sizing begins WAY too far down for my liking, and a gap of .0045 would explain lube bleeding through, and the plunger falling through.
When the die and ejector are together, stood up on a table I cannot pick up them up together, but I can lift the sizing die without moving the ejector..

I'll be in touch with Lyman shortly.

Thanks guys