Lee Sizer causing lead skirt

[FlyfishermanMike]

I'm playing around with a harder alloy and when sizing these 45 acp boolits I'm getting some lead streaking or skirting around the base. I'm only sizing down .002". I polished the inside of the die and that's helped a little. I haven't seen this with my softer alloy. Would a tighter fitting sizing ram fix this? Maybe this is a good excuse to get the NOE push through sizer? Thanks! https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170920/7066ebfb6ad548c64f06ca302637b07a.jpg

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[Rcmaveric]

Never had that problem. I am currious to see others responses. I size down more than .002 on my riffle bullets for paper patching on soft and hard leads. Never seen that.

[DerekP Houston]

I had that happen on my 434 rounds for 44 magnum trying to size to 429, the excess lead was squeezed down and formed a skirt. What size are your bullets as cast?

[Grmps]

Mike, I have a few questions that might help us figure things out.
what size do the boolits drop out of the mold @
what size do the boolits drop out of the die @
what size is the ram?
How hard is the alloy?
I've tried 17BHN on 45 acp (wich is twice as hard as needed for good accuracy) and didn't get the flashing.

[clum553946]

Looks like a coated bullet, have you tried coating it then sizing?

[Dusty Bannister]

What lube are you using?

[PBaholic]

I'm playing around with a harder alloy and when sizing these 45 acp boolits I'm getting some lead streaking or skirting around the base.

Yah, too hard of an alloy also means it doesn't shrink as much when it's molded. I suspect softer alloys flow better when compressed. This means rather than scrapping off when you size, it just squeezes together and lengthens the boolit more.

You might also notice they are light in weight.

.45's don't need a very hard boolit.

[Bzcraig]

I have gotten this when sizing boolits without any kind of lube. I PC so usually size before coating and again after. Am going to try coating as cast then sizing tomorrow to see how it works out. I get it using Lee and NOE sizers.

[edctexas]

I have never sized boolits without lube grooves. The lead alloy is displaced during sizing and if you had lube grooves you shouldn't have the fins on the bottom.

Ed C

[FlyfishermanMike]

I usually don't size before powder coating. I thought with a harder alloy I'd try it before. I'll coat then see what happens.

Out of the mold - .454"
Out of die - .452"
Ram - .449"
Alloy - 15 BHN


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[country gent]

You might try a bigger ram but the .003 clearance shouldn't be the problem I would check the ram for a flat square surface, not a dome shape face as this will allow for the edge to have an opening to push into. Another cause may be a bevel on the rams face edge not fully supporting the edge. If possible ink the face with layout blue and set up in a lathe and take light facing passes to just clean up the face and exisiting radious. then very lightly with a stone break the sharp edge. I cant see the .003 allowing lead to flow like this but can see a bevel unflat face or heavy radius causing this.

[FlyfishermanMike]

Giving them a little spritz with some iso alcohol made a huge difference!

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[Handloader109]

It ain't the die causing the problem. Put some lube on them or size after coating.

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[bedbugbilly]

I have that issue with one of my molds for my 8mm - in fact, it's one of Al's molds (NOE) but it isn't any fault of the mold. I have to size them down enough so they fit the throat in my 8mm and I get a small skirt like that. If you order a sizer from NOE - add on one of their hand held tools for removing flash like that. You stick the base in and give it a quick turn by hand and it basically puts a very minor chamfer on the edge of the base removing the flash. Works well for me.

In my case, I'm using a Lee push through sizer and I tumble lube them in paste wax prior to putting them through the sizer - still get the flash. The mold I have is for .325 and it sometimes throws a tad bit over that and I have to size them to .323 os I'm sizing at least .002 and at times, probably .003 smaller. I've tried different types of lube, etc. but still get it -NOE's hand held tool cleans it up just fine.

[runfiverun]

.003 is a mile when your squeezing lead.

try core seating into a jacket with .003 clearance.
you won't need the ejector.
but you'll have nicks in the jacket from pulling it off the stem.

[reddog81]

When sizing the lead has to go somewhere. One of the draw backs of non-lube groove bullets is that all the material flows to the base of the bullet rather than a little un-noticeable amount at each section.

Are you sure you're only sizing down .002? I've never seen that much of a skirt from .002. Does every bullet exhibit the same skirt? Occasionally i'll get a wide bullet that requires extra force to make it through the sizing die. I assume I didn't have the mold fully closed and toss the resulting skirted bullet into the recycle bin.

[Digital Dan]

Try sizing base first with a lube. Roll them on a case lube pad and go.

[Bzcraig]

Try sizing base first with a lube. Roll them on a case lube pad and go.


Can't lube if you powder coat.

[OS OK]

Softer Pb than Lyman No. 2 will not cast as large as the hard Pb you used there.
Limit your sizing in steps and don't exceed .002" in a whack.

Study this chart...


204463

[Geezer in NH]

Can't lube if you powder coat.

Can if you clean them after, does add another step.

[CASTER OF LEAD]

Any boolit I have to size prior to PC, I give a bath in acetone ,or if I am using a water soluble lube just a warm soapy bath then dry overnight and they ready for the PC process. Never have had any issues with my coatings. However I am interested in why your getting the skirting. Will be watching this thread. Never hurts to learn about something you may run into in the future.- CASTER

[Bama]

A closer or tighter fitting ram will help the problem-- also look at bullet alignment. I had to make a new ram and lap the die to eliminate the skirt. Alloy hardness and adding copper also effect the tendency to make a skirt. Don't give up. The make a single cut file for use on lead which removes skirt in one swipe.