Lyman H & I DIE - 358 & 431 problems.

[243winxb]

New Lyman 358 & 431 H & I dies sticking bullets in both dies. Bought last year & today.

The old style dies in 357 & 429 work fine in my Lyman 450. Exact same conditions.

For about 40+ years, been sizing to match barrel groove diameter .

New dies are to match cylinder throats.

Question- Are these new style dies giving you problems??

The fix- Polished both dies with 320 paper on a wood bowel. Now work as they should.

Thank you.

[Mk42gunner]

I haven't bought any H&I dies in few years, but I do remember one that had a tendency to stick until it had about ten boolits through it. I just figured it needed to be well lubed kind of like seasoning a cast iron skillet.

Robert

[243winxb]

I prelubed the .431" die by running a sized .430" diameter bullet in the new die. Heater on around 110 degrees, using RCBS pistol lube.

Had to remove the 431 die 3 times to get the unsized bullet out.

Got out the old 429 die. It sized the bullets normally.

Polishing the new die corrected the problem.

[gwrench]

May I ask a dumb question? Why are these called H&I dies? Size and lube are the only things I associate so....

[Maven]

gw, "H" and "I" are taken from illustrations of the older Ideal lube sizing machines, #1 and #45. Both are shown in the Lyman "Cast Bullet Handbook, 3rd Ed.", pp. 34 and 41 respectively.

[243winxb]

I always wondered too. Now we know.

Something used to identify parts of the lube sizer. Like a parts list. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...cOn73qvheyNQ6B

Prices from my 1959 shooters Bible.

[gwrench]

Thanks!

[murf205]

The prices in those old Shooters Bibles will break your heart. If only we had known.....

[1hole]

The prices in those old Shooters Bibles will break your heart. If only we had known.....

Don't get to broken up, you're better off now than you realise. If you knew how many hours an average man had to work to purchase those "inexpensive" devices back then you would know that most of it actually costs less in real terms today than they did then; sometimes a LOT less. And most of today's stuff is superior in design and materials.

[243winxb]

The size marked on the die, doesn't always produce that diameter.

Harder alloys spring back more after sizing. Larger then whats stamped on the die.

[Larry Gibson]

H&I dies have (as of when I don't know) preservative on them when new. Running 10 bullets through can clean it out or using 320 grit also can. Easier is to clean the hard coat of preservative off with bore solvent (#9 works well) before use.

[Billwnr]

I would mike the bullet after sizing just so I knew what I was shooting. I used to shoot bullets sized with a .310 and 312 sizing die. Difference between the two and how they fit the rifle throat was about 15 points in the CBA military matches. The .310 shot best. Thing was I miked the bullet and it was a .3105. Filed that away for future reference.