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Thread: Why doesn't...

  1. #1
    Boolit Master




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    Why doesn't...

    Why doesn't someone make a compact upside down press for resizing boolits using the Lee or NOE push through dies?

    I was thinking about it today and personally the lube/sizer's days are numbered with powder coating and Hi-Tek. IMHO the future belongs to push though sizing dies and newer methods of lubing like PC and Hi-Tek.
    Semper Fi!


    Currently casting for .223, .308, .30-06, .30-40 Krag, 9mm, .38/.357, 10mm, 44 Mag and 45 ACP.

    I like strange looking boolits!

    NRA Patriot Life Endowment member.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy


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    Just invert a cheap Lee "c" press that's what I did.

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
    --ISO ITEMS--
    Contender super 16 barrels

    updated as of April 2023

    My feedback: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ight=Carbine86

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Why not get a Star? use it right side up and lube at the same time you size, I wouldn't be turning things over to use.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by carbine86 View Post
    Just invert a cheap Lee "c" press that's what I did.

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
    That's what I did, mounted to the bottom of the bench top.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy


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    Quote Originally Posted by bdicki View Post
    That's what I did, mounted to the bottom of the bench top.
    I had a mount made up so it's raised off the bench then I rigged up the handle to work like a normal pull stroke.

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
    --ISO ITEMS--
    Contender super 16 barrels

    updated as of April 2023

    My feedback: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ight=Carbine86

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I wouldn't be selling your Star any time soon!!

    So far I'm not convinced that Powder coating, or any other coating, is any better than LLA at least time wise.

    You still have to cast your boolits then sort the scrap out and then do the PC thing, still gotta shake and bake plus cool.

    I water drop my casting right out of the mold, rub on a towel to dry and then into the Star and sort as I feed it, then I'm done and can reload or store as I see fit.

    Thinking I make more shootable boolits in less time than the LLA or PC deal, coatings aren't new I played with several dip and dry systems back in the early 70's as well as Lyman's aerosol still had to wait for everything to dry or cure depending on the coating.

    Fast forward to the next century and I still find a Star lube sizer does it all and faster than most anything else.

    What I will give the PC crowd is you can get real creative with PC and make some artsy boolits that look real neat HOWEVER I am not sure how much stopping power ARTSY boolits give you over a standard cast and lubed 45 H&G 68.

    It appears that PC is fun but won't be moving into my stable this century, other may disagree but with all trends time shows what does and doesn't work long term!

    HM

  7. #7
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    I made a batch of "up-side-down" bracket-mounts for the Lee classic cast single stage press, using some scrap plate steel that I got at a jobsite for just pennies. The Lee classic, besides having the handle switch from Left to Right, it also allows for 360º adjustment, making it the most conducive to using for normal reloading uses, then with little fanfare to mount it up-siide-down, for boolit sizing.

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...eat&highlight=



    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
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  8. #8
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    I just push them through the star and not lube.
    if NOE gets their die body and sizer inserts for the star done i'll be doing them with one of those.
    upside down might be fine but it ain't gonna beat a full on tube fed-sizer.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master




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    Quote Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe View Post
    I made a batch of "up-side-down" bracket-mounts for the Lee classic cast single stage press, using some scrap plate steel that I got at a jobsite for just pennies. The Lee classic, besides having the handle switch from Left to Right, it also allows for 360º adjustment, making it the most conducive to using for normal reloading uses, then with little fanfare to mount it up-siide-down, for boolit sizing.

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...eat&highlight=



    I'd love to have the ability to make a mount like that.
    Semper Fi!


    Currently casting for .223, .308, .30-06, .30-40 Krag, 9mm, .38/.357, 10mm, 44 Mag and 45 ACP.

    I like strange looking boolits!

    NRA Patriot Life Endowment member.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    Mine is mounted under the table in a handy location. With a box of .45 acp brass under it the bullets nicely plunk into any handy container from ice cream bucket to the cover the sizer die came in.

    Simple and easy.

  11. #11
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    I took a cheap lee hand press and flipped it upside down and make a couple steel brackets to mount it on my bench. Mounted a coffee can under it and a hose that fit the lee die channels the bullets into the can.

  12. #12
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    NOE is working on an adapter to accept their inexpensive push-through sizer bushings. Al is already on this, so it will happen sooner than I expected... You gotta love NOE.
    I've seen the first prototype, so it appears to be just a matter of time before the fastest lubri-sizer available becomes the fastest push through sizer available.
    Adding sizer bushings from NOE for <$10 a piece is going to make a lot of Star/Magma owners happy, and will be very useful for more than just PCing.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Here's my solution to this minor problem.


    The small press portion in the center is 6 inches tall, and will accept Lee push thru's up from the bottom.
    I've been laid up most of the winter and havent gotten much further than making the casting

    Here's what the actual press looks like as the photo above has the gating and risers attached from pouring the metal

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Heavy Metal is almost 100% correct. One point he missed....PC can be used to increase the diameter of the bullet. That is a limited benefit, but priceless in some applications.

    TexasGrunt, go to YouTube and watch a Star in action. Lubrisizers will be with us a long time. I can size and lube 1000+ an hour.....nothing else will come close.
    Don Verna


  15. #15
    Boolit Master


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    Using a Lyman 450, remove the center of the size die. Next remove the adjustment screw and pushout rod. Bend a small piece of metal to a 45 Deg angle and stick it to the adjustment shelf under the size die body with some bullet lube. Put a container under your 450 and just push bullets through till the cows come home.
    "Masculine republics give way to feminine democracies, and feminine democracies give way to tyrannies.” Aristotle

  16. #16
    Boolit Master




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    Quote Originally Posted by dverna View Post
    Heavy Metal is almost 100% correct. One point he missed....PC can be used to increase the diameter of the bullet. That is a limited benefit, but priceless in some applications.

    TexasGrunt, go to YouTube and watch a Star in action. Lubrisizers will be with us a long time. I can size and lube 1000+ an hour.....nothing else will come close.
    I've got a buddy that has a Star. Awesome piece of equipment. But much more than I'm willing to spend. I either own or have on the way bushing for my NOE push through. I'd just like a ~$40-$50 mount so I could attach a press and go to work.

    Right now I'm using a Hornady single stage mounted to a Inline Fab quick change plate. I'd much rather be able to drop the boolit into the sizing die, pull the handle and have the boolit drop though.
    Semper Fi!


    Currently casting for .223, .308, .30-06, .30-40 Krag, 9mm, .38/.357, 10mm, 44 Mag and 45 ACP.

    I like strange looking boolits!

    NRA Patriot Life Endowment member.

  17. #17
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    star works great but I got tired of every time I wanted to use it to size coated bullets I had to clean the lube off the die. The lee sizers are just as fast and I can leave it set up and free up my star for actual lube sizing.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    My answer to this issue got completed today
    this one uses Lee dies screwed up from the bottom.
    I can machine one to accept the Star adapter that NOE makes to use
    their bushings.
    Buy 1 adapter, and whatever size bushings and push rods you need.
    Very cheap to set up for multiple calibers

  19. #19
    Boolit Master




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    If it will accept Lee dies it should accept the NOE push though die also. That's a really neat set up. I'm afraid to ask what one would cost. My wife's family live in Kalispell. It's a nice place. Too bad all the California people are screwing it up.
    Semper Fi!


    Currently casting for .223, .308, .30-06, .30-40 Krag, 9mm, .38/.357, 10mm, 44 Mag and 45 ACP.

    I like strange looking boolits!

    NRA Patriot Life Endowment member.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master


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    If cast, lubed lead projectiles survived the jacketed revolution, I don't think PC is going to kill off the lubing part.

    YMMV.

    I don't even have a lubrisizer and I still find areas where lubing is easier than PC.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check