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Thread: 44 mag lee loader, what does it size boolits to?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master Oklahoma Rebel's Avatar
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    44 mag lee loader, what does it size boolits to?

    I am thinking about getting a lee loader for the 44 magnum, but was wondering, I prefer to size at .431-.432, will the lee loader size the boolit smaller than that, and if so, can it be lapped out to .431 without messing up the "step" that you use to hammer a crimp into the shell/boolit? thanks a lot!-Travis P.S- if someone can run a plug guage through theirs, that would probably answer my question also... thanks again!
    An armed man in a citizen.
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  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master


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    A Lee loader does not size boolits.
    Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway!

    Men who don't understand women fall into two categories: bachelors and husbands!

  3. #3
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    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    I think he means what is the internal size limit of the seat die.
    Wayne the Shrink

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  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    I wondered the same thing about the 38 spcl and 357 mag after I bought them....

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Oklahoma Rebel's Avatar
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    well, I didn't think they were MADE to size, but I noticed in my lee loader for 38spl, that .358 went through, but were a snug fit, so that a 359 boolit might be sized down to 358. so I was wondering about the 44 mag one, and what the internal diameter is, basically, will I be able to use 431-432 cast boolits in it, without them squeezing down. thanks!
    An armed man in a citizen.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
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    Yep, they are tight on a .432" bullet, .431" is much better. They could be easily lapped out .001" or so and the crimp is in the other end of the die, perhaps allowing one to enlarge the ID. I have used mine with lead bullets and I usually size all my 44 bullets to .432", but it's been a long time and I can't remember the outcome...

    UPDATE; I went out to my shop and slugged my 44 Magnum Lee Loader. First I dropped a jacketed .430" bullet in the die, it dropped through no problems, thunk! as it hit the bench. I tried a .431" cast bullet, wouldn't drop through with out a bit of light help. Tried a .432" sized and lubed cast bullet; nope wouldn't fall through and needed a light tap with a rod and mallet. Drove a .450" sinker through and miked it at .432". So, my Lee Loader prolly wouldn't size down a .431" bullet, but might pose a problem seating with a .432" (especially into a .429" case mouth, I have noticed though the a heavy flare will cause fit problems, the case may not want to enter the die easily)...

    Unfortunately the 44 Magnum Lee Loader is designed to work well with .429"-.430" bullets and could pose problems with anything larger. I'd like to see a "Cowboy" Lee Loader for .433" bullets...
    Last edited by mdi; 02-01-2018 at 07:20 PM.
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  7. #7
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    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    I don't have pin guages, but I put a .431 boolit in mine, it fits well, without any slop, and does slide in and out freely. I don't have a .432 boolit, but I'd bet that would be snug, but probably wouldn't size it down???

    My Lee loader is an older set, and I can say that I've never used it.
    Last edited by JonB_in_Glencoe; 02-02-2018 at 03:35 PM.
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  8. #8
    Boolit Master Oklahoma Rebel's Avatar
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    hmmm... gonna be a tough choice between the lee loader and their hand operated press. you see, I plan on taking this when I go out in my rv, "and I am going to be spending a lot of time in it" I have a good setup at home, and am going to get a set of dies anyways, so it may make more sense to go that way. one other thing is that the tables in rv's are not exactly hand-hewn oak....lol, and all that pounding on it might not be to good for it, and that's even with the 38spl loader, they say the 44 mag is "extra hard" in the catalogue! well, I got some thinking to do! if anyone has anything else to add, it would be welcome!-Travis
    An armed man in a citizen.
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  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    I don't load any pistol rounds with the Lee wack a mold. I do load all my 45/70 cases with one.
    I don't size my 45/70 cases , just clean, prime and slightly bell the case. Put in my powder of
    choice and then put case in the decap chamber, then I seat a as cast 400 grain cast bullet in
    the charged case then slide the die body over the case and bullet. With the case and the die
    body setting on the decap chamber insert the seating pin till it sets on the bullet. Then tap the
    bullet into the case. Go slow till the bullet is seated as you like. Now is the time to adjust your
    die body so that the seating ram is down all the way in the die. The case is now loaded. To crimp
    insert the loaded round in bullet first into the top of the seating die where you would normally
    put the bullet. With the decapping die over the head of the case tap the loaded round in till
    the bell is removed crimping the bullet. My bullets are .460 dia and won't drop through the top
    of the loading die. Takes me longer to type this out then actually loading the case. The only
    warning is to make sure an oversize bullet will work in your gun. Hope this helps you out.
    webfoot10

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    i have a WACK A MOLE 45/70 LEE loader that i have used in the past and also loaded the cast heads as droped, coated with LEE ALOX, and it worked fine.

  11. #11
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    mdi's Avatar
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    A hand press or a portable press will prolly be best for your situation. Standard seating dies have larger IDs and seating "oversize" bullets is fine (nope I don't think I'm gonna slug mine, it's nice and toasty in my office and cold outside ).

    A member here has designed and produces a fine hand held, portable press that has gotten very good reviews; https://buchananprecisionmachine.com...eloading-press for a tighter budget;https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Cas.../dp/B000NOQIFO (I just used Amazon for the pic. better prices available)...
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  12. #12
    Boolit Master Oklahoma Rebel's Avatar
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    I have seen the buchanon, and if it wasn't for the price, I'd love to have it, not saying they aren't worth every penny, they look very well designed and built, just too much dough for me to spend...i'll probably go with the lee kit, since I could use the primer kit. but later on I will still get a lee loader, it's just good insurance, and I have two already, the 38spl and a 45-70. webfoot, putting the boolit on the case and then putting it in is a good idea if the diameter is too small to put the boolit through the lee loader die. thanks for the tip!
    An armed man in a citizen.
    An unarmed man is a subject.
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  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    If you go with the Lee Loader get yourself a light weight arbor press. No major stress on the table. Easier to use the loader, too.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  14. #14
    Boolit Master Oklahoma Rebel's Avatar
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    yeah, that's a good idea, sometimes I use my 38 lee loader in an upstairs room, caused all sorts of a ruckus! lol, I found that setting the loader on one of the sides of my 25lb dumbbell weight really cuts the noise down
    An armed man in a citizen.
    An unarmed man is a subject.
    A disarmed man is a slave.

  15. #15
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    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
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    Travis: my dad always said " buy the best, and only cry once!"

    The problem you are going to find out about the Lee Hand Press is the fact that the tool won't stand up by itself. My tool will. This may not seem like a big deal until you get to seating boolits or crimping or seating primers where the tool really shows why you want it to stand up by itself. You really need 3 hands for the Lee Tool and I don't know any one who has the third hand. (I'm sure somebody here does have it and I want to see it!)

    I will tell you that you will be better off saving your money and buying one of mine than going for the quick fix and getting the Lee Tool. My tool works smoother, has more leverage, has more precise alignment, and will load any brass cartridge you are ever likely to load, and will still be with you when you are 80.

    I don't say this simply because I make the thing, I use mine a lot and I say it because it is true, and many here will back me up. The vast majority of my tools are owned by people here at Cast Boolits.

    The cost of the tool is what it is because of the hand work that goes into making one. The tool will easily last a lifetime because that's the way I designed it.

    Hope this gives you something to think about, and here's some pics to help drive the point home.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  16. #16
    Boolit Mold
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    Thanks for the info guys, I got the Lee Loader to do my 45-70 and was also thinking about getting one for my .44 Mag.
    Steve

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
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    An arbor press would defeat the purpose of a small, portable reloading set up. As for noise, I often use a lead ingot (puck) as an anvil when I use a Lee Loader (works quite well for pulling bullets with a "hammer puller" too). Much quieter than using a bench top. Also look at the pad used in this video, pretty quiet... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeEl9wZyabc
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  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    Not the small arbor press - I think Sinclair makes one, and I know they are available antique.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
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    Perhaps one could fit a "Wilson/Sinclair type" arbor press in a portable kit (actually my first thought was an arbor press, like a real shop model arbor press. My 1 ton press weighs about 75 lbs.) Would one of the Wilson type presses be strong enough to push a 44 magnum case int the die?
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  20. #20
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    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
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    MDI: Yes that little press has more than enough umph to size even large bottleneck cases. I have used mine to do lots of .30-06 cases with ease.

    Seating bullets is no problem at all.

    I got mine off Ebay for $65. I now use it mainly for seating gas checks.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

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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