Consensus Opinion - Size before PC and After or Just After

[Gunslingerdoc]

Im as lazy as the next guy. I'd love to skip a step if possible.

For pistol, most of my molds drop pretty close to as sized diameter so with up until now Ive cast, tumble lubed, loaded and shot them. Obviously, for the loads requiring gas checks, they get sized once or twice (depends on whether Im using the RCBS luber or the lee sizer/tumble lube combo.

My plan with PC'd pistol is only to size after coated for the molds that cast close to size and before and after for the gas-checked stuff.

I gas check all my Rifle loads so will probably do before and after sizing on PC rounds until I can convince myself that PC'ing a non GC bullet for the 30 carbine will work. everything else, I generally push fast enough that I need the GC anyway.

What is the consensus on Pistol boolits that cast close to your sized diameter? size before and after PC or just after.

[dilly]

I only size once unless I have to size while seating a gas check. I use push through sizers.

I size after coating.

[Beagle333]

No problems with sizing after. PC only adds .002" to the diameter but will withstand sizing down .004" or .005" with no problems at all.

[1911KY]

I only size afterwards as well.

[Smoke4320]

30 cal or larger If sizing down .005 or less I size only after coating

if less than 30 cal and sizing down more than .003, I will size down before and after coating

I started doing this after I had a batch of 6.5's look good for about 2 weeks. Then the coating started coming off... Sized Down .006
Same bullet sized down before coating then again afterword ... Coating still strong 6 months later

[Bill in Ky]

I size after.

[marvelshooter]

After coating only. The effort to push the coated boolits through the final size die is the same either way.

[Garyshome]

After coating!

[Beesdad]

After coating..

[bangerjim]

B4 and after. Always have. Always will.

Sizing B4 catches any out-layers and brings them back into spec B4 PC'ing. Only takes a few more minutes!

Gives me much better accuracy & repeatability........in my book anyway.

bangerjim

[StromBusa]

B4 and after. Always have. Always will.

Sizing B4 catches any out-layers and brings them back into spec B4 PC'ing. Only takes a few more minutes!

Gives me much better accuracy & repeatability........in my book anyway.

bangerjim

Bingo... moulds differ, and I'm sure you can get away with only running some once, but I get the best results running them twice.

[popper]

After and your 30 carbine will probably do fine PB PC'd. I'm getting better results for rifle, I think, coating the bands 2x. For HV rifle I'm sizing after coating, then H.T. My Lee sizers are more out of round than the moulds.

[Yodogsandman]

Before and after. I only ESPC rifle boolits for now. I size, heat for an hour @450F, remove and PC, return to the convection toaster oven to cure @400F and quench in ice water immediately to HT at the same time. Then size again and GC as soon as possible after cooling and drying.

[captain-03]

Bingo... moulds differ, and I'm sure you can get away with only running some once, but I get the best results running them twice.

Same here ....

[ipijohn]

B4 and after unless I am trying to increase size. If I am trying to increase size, then I size only after.

[Gunslingerdoc]

Im not sure how to avoid sizing before and after for rifle since I GC all of my rifle boolits. I plan to size/GC then PC. Now for pistol, I can see how its mold/alloy specific. Ive got a few Lee 6 banger tumble lube molds that cast very close to size and are very consistent...Ive found very little difference when sizing at all and they shoot comparable to jacketed loads. Not so with my 45LC molds - sizing is a must. Im sure PC will require sizing everything and that's fine. I shoot a bunch of 9mm, 45acp, 38. When I add kids into the mix we go thru 1500-2000 rounds/month just in pistol shooting so any thing I can do to increase production speed helps. In general, I reload so I can shoot more.

Ill have to compare sizing pistol boolits before and after vs just after and see what works. I did get a few Lee HP molds from Hollowpointmolds.com yesterday but have just cast a about 200 boolits since I wanted to watch the game...should add to the testing mix.

[Jupiter7]

After, always.

[flyingmonkey35]

I size before gives me a opportunity to check em all.

Then PC and size again.

Since then no leading accuracy is up.

Fun is up.

When people ask me what they are I keep one "unloaded" in my kit for show and tell.

[gpidaho]

I generally size after PC for boolits needing to be down sized .003 or less, before and after for anything needing over .003. And yes, PC is my favorite way to "bump up" a boolit, very handy when your mould drops small for what ever reason. GP

[harley45]

I size after.