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

[bbogue1]

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?

[6bg6ga]

Just about anything can be done. Having said this one must consider what is reasonable. In reloading one must be willing to do things correctly. Buy or borrow a press and the bullets will come out uniform and sized correctly.

Note.. I use .358 for 38/357 and I use .357 for 9mm. I size and lube them with a Star sizer lubricator.

[ioon44]

A lot of shooters use .358" bullets in there 9 mm's, for me .356" is too small for my 9"s.

[Lakehouse2012]

I say No to sizing without a press. I was resizing last night bullets that dropped at 360 and need to get them to 357 i was STANDING on my press arm in some cases because i didn't hold the mold tight enough when casting.

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[Bent Ramrod]

Lee used to make a little kit that had a stick of lube, a pan-lubing tray, and a pound through sizer. If they don't make them any more, you might be able to find one of these, of the right diameter, on the auction sites or at a gun show. It ought to size a .358" boolit to .356".

[dsh1106]

Find yourself a 310 Sizing tool, these were made to be used with the tong tool.

The 310 shop will make any size you want.

Scott

[longbow]

Do you have access to a lathe or know someone with a lathe? If so you can easily make a sizing die and punch to drive the boolits through the die using a hammer.

I used to have one of the old Lee sizers Bent Ramrod mentions and believe it or not I made my own hammer sizer for my NOE 316299 for when I use gas checks. I usually shoot plain base boolits unsized but when I use gas checks that that boolit I use a hammer sizer and it works just fine. One day I'll make a die for my press and modernize.

So, short answer... yes you can do it and it will work but if you use a sizing die and make a punch you'll have to be careful not to damage the die with punch or hammer.

A Lee push through sizer and hand press are not terribly expensive though and would be faster and easier.

Longbow

[Char-Gar]

The 310 sizing dies were not intended to size bullet, but to scrap off bullet lube. Trying to size a bullet from .358 to .356 with one of these dies in a tong tool, is gut busting hard. Try it and see, I have.

Some years back Belding and Mull sold a sizing gizmo that held dies of various sizes with a punch that could could drive the bullets through the die with a hammer. The body of this gizmo was fastened to the bench with a couple of screws. A hole was cut in the bench for the sized bullet to fall through into a collecting box.

I see no reason why a Lee sizing die could not be used in a similar fashion, but it would require some head scratching.

[richhodg66]

Have you tried the .358 bullets in your 9mm yet? You might be pleasantly surprised. I haven't loaded 9mm in a long time, but Always used .357 in mine and they worked fine. A .358 might be just as good, I'd sure try first.

That said, I bet one of the Lee sizer dies designed for use in a press could be turned upside down and placed on a 2x4 or similar and using the pusher stem piece, you could gently tap the bullets through it with a hammer. It would be slow, tedious work, but you're already using a Lee loader, so that shouldn't bother you.

I might go out to the barn later and grab one of the push through sizers and see if that works, but I'm guessing it would.

[richhodg66]

Here's a thread that describes the old Lee kits. You see them from time to time for sale at gun shows and such.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ube-Cutter-use

[mdi]

I still have an old Lee lube/sizing kit for .44 caliber. I used it quite a bit when I first started casting. But to address your question; do you have a 9mm Lee loader? If so, find a cast lead bullet of .358" and pound it through (starting from the "funnel" side, nose first) then measure it. I have found the Lee Loader die has a section just a couple thousandths larger than "nominal" bullet diameter, to guide a bullet straight for seating and most cast, oversize bullets won't pass through without reducing the OD...

FWIW, if I had to buy a "dedicated" reloading/casting tool every time I needed it, I would have not been able to progress beyond a Lee Loader and powder scoops. Keep thinking...

[OutHuntn84]

Yup you sure can. Get a lee push through sizer and if you can't get your hands on a proper press you can use a dril press as a last ditch or like others have said use a hammer (mallet preferably if wood or hard rubber).
Save yourself some headache though and slug your barrels. There's lots of good info on here on how to do it ��

[flyingtexan86]

You'll need a press to use the Lee bullet sizing kit effectively. In fact, you'll need a press to do any kind of serious reloading. Even a $60 single stage press will fit the bill just fine. I cast .358 bullets and resize to .356 and shoot them from my 9mm's on a regular basis with no issues.


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[runfiverun]

I load 358 in my 9mm's too.
I never bothered slugging any of them I just shot some ammo in them.
it works, I don't have leading, and the coke can at 25yds don't know the difference.

[GONRA]

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

[6bg6ga]

After reading some of the replies here I have to shake my head. To answer the person that posted this thread yes you could beat a bullet thru a die and call it something you could load. Do you really want to? Wouldn't you like something fairly accurate to load and shoot? Anything can be done. Does it make sense to do so? My opinion here.... its not a very bright idea. As I suggested ....buy or borrow a press and use that Lee thing if you must. Beg or borrow some bullets and load them. Buy some at the gun shop. Please don't exercise stupidity when it comes to casting and or loading. If its worth doing isn't it worth doing correctly?

[bbogue1]

Lee used to make a little kit that had a stick of lube, a pan-lubing tray, and a pound through sizer. If they don't make them any more, you might be able to find one of these, of the right diameter, on the auction sites or at a gun show. It ought to size a .358" boolit to .356".

I just looked on Amazon and saw that There is a "Lee Bullet Lubricating & Resizing Kit" for $13.50+shipping Looks simple and it should work. I won't buy it right now though. I am amassing information about reloading and deciding what way to go. Thanks for mentioning a small tool I did not know about.

[bbogue1]

I was just thinking and wondered. (A very dangerous thing to do sometimes) Thank you for your educated answers. Apparently this is one of those things that could be done, but, why not save my money for a while and buy the right equipment to do the job right, is a better admonition. After all at some point if I wanted to move away from the Loaders I would definitely want to include a resizing die in my collection.

Another thought brought up is that I have not slugged my guns yet to assure I even need to resize the bullets.

Yet another observation I have is to buy a small single stage press then use it for resizing both now and later. (Through Amazon the price for both including shipping is $57 for the press and the die) and I'd be doing this correctly as well as taking my first step toward using dies rather than the loader.

Interestingly enough the Lyman 310 handloader (Large Handles) is $57.99 on Amazon. I think I prefer the Lee method better.

You forum members provide such a valuable resource, THANK YOU.

[mdi]

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...

[richhodg66]

"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. "

Yep, agree 100%. Lots and lots of guys on here who got started with them and other inexpensive, simple set ups. Guess these guys knocking them had it handed to them rather than having to learn it.