Tip on Sizing

[DHC]

Something I learned recently that may be of value to others. I recently cast up a bunch of heavy-weight 45 cal bullets - water-quenched, and then let them sit around for a while before running them through the Star lube-sizer. Ran only a few before I managed to bend the shovel handle on the Star. I contacted Lathesmith from this board and asked him to make me up one of his Roller-style 'L' handles which just came in. He suggested I be sure to lube the bullets before sizing to save possible damage to the Star sizer - which got me thinking about what lube to use. In the past I have simply run a lubed bullet back through the sizer about every 10th bullet and that seems to do the trick, but I decided to try something a little different this time. I settled on trying some case lube - was thinking of just handling a few bullets with some Imperial sizing wax, but instead decided to try some Hornady One-Shot. I'd tried One-Shot for lubing bottleneck brass cases before sizing and have been unimpressed with its performance, but for these purposes, it worked terrific. One quick 'spritz' onto a group of a few hundred bullets prior to running them through the Star sizer made a world of difference. They flew through the sizer with far less resistance than the unlubed bullets.

Sooooo . . . lessons learned:

1. Water-quenched large caliber bullets can be HARD to size. . . . REALLY hard.
2. Lathesmith's Roller 'L' handle is the BOMB for the Star sizer. I particularly like the fact it allows you to run the sizer with Star's air tube installed and not bump into the air tube at the top of the stroke.
3. A quick shot of a case lube like Hornady One-Shot onto the hardened bullets saves a TON of wear and tear on equipment and shoulder alike. And BTW - the Hornady One-Shot is not supposed to foul powder, so it should have no effect when left on the bullet.

Offered FWIW.

[Tatume]

If you size your bullets the same day as you cast them they will be much softer.

[DHC]

If you size your bullets the same day as you cast them they will be much softer.

Yes - I agree. My normal 'procedure' is to cast and size the same day. More recently, though, I wanted to stock up on a bunch of bullets, so when I found a good pace/rhythm, I just kept at it leaving not enough time to do any sizing. Coming back to the H2O-quenched bullets some days later, their BHN ratings (measured on a Cabine Tree tester) had climbed to more than 24 and they were noticeably harder to run through the sizer.

I figured I am not the only one who may do this, so I thought what I learned might be useful to others.

IHTH

[gandydancer]

Lube you boolits before you size and lube your bullets? in a star sizer?been using a star for over 40 yrs never had a lick of trouble with sizing and lubing. seems like a extra operation to me. gd :killingpc

[DHC]

Lube you boolits before you size and lube your bullets? in a star sizer?been using a star for over 40 yrs never had a lick of trouble with sizing and lubing. seems like a extra operation to me. gd :killingpc

Up till the time I left these bullets to harden, I'd not had any problems either. Running them through the sizer and bending the handle gave me a different perspective. For me, the "extra operation" turns out to be a time-saver.

YMMV

[blikseme300]

I also lube boolits before sizing through a Star as it does decrease the effort needed. Takes almost no additional time to do and is worth it. I simply spray a mist of lanolin/alcohol over them and then size. Yes, water dropped boolits can be significantly harder and will take more effort to size if they are not sized soon after casting. With softer alloy boolits that are air cooled I don't lube as they pass through the Star with little effort.

[zuke]

I use Dawn dishwashing soap as a lube

[hickfu]

Yup, I earned early to size the same day as cast but in case I dont have time Dawn is easy to use and wash off afterwards. If I forget to size the same day I will run them through a Lee sizer before a lube/sizer

[Yodogsandman]

Been there, broke my table this summer after waiting 4 days after HT'ing to size. Got the boolit stuck in the LAM II and used a pipe for leverage. Lesson learned...good tip!

[dubber123]

It has also been reported that waiting and sizing water quenched boolits may swage off the surface hardening on the bands. I can't recall if I ever tested this with my hardness tester or not, but it sounds plausible.

I busted the junk cast handle off my brand new Lyman 450 sizing some .476" boolits I had cast and quenched in preparation for my sizing die to come in.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I use OneShot Lube on my rifle bullets that need a GC before pan lubing. Works good, dries clean and it won't fowl your powder.