Lee sizer punches too small

[PodPeople]

Lee's sizer punches for their .356, .357, and .358 resizing dies all have a diameter of .353. I find that if I have an oversize 38 special boolit the punch diameter is too narrow and the boolit gets swaged when pushed through the die resulting in extended flashing around the boolit base. Does anyone make replacement punches with larger diameters?

[detox]

Try sizing the bullet base first.

[mdi]

I believe something else is going on here. I have Lee sizer dies for my .38/357 in 3 different diameters, and 3 diameters for my .44s. I use the smallest one of the three for sizing (my .44 dies use the .429 die pin, and my .38s/9mm use the pin for the .356 die). I haven't had any "flashing" or excessive "lead flow" on any of my bullets with any alloys (9-10 BHN to linotype)...

How much are you sizing down? Are you using anything to lube the bullets for sizing?

[bedbugbilly]

I have all three of those Lee sizers - .356, .357 & .358. I cast a variety of profiles - WC, SWC, and several RN. I've never had a problem with what you are talking about. Before sizing, I tumble lube in paste wax - once dried/cooled I put them through nose first. Put a handful in a tupperware bowl - heat up with a hair dryer - throw in a "dollop" of paste wax and melt it with the hair dryer then swirl and cover slugs with a coating of it.

How much oversize are the slugs you're sizing? Are you lubing them first in some manner? How hard or soft is you casting alloy? If you're not lubing - try it and see what your results are.

I cast all of mine out of "range lead' - I'm not sure of the hardness but have purchased a number of lots of it from members here. It goes through just fine. After I size mine - I tumble lube again in paste wax and a lox - TL grooves or conventional grooves - never a problem with leading in my 9mm or 38 specials.

[detox]

Casting fins on base of bullet will cause extended flash on base of bullet after sizing. Your sprue plate may be too loose or bad fit causing fins on base. Try adjusting sprue plate a little tighter or cast cooler by going slower or turning pot temp down.

[PodPeople]

Try sizing the bullet base first.

I did that and it does keep the bases flat. However, the boolits end up looking a lot like wadcutters. I'll try shooting them this way anyway. It sure beats remelting and recasting.

[PodPeople]

I have Lee sizer dies for my .38/357 in 3 different diameters...

How much are you sizing down? Are you using anything to lube the bullets for sizing?

Lee's web site shows that the punch for their .358 sizing die has a diameter of .353. Where did you get two other sizes, and what are their diameters? The boolits I have a problem with are from the Lee 358-125-RF mold. This was my first six cavity mold and I made the newby mistake of grasping the sprue lever handle along with the mold handles when casting. This pried the mold blocks apart resulting in out of round boolits measuring up to .362 in diameter. I have not been using any lube before sizing because I powder coat and lube would prevent the powder from sticking.

[PodPeople]

Casting fins on base of bullet will cause extended flash on base of bullet after sizing. Your sprue plate may be too loose or bad fit causing fins on base. Try adjusting sprue plate a little tighter or cast cooler by going slower or turning pot temp down.

There weren't any fins on the cast boolits before sizing, only after sizing.

[detox]

You need to practice making perfect bullets before sizing. Some moulds are incapable of doing this

[Handloader109]

I've a. 356 and. 358 usually use the 356 and I have seen a bit of this on a few of my extra extra large boolits. Minimal number and I just ignore.. But I just plink

[zuke]

Did you flare the case mouth's?

[joesig]

What is the hardness of your alloy? It sounds really soft.

Try polishing the inside of the die with some 400 and 600 grit paper. You don't really want to open it up, just make the inside as smooth as possible. That will reduce the effort to size and the swaging effect.

[PodPeople]

Did you flare the case mouth's?
Yes, I use a Lyman M die.

[PodPeople]

What is the hardness of your alloy? It sounds really soft.

Try polishing the inside of the die with some 400 and 600 grit paper. You don't really want to open it up, just make the inside as smooth as possible. That will reduce the effort to size and the swaging effect.
My alloy is 92% lead, 6% antimony and 2% tin and the Brinell Hardness Number is 18. I buy ingots from Texas Lead Company in Houston. Thanks for the grit paper suggestion -- I'll try it.

[petroid]

I get the same problem on some 40 cal boolits that drop about .404 from the mold. If you are going to tumble lube them do or before sizing and they will go right through. I powder coat mine so I give them a few drops of mineral spirits and swirl around before sizing. Makes them go through easy and dries quickly without leaving a residue

[mdi]

Did you flare the case mouth's?
???:-)

[mdi]

I'd look for other causes. I use the same bullet, Lee 125 gr. RFN, for my 9mm, sized to .357" my .38s, sized to .358", and my .357 Mag., sized .358"+ with no "flash". I cast many from range lead, and some from a softer alloy; 50-50 range lead stick on wheel weights. I use Lee push through sizing dies in 4 calibers with a total of 6 different dies. Sometines I'll squirt some of my case lube (boot dressing/alcohol) on the bullets to be sized and sometime I'll run them through dry. No problems

FWIW the only time I had any flash was when I was sizing a .323" bullet down to .318" in one pass, but that was minimal...

[blikseme300]

What is the hardness of your alloy? It sounds really soft.

Try polishing the inside of the die with some 400 and 600 grit paper. You don't really want to open it up, just make the inside as smooth as possible. That will reduce the effort to size and the swaging effect.

The Lee push through dies are often too rough and need smoothing & polishing to work right. I have needed to do this on a number of dies or they would rip the aluminum GC's when pushed through. To ease the sizing I spray a light mist of case lube made up of lanolin & alcohol on the boolits prior to sizing.

[hendere]

I have not been using any lube before sizing because I powder coat and lube would prevent the powder from sticking.

I don't know anything about powder coating so I should probably keep quiet, but the only time I had any problems with the Lee sizers was when I tried to size without lubing the bullets with something first. I can't remember why I tried this but I did. Are powder coaters getting decent results with the Lee sizers without using lube?

[Silverboolit]

What size are you sizing to? .356? Your bullets are too big at .360 ish. I do PC and do not size until I have the bullets PC'd.