Leading in a Lee Boolit sizer?

[ACC]

In the instructions of my new Lee Boolit resizer it says not to size unlubed boolits as it can "lead" the sizer. Anyone ever see a leaded Lee boolit sizer? Is that even possible unless your boolits are really hot?

ACC

[ReloaderFred]

Lead can transfer without heat, due to friction. So yes, I've seen one leaded up.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[dkf]

My Lee sizers were fairly rough from the factory so I can see how they can pick up lead. I always got them under size and polished them out to my desired size, bullets sized a lot smoother to boot. I size a lot of bullets with no lube.

[megasupermagnum]

I'm sure it's possible, but I've never seen it. I've sized my share of unlubed bullets, although always only a .001" or .002".

[bangerjim]

Galling can occur when any softer metal is in friction contact with a harder metal. And Pb will gall with steel under the right conditions. I have never seen it in any of my tons of Lee sizers, but you know the lawyer team at Lee was involved with that statement!

banger

[bmortell]

My Lee sizers were fairly rough from the factory so I can see how they can pick up lead. I always got them under size and polished them out to my desired size, bullets sized a lot smoother to boot. I size a lot of bullets with no lube.

same, last one I got was a .430 but it measured .4295 X .4305 and not very smooth. I buy them as cheap blanks to make my custom size and in the process they get round and smooth

[Dragonheart]

If you have access to a lathe it is easy to get a mirror polish. Buy undersize dies, then a dab of diamond paste on a wood dowel will smooth them out quickly. Then green compound to a high shine. Yellow compound will make it even more reflective.

It is best to push a bullet through often and measure it so as not to over do it.

[Hick]

As you can see from the posts, there are lots of good ways to smooth out the Lee dies. But-- if you don't want to do that, its still not a big deal. Confession time: I PC a lot of my bullets, so I size them in Lee dies without lube so that the PC will adhere best. Some of these bullets I size down as much as 0.003. Every now and then the die leads up and the leading smears across the base of the bullets-- making little tails on the base of the bullets. But-- when I toss them into the tub and shake them for PC the leading left on the bases of the bullets wears off and they come out fine. I also gas check and then tumble lube some of my pistol bullets and bullets for 223 rem. I put the gas checks on the bullets and then run them through the sizer-- without lube. The gas checks seem to prevent leading of the die (just as they help in a firearm). So-- yeah-- you can lead up a Lee die-- but depending on what you are doing it may not be a problem.

[megasupermagnum]

As you can see from the posts, there are lots of good ways to smooth out the Lee dies. But-- if you don't want to do that, its still not a big deal. Confession time: I PC a lot of my bullets, so I size them in Lee dies without lube so that the PC will adhere best. Some of these bullets I size down as much as 0.003. Every now and then the die leads up and the leading smears across the base of the bullets-- making little tails on the base of the bullets. But-- when I toss them into the tub and shake them for PC the leading left on the bases of the bullets wears off and they come out fine. I also gas check and then tumble lube some of my pistol bullets and bullets for 223 rem. I put the gas checks on the bullets and then run them through the sizer-- without lube. The gas checks seem to prevent leading of the die (just as they help in a firearm). So-- yeah-- you can lead up a Lee die-- but depending on what you are doing it may not be a problem.

I have had bullets fin the base before. Why don't you PC first, then size? They should size like grease.

[Martin Luber]

I agree rough surfaces pick up softer metal. It's easy to lube or oil boolets before sizing and avoid those problems. I find the Lee dies are tapered and the exit is the minimum.

So where does one get these grinding compounds please?

[bmortell]

You can just wrap sandpaper around a rod in a hand drill. Polishing the smallest point in a push through sizer dont need to be high tech at all. You just need to mic frequently, nothing esle really to go wrong besides going too big