Max sizing?

[sharps50]

What's the maximum you can size down a boolit? I have a .460 s&w Encore rifle, Lee 325 grain .458 mold and .452 sizing die is that going too far?

[Maven]

It can be done with a Lee Push Through/nose first sizer die, since you'll be using the leverage of your reloading press rather than the comparatively weak linkage of a Lyman or RCBS lube sizer. It's also a [very] good idea to fill all your CB's lube grooves bullet lube (not liquid alox) in order to prevent said grooves from collapsing on themselves. Btw, years ago Buckshot and I, separately, tried "extreme" resizing and found that it worked very well, but required a lot of muscle to accomplish. Lastly, for radical (or extreme) resizing to work optimally, the CB's must be concentrically reduced, hence the Lee die recommendation. Those CB's shot as accurately as those sized minimally, btw.*


*Mine were .325" and were sized to .314" in a Lee die. The lube grooves were first filled with solid lube, e.g., Felix Lube, but they were a lot shallower afterwards.

[Bwana]

If you are going to do this, I have done so, fill the lube grooves as mentioned and push through base first so as to not damage the base of the boolit.

[Jim]

Using a Lee push through, I have sized fully lubed 8MM boolits cast at .324 down to .311 for an Enfield .303. That's just a breath over 10 thou on the radius. I have a friend that shoots a .460 and I have sized down 400 grain .458s for him many times over.

[sharps50]

Thanks for the help guys. Any recommendations on lube for pan lubing?

[williamwaco]

I have sized many .38 bullets from as cast .361 -.362 down to .357.
That is onlt .005, - not quite as much as you contemplate but I would certainly try it out before I bought another mold.

.

[fredj338]

With the Lee shallow luber grooves, you'll ose a lot of lube space. It is best doen in steps. Get a Lee 0.454"-0.455" & do that first, then go to 0.452". I used to size down the RCBS 300gr to .0452" this way w/ good results.

[MtGun44]

Fill the lube grooves and size away - lube keeps from wiping out the grooves.

Bill