A sizing question.

[okietwolf]

If I need a smooth sided cast lead slug that ends up at .446, what is the largest bullet I can start with and use a single push thru sizer...say a Lee?

[Lead pot]

Your better off getting a proper sized mould.
You can't compress lead, all you can do is make it flow in a couple directions pushing it through a die.

[GregLaROCHE]

I always heard you shouldn’t try to down size more than two thousands at a time.

[BrentD]

If I need a smooth sided cast lead slug that ends up at .446, what is the largest bullet I can start with and use a single push thru sizer...say a Lee?

I hate to say it but I have taken a .452" naked bullet and squeezed it down to .448 WITH paper. But I don't recommend it. Make sure the alloy is real soft (40:1) in my case. It works, but...

[Springfield]

I have, on occasion, pushed some .454 pistol bullets through my Star and made some longer .428 bullets. :) But they were very soft for Blackpowder, and they also ended up with a nice fin around the base. If you only needed a dozen or so it would work, be better to get the right mould for any kind of volume.

[Gunlaker]

I wouldn't try too size very much. I have sized bullets from .446" to .444" and even then I do it in two steps using Fred Cornell push through sizer dies.

Sometimes when sizing a bullet before patching it'll feel tighter than usual. When you look at where the sizing marks start on the bullet it'll be apparent that it didn't go through the die perfectly straight. The polishing marks from the die will be ever so slightly higher on one side than the other. I wouldn't have thought it possible with a push through die until I did it.

Now I have bullets in .443", .444", .445", and .446". I only size after patching.

Chris.

[GregLaROCHE]

For me, sizing a boolit is more to be sure it is concentric. Maybe reduce the diameter a little, especially if they are PCed.

[Lead pot]

Even if a bullet eccentric and you run it through a sizing die to make it concentric it will still be out of balance.
Shoot the eccentric bullet as it is. It will be concentric when it leaves the bore. :)

[GregLaROCHE]

Even if a bullet eccentric and you run it through a sizing die to make it concentric it will still be out of balance.
Shoot the eccentric bullet as it is. It will be concentric when it leaves the bore. :)

That’s a good point that I never considered. The boolit is forced to be concentric as it goes through the bore.

[Old Coot]

RCBS makes a mold for the 43 Spanish that drops at .446 with pure lead. It has grease grooves, but I have paperpatched many and shot them in my .451 Whitworth muzzle loader. If it had to be smooth sided to suit you you could always have the grease grooves removed from the mould.

[Randy Bohannon]

I have used ,459 PJ (45001)Creedmoor bullets and in two steps sized them down to .449. 20:1 alloy for my Ped. Gibbs rifle. I do it after lubing,they shoot very good out to 500m. It does leaves a fin on the base that I trim off.

[Ban]

Make a tapered entrance size die. I try not do more than .006 in one pass