So you can't afford one ?

[geargnasher]

Outstanding, Ben, just outstanding.

Why hasn't someone made this a sticky already!?? I know we have a VS that makes a similar tool in many calibers, but someone might want to try the cheap route and see if they like it before shelling out the bucks for a professionally made one.

Gear

[Ben]

Gear,

Thanks......Like you say Gear if money is an issue a young caster really needs to try this system, if you've got a cheap Lee push thru sizer, a mold, a couple of sticks of lube ( we all know that can be made at home for CHEAP ), a fired case and a tiny bit of mechanical skill, you're in business.

I didn't mention this, but when I started using lube sizers 40 yrs. ago , I had one that must have been drilled off center at the factory. The top punch and the die weren't lined up properly. My bullets were always sized on 1 side more than the other. I eventually got rid of that piece of junk. I never shot a decent group as long as I was using that mis-aligned piece of junk to lube and size my bullets.

This system will not allow that to occur.

No more mis-aligned bullets that are sized off center with this system ! ! I've shot some pretty impressive groups with this system.

I hope some young casters will look at all of this and " jump in " . You've got to admit, the price is right.

Ben

[hicard]

"I've shot some pretty impressive groups with this system." Yes you have Ben.

[clodhopper]

Today before reading the post I took my 8 year old grandson out to the range, he is pretty good with his savage lefthand .22.
We brought along a contender carbine 20" in 7mmTCU, I let him shoot up some 130 grain lee's.
Then took him home and introduced him to the mould that made the bullets,
He tried pouring some but just could not get the speed up enough to get the mould working good.
Then I got out the old .285 lee size and lube kit. with hammer powered push through size die, lube pan and kake cutter.
These were my first bullet casting/sizeing tools, purchased in the early eightys. Didn't cost much money but the bullets produced would shoot under a minute in my old super 14 7mmTCU barrel.
He will shoot the bullets he cast next trip to the range.

[Ben]

He will shoot the bullets he cast

Allowing a young shooter to " shoot the bullets that he cast " will get him deeply involved in the shooting sports very quickly.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

Thanks as a new guy starting off , this is very help full
i had already seen pan lubing , and was planing on trying that , i found a nice 8x8 inch silicone baking pan last time i was at good will for a dollar something the video on pan lubing i had watched used that then pushed them back out thru the cake with a dowel but this looks like it would work better for a softer lube

i also got a 3 quart sauce pan for a dollar something at good will to mix up lube in

i have paraffin wax lots of that as the wife uses it for crafts and candles

some less than a pound of bees wax as i use it for my black powder lube


i would like to use the paraffin, i have read and lithium grease , and stp oil treatment look like good ingredients in many lubes , off to look thru lube recipes.

[Maximumbob54]

Is there a problem if I don't size them first before I pan lube? Will the push through die alter the lube in the grooves?

[Jailer]

You can size after lubing no problem. I size all mine after pan lubing.

[Ben]

Maximumbob54 :

The only reason I suggested sizing 1st is that you'd have a reliable consistent dia. of bullet for your Kake Cutter to fit and be able to cut the bullet cleanly out of the lube with. I have some .30 cal. molds that cast .314 and .315 that my current Kake Cutter you see in the photos wouldn't come close to working with.

Ben

[diehard]

I pan lube and tumble lube, both of which can be messy endeavors. When pan lubing I simply remove the cake and push the bullets through the solidified lube with my thumb, which as you probably know, make useful but not so pretty bullets!

Your tool has inspired me to head to the garage and make one of of those cutters.

Thanks for a great post!



Happy 4th of July.....be sure to teach a kid (anyone's kid)what it really is all about today!

Laurel

[Black Wolf]

When you size the bullets initially (before putting them in the pan lube) are you sizing them without any lube whatsoever?

[Ben]

Black Wolf :

I wouldn't recommend running dry bullets through a sizer. I've heard of people doing it, but I prefer to keep about a 3/4 " circle of wheel bearing grease on the top of a baby food jar lid close to my press that has the Lee sizer in it. I put a VERY THIN layer of lube on every 3rd bullet that I'm sizing with the die. This will keep a very thin film of lube inside the die.

Works just fine for me. Then each bullet is sized identical, and your Kake Cutter will be a snug fit on ALL of them.

Best,

Ben

[tomme boy]

What do you suggest for a case for a .452 bullet?

[mjr350]

What a brilliant idea.
I only have the lee push through sizer at the moment and I Pan lubed my .224 bullets for the 22-250 today for the first time ever and 30% failed because I poured the lube around the bullets and pushed the out by hand which up until now as the only way I have seen it done.

Ill be casting .316 for the No4 Mk1 soon when the NOE molds come through and will be using the above method along with a 450 lube sizer. Will be interesting to see the difference.

I like the idea that the pan lubing is getting back to basics which is what casting is all about.

[DLCTEX]

What do you suggest for a case for a .452 bullet?

I would try a sized 45-70 or 458 Win. case for .452. Or for short pistol boolits a 45 Colt case may work.

[Stephen Cohen]

Another good way is to cut base off shell and solder it into a hole in a small can,each bullet pushes the next up into the can.

[Ben]

tomme boy :

I'd think that a FIRED 45 long colt would work just fine on sized .452 cast bullets.
As a matter of fact, I've done that very thing before. It works fine !

Ben

[ErikO]

I'm fileing this nugget away for when I start my casting this fall.

[midnight]

I cast for my 50BMG. The bullets are too long for any lubsizer so I pan lube them. I made a similar Kake-Kutter from a fired case but I had to make a neck expander since I had no case fired with a bullet larger than 0.510. I just took a 0.500 steel rod and heated it cherry red and pounded it til it expanded. After chucking it in the drill press I filed & polished it down to 0.514 and chamfered it til it was sharp. Works great!

Bob

PS: Buckshot made push through sizing dies for me and he will make Kake-Kutters in most any diameter you want.

[flashhole]

Excellent thread. Thanks for sharing and the photos are great.