Lee Sizing Die for NOE .452 Mould

[Lonely Raven]

So I'm finally getting around to casting, lubing, and sizing some .45 ACP projectiles from my NOE .452 HP mould (I love this mould!)

I have a couple questions.

First, I'm pan lubing these; do I lube before sizing, or after? Some of the local old timers I've asked have been giving me mixed answers. Some say lube before running it through the sizer otherwise it gets stuck, and others say size then lube otherwise you gum up your sizing die. So which is it? I'm using a 50/50 wax I picked up here in the forums if it matters.

Second, and most importantly. I went to use the Lee sizing die I picked up a long time ago, went to push the first couple bullets through and they simply popped right out the other side. Close inspection shows I somehow got a .454 sizing die! I can't imagine why I would have bought a .454 and not a .452 or .451, so I'm guessing whatever shop I got these from accidentally sent me the wrong one and I just never noticed. So my question, should I be looking to replace this with a .451 or .452 sizing die? I tried slugging my barrel with one of the bullets I cast, and the measurements aren't very clear. The pistol I'm making these for is a Springfield XDm .45 Competition.

Anyone need a .454 sizer and wanna give up a .451 or .452? LOL

I appreciate your guidance. I was all excited to start loading my first cast bullets this weekend, and it looks like I'm stuck till I get the right sizer!

[runfiverun]

lube then size.
452.

[williamwaco]

Speaking of Lee push through sizer dies.

Size then Lube.

You can lube first. It doesn't hurt anything but if you do, you must lube again after sizing.

Occasionally you might stick a bullet. If you do it will be because the mold was not completely closed and the bullet was too large.
I knock them out with a quarter inch brass rod about 6" long. Note: Knock them back out the bottom. Do not try to push them on through.
Some people size with case lube or something like a light spray of WD-40 before sizing. It works well but seems like unnecessary to me.



See this:

http://reloadingtips.com/pages/missing_tumble_lube_grooves.htm

It is not the same symptom but it is the same cause.



Obviously with conventional sizers you cannot lube before sizing.

[Lonely Raven]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm trying to track down a .452 then. They seem to be sold out everywhere, as most everything else is these days.

I'll size then lube, which I'm gathering is the correct way of doing this judging from WW's post. Thanks for your help!

[RobS]

Size, lube etc. Also try the boolits at .454 or .453 as they may cycle and work just fine with no ill effects.

[Dale53]

Lonely Raven;
Some have made the error of assuming you are talking about using Lee's tumble lube. When using tumble lube, you lube, then size, then lube again.

If you are pan lubing, the correct procedure is to lube first (this fills the lube groove(s), the use the Lee push through sizer. The reason you lube first is to avoid leading up the sizer (which leads to all sorts of problems).

I have both a Star lube/sizer and an RCBS lube/sizer. However, when I shot Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Silhouette, I preferred to pan lube then size on the Lee Push Through sizer (it avoided bending the soft bullets that sometimes happens with conventional sizers).

Pan lubing does a nice job in conjunction with the Lee push through sizer. Your choice of lube is important as not all lubes pan size well. My choice for both black powder and smokeless powder is Emmert's home mix lube. Use a double boiler and use 50% pure natural beeswax, 40% Crisco, and 10% Canola Oil. I later modified this to a better lube by replacing the Canola Oil with Anhydrous Lanolin.

FWIW
Dale53

[ipijohn]

If you have the NOE 452 HP mold from late last years GB then I have the same mold. I have found that they slip right through my 452 Lee sizer without changing size. You might want to try them unsized and see if they will chamber in your gun.

[Lonely Raven]

Thanks Dale, yes, pan lube. I forgot the brand of wax I'm using, but they call it a 50/50 wax and said it was popular with many of the .45 ACP steel competitors. It's kinda gummy, but gets in the lube-grooves well and sticks.

Here is my first batch I casted. 62958