Sizing too much off?

[pyro926]

Well, this is my first post, so I guess I should say Hi. [smilie=s:

I've tinkered with casting for a while but only for 12ga. slugs. Just started with my 44. and ran into some issues.

I bought a Lee #90357 6 cavity mold to cast for my 44.mags. I found that sometimes when I size them with a .430 lee sizer, nothing is taken off, other times it takes off what seems like too much.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/pyro926/240gr44cal.jpg

Is there enough groove on the boolits on the right? Or should I just melt them down and try again. I'm sure I didn't get the 2 half's of the mold tight enough together, causing the boolit to be wider, thus more being taken off. I don't know if it is safe to load and shoot though.

Any help is appreciated.

PS. I did use the search and couldn't find any similar threads on this :bigsmyl2:

[telebasher]

The Lee Tumble Lube design bullets are designed to be lubed with Lee Liquid Alox and loaded and shot as cast . Try lubing a few and load with 8-9 grains Unique and see if they chamber and shoot well. If they are tight to chamber then sizing is an option. You didnt say what alloy you're using but most Lee bullets work real well with air cooled wheelweights.

[pyro926]

They are part wheel weights, part melted down scrap boolits. Seem a little harder than wheel weights. I'm air cooling them and the plan is to tumble lube them with the alox.

[Huntducks]

Why are you sizing them ?

[stubshaft]

Yes they have enough groove to tumble lube. No they are not unsafe to shoot.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

If you have a micrometer, you may want to check out the diameter of the boolits that did not touch the sizer. Just a thought.

[EDK]

Get out the micrometer and you'll find why you are experiencing this. Variations in alloy, temperature of the alloy, temperature of the mould, phase of the moon, etc. will all cause variations in the size of your cast boolit. You want consistent size boolits, you have to control a lot of factors.

I'd order a .432 sizer from RANCH DOG...or lap out your .430 to .431 and see how that suits you...and go to .432 if necessary. My theory is to size as large as possible so I size to .431 and .432 for 20 some 44 revolvers and rifles that I cast for....d*** near that many different moulds too! I'm shooting 48+ rounds a day; weather, daylight, etc permitting.


With LEE LIQUID ALOX or LARS' XLOX, if you can see it on the boolit, you probably have more than enough. Look up RANCH DOG'S various tutorials on how he does his boolits...originally intended for rifles...both here and over at marlinowners.

One last thing, using the RANCH DOG TLC 432 265 lubed with XLOX and gas checked, it removes leading left from conventionally lubed boolits.

:cbpour::redneck:

[mooman76]

Also when you cast with the 6x ,are sure you are not squeezing sprue plate handle at the same time as holding the mould closed. It puts just enough twist on it to open the mould a hair so you will have inconsistant boolits.

[pyro926]

Yes they have enough groove to tumble lube. No they are not unsafe to shoot.

Thank you stubshaft, this is what I was looking for.


I'm sizing them because I'm a rookie and thought that sizing wouldn't hurt anything, only make them more consistent. Plus it gives my 6 year old something to help me with.

[captaint]

Plus one what Mooman said. Make sure the mold is closed completely during casting. I think that's why some boolits are bigger. Mike

[stubshaft]

Nothing wrong with sizing them Pyro, I size my 425 RD's when I seat the GC. Experiment to see what works best for YOU.

[Larry Gibson]

+2 on what moonman said. Always back off the sprue plate handle as if held closed many times it slightly pivots the mould halves apart. Also lube the bullets before you size them. Lube in the grooves is not very compressable and will help maintain the grooves.

Larry Gibson

[sqlbullet]

+3 on mold not closed. I saw this with my .401 bullets until I improved my technique.

[jhalcott]

Lead is VERY toxic to youngsters. More so than with an adult brain. Make CERTAIN the kid/s wash their hands with soap and warm water after playing with lead. DO NOT disourage them from helping but see that safe handling and cleanliness is followed.

[fredj338]

YOu can tumble lube them, yo ucan tumble lube a bullet w/ no grooves, but the shallow TL grooves are one reason I have stayed away from them. I prefer a deeper lube groove(s) for sizing a bullet, holds more lube.

[pyro926]

Lead is VERY toxic to youngsters. More so than with an adult brain. Make CERTAIN the kid/s wash their hands with soap and warm water after playing with lead. DO NOT disourage them from helping but see that safe handling and cleanliness is followed.

Absolutely, I have told her how important it is to wash after helping daddy. I walk her to the bathroom my self just to make sure.

Thanks for the reminder though! :wink:

[Pepe Ray]

You should address the "poor fill out "issue before being concerned with sizing.
The 2 boolits on the left show very poor fill out. Those on the right appear to be correct, for what I can see.
Assuming normal casting procedures are followed, I suggest closer watch on temperature control of alloy AND molds.
Pepe Ray

[mpmarty]

Cast a perfectly good boolit and then RUIN IT by distorting it through a sizer.=:)

[epj]

Might try a little extra tin. The WW+ range scrap should usually be softer than straight ww unless you are digging out a lot of cast boolits made from lino.