Resizing cast from .358 to .356 without a press, just the die?

[6bg6ga]

Well, I reloaded for about a year and did not have a press. I cast, lubed and sized without a press. I assembled some pretty accurate, safe, consistent ammo with a Lee Loader and one of Lee's "old style" lube/size kits. The operator is the single most important factor in making good, safe, shootable ammo. A sloppy, inconsistent reloader won't make good ammo on the most expensive equipment, but a conscientious, thoughtful craftsman can assemble good, accurate, safe ammo on a basic Lee Loader.

I have 4 presses and 12 die sets, and mebbe 1.65 metric tons of assorted reloading tools but on occasion, when I feel "retro" or just 'cause, I'll pull out one of my Lee Loaders and "pound out" a few rounds. I could hand reloads done with my Lee Loaders and those done on my $200.00 press with $50.00 dies to nearly anyone and let them tell me which were the high dollar reloads and which were the "el cheapo" ammo. I'll bet a breakfast at Maddie's that no one would be able to consistently tell me which were which.

Telling new reloaders they can't reload safely/correctly with inexpensive, simple equipment is a disservice to them and saddling them with unneeded equipment or expectations.

Of course this is only my opinion from my personal experience, and those less mechanically inclined will disagree, but, oh well...

Like I said....anything is possible. Why in God's name would you want to unless you were after small quantities or have a lot of time to waste or simply want to say "Look what I did"

Doing a disservice to them? Don't think so. A lot of them aren't either qualified or capable of doing it so why get their hopes up? Why not simply point them in a direction that would be usable for them?

[Soundguy]

press / are / can be very cheap.... reloading isn't something to half-@***.

be safe.

I am a newbie. I am still learning and have not bought any equipment yet. I was thinking about the Lee Loader for 38 Special and 9mm. My budget is small for equipment and I don't plan to load more than 500 rounds of each caliber each year. I am intrigued by the smelting and casting process, though I have no plans to jump into that arena quite yet. Thinking about the steps in the process using a Lee loader If I bought cast bullets for the 38 at .358 is it possible to resize to .356? Can that be done by hand using a Lee resizing die without the press?

[DanishM1Garand]

http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/423...FZ26wAodeQcIoQ


120 bucks for a kit. Cheap enough.

I started with a used RCBS kit much like this.

You don't reload to save money. You tell yourself this as a way to justify it. I can make shotgun slug loads for less than factory loads. 9mm I can buy new for 9.99 a box of 50. If my time is worth anything this is cheaper. I reload for a hobby. I doubt I save any money on anything but the slug and buckshot loads.

[Yodogsandman]

I don't see why a Lee sizing kit wouldn't work with a hammer. Place the die over the boolit on a flat, hard surface, hit the sizer die down over it with the hammer. Repeat with a deep socket held over the top so the bullet could freely push out. Remove the bullet. Repeat over and over.

EDIT: Went out and tried it. That sucks! Need too much force and boolits deformed. I used a rubber mallet without the socket.

[OutHuntn84]

GONRA sez - OutHunter84 - Please do not wreck yer poor olde Drill Press like this!!!!

Hahaha I wont but it can be done and I'd doubt you would damage a drill press doing it. Saw a documentary once of a fella in a 3rd world country seating 45 acp with a drill press. Like they say necessity is the mother of all invention.

bbogue1: You might post a thread looking for an experienced reloader near you that will mentor you a little bit. That way you can get a feel for some of the different tools and styles and figure out what is going to work best for you. This is a great hobby and its always great to be able to sit back and say look what I did

[mdi]

Hmmm. $120.00 for a kit, $30.00 for primers, $25.00 for a pound of powder, mebbe $20.00 for some cheap bullets would put a huge dent is some budgets (it would have bankrupted me when I started reloading).

[gwpercle]

But think about all the money we are saving !

[Soundguy]

Hmmm. $120.00 for a kit, $30.00 for primers, $25.00 for a pound of powder, mebbe $20.00 for some cheap bullets would put a huge dent is some budgets (it would have bankrupted me when I started reloading).

Dont buy a 130$ kit.

The economy lee press are what? 30$. Probably still come with a priming bar, if not 5$, safety scale is as chew as you get, or dipper included with lee die for specific powder.. Etc.

You dont have to buy every bit of chrome and tool available to start loading on the cheap.

For straighteall cartridges, 120$ will get you a set of dies with shell holder, press, primer arm, safety scale, 1# powder, and a tray of 100 primers, and a small bag of cast lead sized and lived projectiles.

Everything you need to do pistol.

( no trimmer needed, no case prep tools, no powder thrower, no loading block, just the basics. The lee die set will have beginner reload and die setup instructions, powder maker will have online data, die set usually has limited charge data too. Many makers offer FREE powder load data phamplets at their retail outlets or via mail.

I've bought small blister packs of cast projectiles st shows many times, to try out a profile and feed, in a gun before buying a mold.

Add your leftover brass and you are set.

If you are doing bottleneck, add about 50$ for a economy 20% off, harbor freight caliper, lee ID/OD chamfer tool, and the cheapy on press trimmer and the trim die from lee, for that one cartridge.

[BrassMagnet]

Check out this thread on Survival Reloading from the End Times Report.

http://www.endtimesreport.com/survival_reloading.html

It covers Lee Loaders, Lyman 310 Hand tools, and portable hand presses. It even covers a little history about even harder ways to do it!

[6bg6ga]

Hmmm. $120.00 for a kit, $30.00 for primers, $25.00 for a pound of powder, mebbe $20.00 for some cheap bullets would put a huge dent is some budgets (it would have bankrupted me when I started reloading).

Back when I started you could get primers by the 100. It didn't cost $25.00 for a lb of powder. I picked up my first RCBS press for $15 used. I bought components one at a time when I could afford them.

Reality check here.... I can still pick up a USED press for .25 on the dollar or less. I can still find someone to sell me 100 primers or 1/4 lb of powder if I want to say try a different powder. I can find all my pistol brass at the range for free. I can still purchase a USED set of dies. A USED scale.

For the price of a hand operated loading tool I can have used reloading equipment which will let me make quantities of ammunition on the cheap.

Logic would dictate that you purchase the best for the least amount of money. This still can be done if one doesn't get in hurry. If I'm in the market to spend say $30 on a hand operated tool I can spend a little time and find a USED press for the same amount of money.

[Soundguy]

Back when I started you could get primers by the 100. It didn't cost $25.00 for a lb of powder. I picked up my first RCBS press for $15 used. I bought components one at a time when I could afford them.

Reality check here.... I can still pick up a USED press for .25 on the dollar or less. I can still find someone to sell me 100 primers or 1/4 lb of powder if I want to say try a different powder. I can find all my pistol brass at the range for free. I can still purchase a USED set of dies. A USED scale.

For the price of a hand operated loading tool I can have used reloading equipment which will let me make quantities of ammunition on the cheap.

Logic would dictate that you purchase the best for the least amount of money. This still can be done if one doesn't get in hurry. If I'm in the market to spend say $30 on a hand operated tool I can spend a little time and find a USED press for the same amount of money.

Agreed. only 3 of the 7 press I have were bought new.. the rest used. And yes.. for pennies on the dollar.

Used press, used die sets, etc. you can be reloading straight wall pistol cheap.

Many times you find people selling an entire setup at an estate sale or yard sale..

[PerpetualStudent]

Lord knows I'm taking the slow path to reloading I've done some casting but no reloading yet just to preface my post.

I'm a similar "My budget is tight" situation. I've been slowly amassing my equipment. And that's the main thing I'd say. When we don't have money, we have to be slow and sure. The good news is assembling your own equipment rather than a kit generally gets you a cheaper better quality setup. An RCBS scale for 50 bucks instead of 100 bucks one christmas (on sale). The Lee Loadall as a gift another christmas. A secondhand lead pot for 50. Yard sale hot plate and rusty cast iron skillet for 5 bucks. You can spread out your budget and get more value if you can be that patient. The best solution for you might be buy projectiles and learn reloading with your hand set, and save some of your shooting budget to get a secondhand press.

When I was researching sizing I saw threads on here with guys using the lee hand press to resize. That's about as cheap as I'd go on that piece of the process. You want slow controlled force to change the lead's size without deforming it. A lever is really going to be useful there instead of whacking it.

You can gamble that you can load without sizing, and some people get away with that. Revolvers should be more forgiving than a semi-auto.

[Soundguy]

Yup, see what size your mold drops, and see if it needs to be sized. Many do, some don't. Depends on the application.

[mdi]

Dont buy a 130$ kit.

The economy lee press are what? 30$. Probably still come with a priming bar, if not 5$, safety scale is as chew as you get, or dipper included with lee die for specific powder.. Etc.

You dont have to buy every bit of chrome and tool available to start loading on the cheap.

For straighteall cartridges, 120$ will get you a set of dies with shell holder, press, primer arm, safety scale, 1# powder, and a tray of 100 primers, and a small bag of cast lead sized and lived projectiles.

Everything you need to do pistol.

( no trimmer needed, no case prep tools, no powder thrower, no loading block, just the basics. The lee die set will have beginner reload and die setup instructions, powder maker will have online data, die set usually has limited charge data too. Many makers offer FREE powder load data phamplets at their retail outlets or via mail.

I've bought small blister packs of cast projectiles st shows many times, to try out a profile and feed, in a gun before buying a mold.

Add your leftover brass and you are set.

If you are doing bottleneck, add about 50$ for a economy 20% off, harbor freight caliper, lee ID/OD chamfer tool, and the cheapy on press trimmer and the trim die from lee, for that one cartridge.

This is what I was saying, but many posts are advocating buying a full kit with dies and assorted tools and tossing the Lee Loader. Good if one has the free funds to start a new hobby. Nothing wrong with a Lee Loader. Nothing wrong with a Hand Press. Nothing wrong with a bench press. But one needs to consider that not all new reloaders can just dump $200 to start reloading...

[reddog81]

The thought of loading 500 rounds of 9mm with a Lee Loader makes me cringe. You can buy 500 rounds of 9mm for $100. You'd spend over 10 hours, casting, lubing, sizing bullets, sizing brass one at a time with a hammer, seating primers one at a time with a hammer, dropping powder, than seating bullets one at a time with a hammer all to save $50. I can't think of an easier way to scare someone away from casting/reloading. On top of all that 9mm is the most finicky high pressure yet small cartridge when it comes to OAL and needing the correct powder charge to operate the action of the gun.

I'd try and find someone local who can help you learn the ropes. Maybe you can cast up some bullets for them to use and they can let you use their press.

[Soundguy]

Lee loader? No, lee zamac 'c' press? Sure

[2wheelDuke]

I don't know what your budget is like, but you can pick up a Lee hand press for around $40, maybe a bit over depending on shipping.

http://www.titanreloading.com/lee-br...h=hand%20press

I'm sure there's older ones that can be had for even cheaper. I have one that was a gift. There's definitely deals around on used gear if you're patient.

Keep your eyes open, and like the Johnny Cash tune, get it one piece at a time.

[Bent Ramrod]

Reloading cartridges does not require a lot of equipment. Bench rest shooters use the same type of tap-in-and-out sizing dies that Lee makes. Their seating dies can be used by hand pressure, or with a mallet, although a light arbor press is sold to those who wish to use them. In any case, cartridges and boolits are not so delicate that a little tapping will ruin them.

The only advantages presses have is increased production and easy full-length sizing. IIRC, the OP said he was probably only going to shoot 500 rounds a year each for two guns, and was in a budget. When I was a starving student, loading 50 rounds a week with a Lee loader was no trouble, and would give me 2500 rounds a year. The little hand tools, a Lee 10-lb pot (I splurged and got the temperature adjustment) and a single cavity mould were enough for several years, until I started accumulating more guns and shooting more.

I was kind of dismayed when I started loading my Hornet with a used Pacific Super press and used Lachmiller dies and found that the accuracy was not up to what I was used to with the Lee Loader. Took about three months of practice before that problem vanished, and to this day I don't know how it did.

I don't see a lot of used reloading equipment going for cheap any more. Used to be you could give a Gun Show table holder the choice between taking home an easily carried $20 bill or the burdensome 40 lb cast iron press he was trying to sell, but anything going for a low price anymore is often a restoration project before it can be used. The ammunition shortage has a lot of people buying reloading stuff, whether they use it or not, which of course drives the price up.

Of course, if one has time to hunt for bargains, this is not an issue. If one wants to start reloading soon, it is.

[Soundguy]

I don't know what your budget is like, but you can pick up a Lee hand press for around $40, maybe a bit over depending on shipping.

http://www.titanreloading.com/lee-br...h=hand%20press

I'm sure there's older ones that can be had for even cheaper. I have one that was a gift. There's definitely deals around on used gear if you're patient.

Keep your eyes open, and like the Johnny Cash tune, get it one piece at a time.

35$ new if you don't want the breech plug style. hand or 'C' press.

[mdi]

Why are so many people against simple, easy does it reloading? I understand today's way of thinking tends to be more!, faster!, more!, more!, more! but there are still many who enjoy the process rather than just the round count. I started reloading out of curiosity, money and time had nothing to do with it; "Can I reuse these things (empty cases)?" I taught myself the process from books on the subject and 30 years later am still not in any hurry. Need 500 rounds? Cool, I can quite easily do 100 at one setting, mebbe 50 on another session, and even 200 at one time until I get 500 rounds. (My 45 ACP has about 1,000 reloads in an ammo can and nope I didn't have to do them all at once!). Waste of time and effort? To who? I enjoy the process of assembling precise objects that will be used later. Great satisfaction for a job well done (good results on the target)...