Something else I guess I don't know. (Bullet sizing)

[BBQJOE]

My Lee .357 die produces a .355 bullet, my .429 produces a a .427.
Is this the standard??? 2000ths under?

[leadman]

The type of alloy greatly effects the finished size of the boolit. A soft alloy will have less springback and a hard alloy more springback. .002" is more than I normally see though so you may want to check your caliper or micrometer against another.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Check you Mic...I assume you are using a 1" micrometer ???
If you don't have a "standard" to do that, you can use a few factory J-words.
that will be close enough for boolit making, IMHO.
Good Luck,
Jon

[BBQJOE]

I'm using a frankford digital. I'm not certain where I can get a perfect measurement to check it against. A factory .22 bullet measures .222.

Also a fresh ww boolit from a lee 124 tc mold measures an avg of 355.5-356

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

A venier caliper ? or a Micrometer ?

If the factory 22 j-word is suppose to be .224 and you are measuring .222, then it looks like you measuring tool is .002 off
Jon

[BBQJOE]

A venier caliper ? or a Micrometer ?

If the factory 22 j-word is suppose to be .224 and you are measuring .222, then it looks like you measuring tool is .002 off
Jon
Well, that's just #%#@@**& great!
It could explain a lot.

[montana_charlie]

Can that digital caliper be 'zeroed'?
After zeroing it, check that .22 caliber bullet again.

CM

[mdi]

Besides you're using a caliper to measure bullets (micrometer is much better) the alloy has a lot to do with finished bullet size. Example; a Lyman 356242 9mm mold will drop bullets at 96 grains and.3558" when cast of pure lead. But, with wheel weight alloy, 95 gr. and .3564" and 92 gr. and .3570 with #2 alloy. The 429421 results are a bit more dramatic; .4296" pure lead, to .4310" with #2.

BTW; found this info in my handy-dandy Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook!

[trixter]

Sounds like a trip to the tool store. I always like trips to the tool store, my wallet doesn't think too highly of them though.

[Kent Fowler]

A good used model 436 Starrett 0 to 1 inch micrometer can be bought pretty reasonably on Ebay. Always seems to be a number of them for sale.

[BubbaJon]

You cannot measure accurately with a caliper for several reasons.
I tried my spanky new digital and nothing's changed. ;)
Use a micrometer.

[DrCaveman]

Agree about using a micrometer. I finally accepted reality a few weeks ago, bought one, and it has changed my world. $25 at a pawn shop. Surely there are way higher quality options but hell I spent $30 on my calipers and the difference in repeatability is amazing. Micrometers are great

Another thing I underestimated the importance of was alloy temp. I finally got a lead thermometer, learned I was running about 200 degrees hotter than most people, and dropping down to the 650-700 range bought me as much as 0.002" increased diameter

Since I double beagled a lee 309 mold and reduced alloy temp, it's been dropping at .316-317! Yeah too big I almost broke my bench trying to size them

[Bwana]

You cannot measure accurately with a caliper for several reasons.
I tried my spanky new digital and nothing's changed. ;)
Use a micrometer.

It is more about the person using the tool than the tool itself. My 40 year old caliper is accurate to .00025" (confirmed with micrometer). But then, I've been using it for 40 years.

[BBQJOE]

Ok, I can see a micrometer, for some stuff, NP.
How can you get a proper measurement after slugging using one?
Which brings me to my next dilemma. I slugged a bore. (never done it before)
My barrel has 5 groves. It's impossible to get a measurement across the slug groove to groove. How does one do that?

[mpmarty]

Calipers for measuring OAL and Micrometers for diameter measurements.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I slugged a bore. (never done it before)
My barrel has 5 groves. It's impossible to get a measurement across the slug groove to groove. How does one do that?

Not impossible, you can buy a special angle block guage...Not sure exactly what it's called...OR you can use a redneck trick...
wrap a strip of Popcan aluminum, snuggly around the slug, not too tight and do not overlap. then measure. then subtract 2 times the thickness of the aluminum strip...most Popcan aluminum measures .004
Good Luck,
Jon

[MtGun44]

Enco Tools sells a pretty decent Fowler brand .0001 micrometer for usually
under $40. Calipers are +/- .001 and can be easily in error .002, as you have
discovered.

Bill

[montana_charlie]

It is more about the person using the tool than the tool itself. My 40 year old caliper is accurate to .00025" (confirmed with micrometer). But then, I've been using it for 40 years.
I agree.
I bought a micrometer for it's increased precision, and found that it merely verifies what my caliper has been telling me.

CM

[sergeant69]

just as a point of reference, Sinclair sells an rcbs elec. outside micrometer for $54, a starrett for $180. for the purpose of measuring the dia. of a cast bullet, would the starrett be THAT much more accurate, or just a better made tool.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Another possible way to check on whether your micrometer is honest is to use feeler gauges that are marked with thickness on them. A good set of those should when one of them is selected show the same thickness on the micrometer window. I have been using the micrometer sold by Harbor Freight for several years now. It does a good job for a reasonable price. I keep it cased, but do remove the battery when not using the unit for long periods; so there is no chance that the pressure of the case-top can push the "on" button and kill the battery. A pack of 3 batteries in Walmart is about $7.-. LLS

[GaryN]

It is more about the person using the tool than the tool itself. My 40 year old caliper is accurate to .00025" (confirmed with micrometer). But then, I've been using it for 40 years.


Um, dang Bwana if I had a caliper that measures to the one hundred thousandth of an inch I would hang on to that one.:kidding:

[mdi]

Actually, not much wrong with calipers (dial calipers. I don't trust some random numbers popping up in a display). 99% of new users don't have the "feel" to get accurate measurements. Having measured metal parts and such for nearly 40 years, I can use a caliper almost as well as my mics. New casters rarely can so most posters suggest 1" micrometers. I do...

[Char-Gar]

When I read the OP, it screamed measurement error. While there may be some difference in spring back of lead, it won't be anywhere near .002".

Next to your press, dies, scale and power measure a high quality micrometer is you best reloading dollar use. I am still using the same Starrett I bought used in 1959.

I have had several sets of calipers and do not trust them for critical measurements. I have never owned cheap calipers and the ones I have today cost over $200 and still I won't trust them for critical mesurments. For handloading I reserve them to measure over all case length. There a couple of thou each way isn't going to get you into trouble.

Bottom line is a good quality 1" micrometer is essential for precision reloading. Good ones are not cheap, but they will last a lifetime if now abused.

[Mal Paso]

My everyday bench tools include a Harbor Freight Dial Caliper and a HF Standard Micrometer. I just checked them Closed, against my 1 inch Standard, and against several Pin Gauges and all the measurements were closer than.0001. (.0508 was 2/10 under the .051 mark.) A little oil on the anvil is more than that. Electronic tools are what they push but I don't think they are near as good.

Buy the best you can afford but the Old School Harbor Freight tools aren't bad.

[Bwana]

Um, dang Bwana if I had a caliper that measures to the one hundred thousandth of an inch I would hang on to that one.:kidding:

.00025" is one quarter of 1/1000th of an inch. Its not the tool, it the person using the tool.

[white eagle]

You cannot measure accurately with a caliper for several reasons.
I tried my spanky new digital and nothing's changed. ;)
Use a micrometer.
while I agree a mike is a better instrument a GOOD caliper is worth its weight
now good calipers aren't the ones you buy at the hardware store
get some gauge blocks or check them against your pin gauges
Think your scale reads the correct weight??

[mdi]

FWIW; I worked as a machinist in a "precision" shop, many jobs requiring +- .0001". Most of the machinists in the shop had a good dial caliper, but 99% of the time they, the calipers, stayed in the toolbox...

[HangFireW8]

.00025" is one quarter of 1/1000th of an inch. Its not the tool, it the person using the tool.

I would give it up, Bwana. These folks have read it in a book somewhere, so it must be true. Personal skill, calibration, etc. doesn't matter, because everyone knows a caliper can't be that accurate! ;)

[Mal Paso]

while I agree a mike is a better instrument a GOOD caliper is worth its weight
now good calipers aren't the ones you buy at the hardware store
get some gauge blocks or check them against your pin gauges
Think your scale reads the correct weight??

Yep! Got check weights too! Pick em up with tweezers because skin oil will change the weight.