Reloading EverythingLoad DataLee PrecisionTitan Reloading
PBcastcoMidSouth Shooters SupplyRepackboxRotoMetals2
Wideners Inline Fabrication
Results 1 to 16 of 16

Thread: Sizing issue with PC

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    41

    Sizing issue with PC

    Hi all,

    Based on the majority of replies to an earlier post of mine I purchased some PC from Smoke and PC'd my first couple of batches...I'm getting the hang of it...I think!

    When I casted I did not size after casting but before PC choosing to size after the PC process, now I am wondering if I should have sized before and after PC.

    I casted TL356-124-2R for my 9mm, and both TL452-230TC & TL452-230-2R or my 45's.

    When I sized the TL452-230-2R using a Lee .452 sizer the results were good. When I ran the TC's through some of the PC scraped off, only in a few spots and not on every boolit. Same thing hapened when I ran the TL356-124-2R through a Lee .357 sizer.

    By the way I lightly coated the boolits with RCBS Case Lube-2 prior to running them through the sizers. I also smashed a boolit of each batch and did not experience the PC chipping off for what that is worth.

    So my questions to you all are:
    • Do you size before and after you PC?
    • If the PC is scraping off in the sizer like this, does that point to a good chance of leading when shot?
    • Any real negatives in loading the boolits with scrapes?


    Thanks in advance for your replies.

    Cheers!

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

    jcren's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    South, Central Ok
    Posts
    2,172
    Sounds like a oven temp/ time issue with the cure or a rough sizing die. If you checked the temp with a accurate oven thermometer (the settings/dial lie) and cooked for the recommended time, polish your die a bit with some emory on a dowel.

    I always size after pc, never had a problem. The scraped ones should be fine as long as most of the bearing surface is covered.
    "In God we trust, in all others, check the manual!"

  3. #3
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    41
    Thanks for the reply JC. The toaster oven is new to me and I do not have a oven thermometer to test it...sounds like I need to get one.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master


    Walter Laich's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Cypress, Republic of Texas
    Posts
    3,481
    I size after PC as I am lazy

    never had scraping problems unless the bullets had 'wings' (that's from the mold not being closed completely and getting said wings on the bullets--I throw those back into the pot)

    don't lube them before the sizing either

    I am using Lee push through sizers in a single stage press

    Go get a cheap oven thermometer https://www.walmart.com/ip/Oven-Ther...13=703&veh=sem

    before I had one I was making lead cookies and they all melted and ended up looking like chocolate chips cookies on the NSAL

    Keep working on it--PC is as much an art as a science
    NRA Life
    USPSA L1314
    SASS Life 48747
    RVN/Cambodia War Games, 2nd Place

  5. #5
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    41
    Thanks Walter, I ordered s thermometer a bit earlier today

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    10,564
    Tumble PC sometimes leaves a thin spot that can get scraped. Lee sizers are good but sometimes rough or DIRTY. Get a bit of lead or something (scraped PC)in them will scrape off PC. Sometimes they don't get started straight in the sizer and pressure will scrape the PC. I don't lube unless a really hard alloy or sizing down a LOT. As stated, unless a lot is missing on the drive bands, shoot em. You can also tumble with LLA if not already loaded.
    Whatever!

  7. #7
    In Remembrance
    GRUMPA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Concho Az
    Posts
    2,161
    I've always sized before and after PC for a reason. I like to be the person in control in all phases of doing things. In another way of putting it, I'm eliminating any variables. When I'm done I know the PC is pretty close to being even all the way around the boolit.

    What I do is size the boolit .001 under my target size, PC and size to my target size.
    Click to see what I'm doing and have available, this takes you to the VS (Vendor Sponsor) section of the site. Currently..25Rem,30Rem, 32Rem, 35Rem, 257Roberts, 358Win, 338Fed, 357 Herrett, 30 Herrett, 401 Winchester, 300Sav, 221 Fireball, 260Rem, 222Rem, 250 Savage, 8mm Mauser (AKA 8x57), 25-20WCF

    Annealing Services

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/foru...php?117-Grumpa






  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    North Queensland Australia
    Posts
    343
    I was very lucky I was given a large commercial electrostatic powder coater ( about $2,000 worth ) then I got a little fan forced oven, read everything I could, from day one sized after coating, great success, then the oven fan motor burn out, I could not get one to fit, got a new oven now the powder flacks off, its the thermostat. The most basic rule with anything that gets hot check your instruments then check your appliance.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Crystal River Florida
    Posts
    993
    Something in the OP caught my eye,,,lubing a bullet for sizing. That means all future bullets are lubed and can hamper the adhesion of PC. If I feel the need for lube, I use a little water, most times that is all that is needed.

  10. #10
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    2,911
    I'm thinking rough sizing die entrance. Polish the bevel where the boolits go in to get sized. (you can twist some sandpaper into a cone and twist it in the end of the die, start with course paper and finnish with 600 - 1,00 grit) I use a cone shape polishing pad on my dremmel tool

    put some metal polish on it and polish away until the entrance to the sizing die is smooth

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    41
    Thanks for all the advice guys!

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    kalif.
    Posts
    7,186
    I size after because they are more likely to be uniform in size, the whole point of sizing imo. If applied correctly, pc shouldn't scrape off during sizing unless your die has a rough finish. Sometimes Lee will be really rough finished.
    EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
    NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master


    stubshaft's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Southernmost State of the Union
    Posts
    5,852
    I size after PC. If I find a couple of bare spots on my boolits...I'll load and shoot them too.

    I have been very fortunate in the sense that Harbor Freight refused to ship PC to me and I found Smoke's powder. It is all I have ever used so I cannot tell if I am "missing" something. I get good coverage smooth coating using BB's and Bowl and no leading.
    Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway!

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

  14. #14
    Vendor Sponsor

    Smoke4320's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Right here ..at least I was a minute ago
    Posts
    5,045
    Take 10 bullets with a magic marker draw a vertical line top to bottom of each one ..
    at the press line each bullet in same position .. size all 10
    are the scraped areas in the same position .. If so ..either the mold is out of round , you are loosing on handles to make out of round or the sizing die is rough finished ..
    if they are scraped in different positions its an adhesion issue .. probably wrong oven temp
    [SIZE=4][B]Selling Hi Quality Powdercoating Powder

    I carry a Nuke50 because cleaning up the mess is Silly !!

    http://www.bing.com/search?q=nuke50&...7ADE&FORM=QBLH

    I am not crazy my mom had me tested

    Theres a fine line between genius and crazy .. I'm that line
    and depending on the day I might just step over that line !!!

  15. #15
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Beautiful Idaho
    Posts
    2,644
    It seems to me that PC can take a real beating if properly cured but even if everything else is done right it is very easily scraped by any sharp or rough edge. Most likely the problem. Gp

  16. #16
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    41
    So I ran a test batch of the TL356-124-2R tonight.

    As suggested, I took a cone-shaped polishing pad dipped in rubbing compound to the sizing die to polish it up. I don't have any emmory cloth on hand at the moment.

    I'm still waiting on the oven thermometer I ordered so I cranked the toaster oven up from the 400 mark I used in the past to 450. I also let it bake for an extra 5 minutes going from 20 to 25 min.

    I also followed Smoke's suggestion and marked several with a sharpie before running them through.

    There were still a few scrapes but nowhere near as many as before, and not is the same spot on the maked boolits. I'll give it another go with the polishing cone and then run a test when the thermometer shows up.

    Thanks for all your suggestions so far...

    Cheers

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
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