Lee sizers (Leading and Small sizing)

[fowl_language]

Hello All,
Great forum, I have to admit I am now strongly addicted to casting my own pistol boolits. I am a broke college student and although the start up costs of my operation were pretty significant I managed to keep everything down by going with LEE products. I know there are probably many people that don't like the LEE stuff, but for this question I'm sure it applies to any other brands or DYI cast resizers.

I got the LEE 6 cavity .452 round nose 200 gr mold and have been casting rounds for my RI 1911 GI, the casts it throws have been very good and just a bit over .454 or so with minimal deformation, lately it has been throwing some slightly noticeable deforms (i'm sure my own cocky behavior as I get more accustomed to the process is making it happen)

I bought the .451 resizer from LEE to fix a chambering problem with the base of the bullet being slightly large for the chamber, I think the .451 resizer fixed the problem. But this question stems from the fact that I am getting .449 and .450 diameters out of the sizer after about 200 rounds or so go through it. I thought that maybe the sizer was just off so I replaced the die with my .401 LEE and resized some 40 S&W 175 Truncated cones and the resizers were putting out .399 and .400 for a 40 S&W after about 100 rounds, I don't see this as too much of a problem for the .40 but I am worried that the problem might continue.

I was wondering what everyone thought about the situation and know if it is leading issue in the resizer or something else? And if it is leading, does anyone have any ideas on a remedy to get them sizing to factory performance again? I have had the cast bullets tumbled in ALOX before resizing.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Certaindeaf]

If accuracy and leading issues are good, you're doing good. I'm not sure I understand the question.

[fowl_language]

Sorry about that my description was a bit long winded.

Basically what is happening is I am resizing my casts and the first id say 100 come out exactly .451, then as I get up to 150 or 200 of them they drop down to .450 and .449.

I haven't been able to shoot any of them but I don't think at that diameter there should be any problems but, I am worried that if I resize 400 or so I will be down to .445" or something, which I know can cause problems.

Thanks for the reply.

FL

[Certaindeaf]

I think I understand the issue now.. have you looked closely at the inside of your sizing die? Is it shaving or something? What are you lubing with?

[fowl_language]

I lube with LEE liquid ALOX, and the inside doesn't look like the build up is sufficient at least not like it looks in a badly leaded barrel.

The LEE sizers do not seem to have a place for the shavings to go, it seems like they just disappear after the sizing, I will try and take some good pictures when I get back home tonight with the bore light. I tried to put a .45 brush on a drill and clean it out but it seems to not help the small sizing issue either.

[Certaindeaf]

I wonder if it's the casting/sequential process.. loss of tin over time and or lower temperature while casting and then measurements made that mirror that/those issues. Anyway, we'll try to get this figured out.

[obssd1958]

When you get back home, try using a little mineral spirits on a patch to clean the inside of the sizing die. If you aren't getting lead buildup, maybe you are getting a layer of the LLA. The mineral spirits should clean that out.


Don

[williamwaco]

I have sized about 20,000 .360 bullets from various molds through my Lee .357 sizing die. I have no leading and have seen no chenge in the diameter of sized bullets.

You can see the actual diameter of bullets sized with my Lee dies here:

http://www.reloadingtips.com/reviews/lee_bullet_sizer.htm

[1bluehorse]

I would tend to agree with the LLA buildup in the die. I see you're lubing the bullets before sizing as in the instructions, so, you may be using to much LLA and/or not allowing enough time for the LLA to dry before sizing. There's a lot of information on "thinning" LLA,.. AND... making your own tumble lube in previous posts. Also, nothing wrong with Lee equipment, probably more folks use it for casting than any other brand.

[runfiverun]

see if you can detect a pattern.
if the die heats up or something.
do 75 and stop clean up the boolits,take a break, then size a few more and measure them.
and look over the die.
try pushing a non lubed one through and measure it, look and see if it gathers a bunch of lube on the front driving band,or if it shows tearing.
you might need to polish the die or rethink the lube.

[Y2K]

I have had good runs by lubing with Dillon Case lube (spritz bottle) before running the bullits thru the Lee dies--then lube with LLA, thinned with mineral spirits.

[Larry Gibson]

I suggest, in conjunction with the other suggestions, you clean the sizer die thoroughly. Then do not over lube the bullets. Then push the bullets through the sizer base first.

Larry Gibson

[popper]

Clean the sizer. Also wash the CB in gas before measuring - clean the mic blades before measuring. Check for roundness of sized bullets. Lead won't wear the sizer, any sizer wear will make the CB's larger not smaller. Any changes in alloy or method during casting session, hardness matters?

[fowl_language]

Thanks folks, I'm going to have to go with the LLA build up suggestion. I tried thinning the LLA to 70% with 30% mineral spirits and the thinner LLA seems to be producing more of a consistant .400 bullet for the 175gr TC and .450 for the 200gr LRN.

I will try to clean the resizers with mineral spirits when I get home and see if it helps remove some of the old LLA that is on the inside. I apologize for not posting pictures I couldn't get a good macro lighting arrangement on the shutter so I gave up.

Thanks to all for the help,

FL

[RydForLyf]

Thanks folks, I'm going to have to go with the LLA build up suggestion. I tried thinning the LLA to 70% with 30% mineral spirits and the thinner LLA seems to be producing more of a consistant .400 bullet for the 175gr TC and .450 for the 200gr LRN.

I will try to clean the resizers with mineral spirits when I get home and see if it helps remove some of the old LLA that is on the inside. I apologize for not posting pictures I couldn't get a good macro lighting arrangement on the shutter so I gave up.

Thanks to all for the help,

FL

I'll second the suggestion to use some case lube on the raw bullets before sizing. I use Hornady One Shot, but there are others like Dillon.

I spritz all of my bullets before running them through the Star sizer and everything works as intended. I have to assume the Lee push-through will give you the same results.

Good luck,

Chuck