Bullet sizing????

[d43p]

Would like to get your intake on how much sizing a bullet die can take? Can a .308 bullet be sized to .300 in a Lyman sizing die? Will be useing WW and WW/pb mixes. How do you think the lube grooves will hold up, want to see if this is going to work. Also have a .476 mold and want to get it down to .470 along the same idea as the first. Anyone ever done this?

Thanks..........Don

[BABore]

Only in nose first, push through dies and it will work fine. Filling the grooves with lube will keep them intact. You would likely bend the 30 cal. in a base first die.

[williamwaco]

I have never sized a bullet more than .004 in a single step. You need to pay close attention to your lube grooves.

Just last week, I designed an experiment to test Lee tumble lube bullets lubed in a conventional sizer lubricator. The bullets dropped at .360-.361. When I ran them through a Lyman 4500 with a .357 die, I was surprised to see that the ( already very small ) lube grooves had almost disappeared. They were still visible but neither wide enough or deep enough to hold any lube so I abandoned the experiment.

[runfiverun]

i dip lube [in a fairly conventional b-wax lube] then size down .003 and see no affects.
many paper patch types size down to 300 or so then wrap up to 308.

[44man]

I have never sized a bullet more than .004 in a single step. You need to pay close attention to your lube grooves.

Just last week, I designed an experiment to test Lee tumble lube bullets lubed in a conventional sizer lubricator. The bullets dropped at .360-.361. When I ran them through a Lyman 4500 with a .357 die, I was surprised to see that the ( already very small ) lube grooves had almost disappeared. They were still visible but neither wide enough or deep enough to hold any lube so I abandoned the experiment.
Yes, I don't think lube will hold GG's because it can't force grooves deeper into the lead and if lead if forced off, lube will go with it.
I had an NEI mold long ago with small GG's. It cast too small so I sent it back. It was then too large and sizing removed almost all the GG's no matter what I did.
I would say new molds are in order if too much sizing is needed.

[pdawg_shooter]

I size .311s down to .3015 all the time for paper patching. A push through die works fine.

[d43p]

I think I will give up the 30 cal idea, but will try the .476 down to .470. Want to use this in a MH IV, Lee makes a mold for the .480 that is 400grs. Thought this would work, hoping the GG would be deep enough. Other than that order a CBE mold and wait 2 mos.

[old turtle]

I sized a .321 down to .316 for a old Remington Hepburn years ago and it shot very well. It was Lyman 321298 which is 153 grains when cast of wheelweights.

[pdawg_shooter]

.476 to .470 will be no problem. I take .459 down to .451 for my 47-70 and .458 for paper patching all the time.

[d43p]

Pdawg, I'm with you,will give the .476 to .470 a try. Someone mentioned to send them in nose first, is that the preferred way? I'm also giving opening up a sizer to .470 a try. Any preferred way to do this?

[44man]

Remember, paper patching does not need lube grooves.

[odis]

So how about a Keith type SWC sized from 454 to 452?

[44man]

So how about a Keith type SWC sized from 454 to 452?
No problem, it has a large GG. It is the TL boolits you need to watch most.
Most Lee boolits have very small crimp grooves too and it does not pay to wipe them out if used in a revolver.
It depends 100% on the boolit you start with.

[d43p]

I'm ordering the Lee 400gr .476 boolit, useing it in a MH, so am not worried about the crimping groove. It's the GG I'm thinking about, will they be deep enough? Have thought about PP some 45 cal bullets, as I said before, "haven't done that". Might just be time to get my feet wet on them.

[pdawg_shooter]

Pdawg, I'm with you,will give the .476 to .470 a try. Someone mentioned to send them in nose first, is that the preferred way? I'm also giving opening up a sizer to .470 a try. Any preferred way to do this?

I use a push through die in a regular press. Always nose first that way.

[Wayne Smith]

Buckshot can make you a push through die in any dimeter you like. Very precise and good prices, too.

[d43p]

Thanks for all the info. When the mold arrives and the sizer is done, I'll let you know how I make out.