Would you bother sizing these?

[TedH]

So I'm casting bullets for my Sharps. It has a .450" bore, .4575 in the grooves. My new Saeco mold is dropping the bullets a bit egg shaped, which while very common, I don't know the extent of that on accuracy. The bullets measure .459 across the seam line, and .457 on the narrow diameter. The smallest 45-70 sizer I have is a .459, obviously not going to do a thing. I was going to pick up a .458 Lee sizer from Midway, but like a lot of other items, it's out of stock. They seem so shoot quite well with black powder, but wonder if I'm missing some accuracy by not making them "round" before shooting. Would you bother sizing them?

[AkMike]

Side Note: Is that your rifle in your avatar?
I like it!

[Chill Wills]

I would, with out a doubt, pan-lube them and shoot them with out sizing them. The round angled lead into your barrel will size them just enough. Seat them out of the case as far into the rifling as can be easily chambered with your thumb and try it. I'll bet it is not bad at all. Some very out of register moulds have produced match winning accuracy.
That is my 2 cents worth.
BTW-which Saeco 45 bullet design did you get?

[Bad Ass Wallace]

BPCR being the most difficult to reload for simply means you should try it unsized in your rifle an see the result. Custom lathe bored moulds like this 550gn PGT ensure that the mould is round and doesn't have the problems of massed produced ones!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v152/BAWallace/PGTmold-1.jpg

['74 sharps]

Have the 480gr .45 mold, and shoots the same sized or unsized. A soft alloy will bump and correct and size issues. May be important in 1000yds., but probably not much difference on shorter ranges.

[TedH]

Side Note: Is that your rifle in your avatar?
I like it!


It used to be. Couldn't hang on to it during my divorce a couple years ago. Guess I should change my avatar, makes me bummed out to look at it.

I have the 480 gr. mold. I have shot them, and they seem to shoot very well considering the sights I'm using. I will do more accuracy testing once I get a good tang/globe setup on it.

[montana_charlie]

The smallest 45-70 sizer I have is a .459, obviously not going to do a thing. I was going to pick up a .458 Lee sizer from Midway, but like a lot of other items, it's out of stock.When first acquiring tools for reloading 45/90, I bought a Lyman 458 sizing die. When I actually had some bullets to size with it, they came out at .457".

At about that time I decided I wanted to lube, but not size, so I bought a Lyman 459 die. Bullets run through it came out at .458".

I went to a custom die to get the diameter I want, but you should try your 459 die ... and see what it (really) gives you.

CM