reccomend a boolit sizer die please

[hoosierlogger]

I am in the market for a boolit sizing die for my .45 and 9mm. What is the best bang for the buck, as the buck is rather limited these days.

The molds I have are Lee 124gr TC .356 tumble lube for the 9mm that drops out at .3585.

The .45 is a Lee 230gr TC with one lube groove it drops out at .4545

I havent slugged the barrels yet but am going to do so after I finish this post.

The 9mm boolit shoots like a dream out of my .38spl

[hoosierlogger]

OK not gonna slug the barrels today. I dont have anything lead close enough size wise to do it with. Gonna have to go to Wally world and pick up some more egg sinkers first

[Echo]

Well - what do you like best? Blondes or brunettes? Starting at the cheapest (not necessarily the worst!) one could go with the Lee press-mounted system. Many use it, and swear by it.

Next up would be a Lyman or RCBS/Lachmiller press. One can purchase them on eBay for ~ $75, and sizing dies that fit one fit the other. I have two, and they do a great job.

Next up would be a SAECO. I don't have one, nor have I used one, but those who have, and do, swear by them. More pricey, and their sizing dies are peculiar to their presses.

Finally would be a Star (made by Magma, now). Generally available on eBay for ~$250, and available form Magma new for $300 last I saw. Fastest of all, it is a straight-through lube/sizer that goes faster than money through a red-head. I have one that I use for my non-GC pistol boolits. Dies are peculiar to the Star, and forum-member lathesmith makes them.

If bucks are limited, then I suggest the Lee system. It will do the job.

[hoosierlogger]

Thank you Echo I saw the Lees on ebay before, but just wasnt sure about them since they were so innexpensive

[Springfield]

Just remember, the LEE ONLY sizes, but does not lubricate, so unless you are running tumble lube bullets or feel like pan lubing, get something else that does the whole job.

[Bret4207]

While the Lee is the "cheapest" it's also just, if not more, accurate/concentric as any other sizer. It's faster than nay of the traditional RCBS type sizers too. If money is an issue do not hesitate so much as a second on the Lee. I have 3 traditional lubersizers and I find the Lee a joy to use compared to them.

As long as you can tumble or pan lube with Mule Snot, JPW or any other lube use the Lee.

[StarMetal]

I'm just the opposite of Bret, I find the Lee luber die a pain in the butt to use especially so when you have 500 or more bullets to size. Just like my bottom pour furnace I went to the luber/sizer machines and never looked back. I'm very happy and satisfied with my shooting results too using those methods. Now if Lee or anyone for that matter made a push through sizer that lubed too I'd certainly take a look at it.

Point to case. If the old methods were better why are there so many turret and automatic presses today? Speed....and don't dare say they don't load a good accurate round either.

You wanna waste you time doing something the slow way rather then being out shooting and having fun..fine. Hate to sound so cynical, but sorry that's the way I see.

Joe

[hoosierlogger]

Well I made a good score this afternoon. I stopped by a buddies house and he told my not to buy anything to come over to his house and use his lubrisizer any time I need to. He sent me home with a lee progressive press too Woo Hoo! All I have to do is load his .45 ACP for him when he needs them

[Bret4207]

How is the Lee slower than the others? Ya gotta let the lube dry but other than that? One movement with the Lee, 2 with the others.

[Willbird]

How is the Lee slower than the others? Ya gotta let the lube dry but other than that? One movement with the Lee, 2 with the others.

My "other" is a Star, one movement that does 2 things, lubes and sizes. I'm surprised Lee has never cobbled together a pot metal push through lube sizer.

Bill

[runfiverun]

you can also get a boolit feeder and air assambly for the star.
feeding it myself through the feeder i have sized and lubed 800 in an hour before.
they were all the same size and all had full lube grooves.
don't think you are gonna get even close to that with anyother machine run by hand.
my average is 500 per hour though.
when doing g/c's i still do well over 200 an hour.

[hpdrifter]

Think about this if you go with a Lyman or a RCBS: Lyman dies have 2 sets of lube holes; RCBS has but one.

If you have one lube groove, no need really for two sets of holes. I had a dickens of a time with Lee twin groove .452 boolits with the Lyman die also. it'd run 10 good boolits then the next 50 even with bunches of tweaking had lube all over. I bought a RCBS die and my miseries disappeared. Think about application when choosing the die for these two machines.