Sizing from .323 down to .313?

[littlejack]

I have traded for some .323 180 grain rn jacketed bullets. I have about 350 of
them. My rifle, an 8mm-06 AI has decided it likes a different bullet.
I have a M44 Mosin Nagant, with a .313 groove diameter that like a 180 grain
rn jacketed.
Question:
Would the Lee Push Through sizer be able to size the .323 jacketed bullet to
.314 diameter?
Jack

[Trapaddict]

It will only take a little swaging lubricant on the jacket and a push through the die to get your answer. My gut feeling says yes.

Jeff

[nicholst55]

I'm going to say probably not; .009" at one pass is quite a bit, especially for J-word bullets. Arguably the best way to do this would be with a draw die, or die set, and it wouldn't be cheap - figure around $175-200 for one die. Unless I had a whole bunch (meaning thousands) of these bullets and had nothing invested in them, I think I'd trade them for something I can use or just sell them outright.

Trying to size these bullets .009" in one pass would put a bit of stress on your press. You'd also have to deal with the jacket spring back, resulting in a loose core. If you could find a couple of dies, say a .319 and then a .314", you might be able to try it and see how they shoot. I wouldn't expect great results, though.

[Junior1942]

Yes, in two stages and using Lee Case Lube only on the bullets. However, some jacketed bullets will split their jackets. Best solution is the .312" Hornadys. They shoot just fine in my .314" M38 M-N. The Rem 185 gr .323" bullet swaged down best of many I tried, if you insist on trying. Use a heavy duty press such as the Lee Classic Cast.

[Red River Rick]

Littlejack:

Don't waste your time, you'll be better off trading those bullets for the correct diameter.

Sure, you can size those .323's down to .314's, but the jacket will spring back and you'll have loose cores inside the bullet. The jacket is made from gilding copper, 95% copper, 5% Zinc. It's the Zinc that gives the spring. If the jacket was pure copper you'd have a chance.

This I'm talking from experience, not hearsay.

RRR

[littlejack]

Thanks fellas for your opinions and expieriences.
I did not think about the jacket springback, but it make much sense.
Junior, I do shoot the .312 Hornaday in the M44. The rifle does really well with that bullet.
I sporterized this rifle a few years back. It is one of my favorites. The Hornaday .312's will
stay inside 1.25" at 100 yards.
Jack

[HARRYMPOPE]

I size the .324 dia Ideal 323378 down to .314 all the time and it shoots as well as any “real” 30 cal. in my 7.62 x 54 Russians. I use alloy WW or harder and size and lube first though a std .323 die then either use a Lee push through .314 dia. or std .314 lubesizer sizing die. I then run the same bullet nose first (upside down) with a flat punch at the base partially into a .308 size die to taper the nose down a bit more to enter the throat better.



HMP

[Bwana]

I've taken 225 and 250gr .338" bullets down to .308 and they shot 1" groups at 100 yds. This was out of a NEF 30-06. I have the pictures if you'd like.
As a lark I took a 300gr Original Barnes .338 down to .308 and dual diametered it. It is a strange looking bird

On my images are the following: 1907- Speer 225 Spt BT 338 factory and sized down to 308. 1908- 250 Hornady sptz fb factory and sized down to 308 and the sized bullet with a dual diameter on the front section. 1909- Same as 1908 with the addition of the 300 Barnes with the dual diameter feature.