Hydraulic bullet sizer

[Jim]

A few years back, I wanted to size some jacketed bullets. I was not able to push them through a Lee sizer die, so I built a hydraulic bullet sizer (http://fgsp.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/hydraulic-bullet-sizer/).

[NoZombies]

Nice Work Jim! I bet you could do a heck of a job swaging with that thing

[CiDirkona]

That is really neat -- and I bet it weighs a ton! How many pulls of the handle does it take to get that ram all the way up?

[Jim]

About 12 pulls. There's no effort to it, though. It ain't like you got to stand on the handle. About the first 8 or 9 pulls are just getting the ram up to position.
I haven't weighed it but you don't wanna tote that thing around in a range bag!

[NoZombies]

It was in a different application, but I used the cylinder from one of those quick rise jacks in a project once, the first stroke brought the ram to the point of resistance, then you pumped more to do the actual work.

[Jim]

On this one, you get the same amount of rise per stroke, loaded or not.

[Johnch]

A air over jack would be the ticket IMO

John

[Jim]

I'd be scared of over travel with air. Once the bullet clears the sizing throat, it's time to stop IMMEDIATELY. If not, you'll jam the piston into the bottom of the sizer.

[AZ Pete]

Nice. Do you use any lube on the bullets?

[Jim]

Yes. It's my opinion that any time you're forcing an object through an opening with an interference fit, lubrication should be applied to one or both surfaces. Just like firing a boolit down a barrel or shoving a case in a sizing die.

[Ernest]

What a great Idea.!!! I would like to be able to size .323 down to .318 for my drilling.