Lee sizing die question.

[GSCSA]

Hi everyone. I finally joined after lurking for several months and learning a TON of great info. I've been casting for several months now and am starting to get the hang of it. I'm casting .45 ACP, 45 Colt, .38/.357, for my SKS and several Enfields. I'm gearing up to cast for my CZ 82 and was going to have a buddy open up a duplicate Lee sizing die to .365 from .311. The sizing die is very hard so he's going to make me one from scratch and heat treat it. I'm just wondering if the heat treating step is even necessary as resizing bullets requires lubrication anyways.

[geargnasher]

I have used all sorts of things for push-through sizers, and I doubt you'd wear out even a mild-steel one any time soon but that depends a lot on the hardness and composition of the boolits, and how much you're sizing them down. You have to consider material flex as well, it can make a difference to your final outcome.

Buckshot and others make Lee-style sizers from scratch to your specifications and alloy, might shoot him a quick PM and see what he charges, I hear it's quite reasonable to have him make one (or two, one a bit bigger just in case).

Gear

[pdawg_shooter]

I make mine out of 4140 pre-threaded u-bolt stock I get where I work. Hardened a couple at first but dont bother now. My .3015 had thousands through it (down from .311) with no change in size and it is not hardened.

[GSCSA]

Thanks guys. I'll tell my friend the heat treating isn't necessary. I have a feeling the he will do it anyways just to play with the new furnace and quenching oils. As far as what I am casting with, it's mostly wheel weights withe some range scrap mixed in. My friend is making this sizing die free of charge as pay back for a past favor.

[Char-Gar]

There is no need to harden it. Plain old cold roll steel will work, but a good tool steel will give a better interior finish.

[JIMinPHX]

I've made them out of grade 8 bolts, 1018, 12L14, O-1 & W-1. They all worked. The 12L14 was the easiest to work with, but it got dented up pretty easily when dropped on the floor. I mostly use plain old garden variety 1018 cold roll these days. 1018 isn't the easiest thing to get a mirror finish on with cutting tools, so I usually end up finishing the last .001" or so with sand paper. Sometimes I polish the bore with Simichrome, which makes them look real nice, but it doesn't seem to produce better boolits.

[mdi]

My machining abilities make it difficult to machine grade 8 bolts, kinda hard for my H.S. tools. I'd just use a 7/8-14 grade 5 (or softer) and drill/ream to size.

[juniorsonic]

Hi everyone. I finally joined after lurking for several months and learning a TON of great info. I've been casting for several months now and am starting to get the hang of it. I'm casting .45 ACP, 45 Colt, .38/.357, for my SKS and several Enfields. I'm gearing up to cast for my CZ 82 and was going to have a buddy open up a duplicate Lee sizing die to .365 from .311. The sizing die is very hard so he's going to make me one from scratch and heat treat it. I'm just wondering if the heat treating step is even necessary as resizing bullets requires lubrication anyways.

I would venture to guess that if using a good quality (tool?) steel for the die body, heat treating/hardening should not be necessary.

[Sonnypie]

Wouldn't it be easier to hone out this one (http://leeprecision.com/xcart/NEW-LUBE-and-SIZE-KIT-.358.html) to .365 from .358?
.007" should be doable with some common shop honing practices.

[GSCSA]

Just got my .365" sizing die from Buckshot. Man, it's really nice! Already putting it to work!:D