Powder coating with Lee boolit sizer

[19Rams]

I usually use an Ideal 45 to size boolits. I'm a relatively new powder coater and will coat before I size. Can I do the same with the Lee sizer? I've not used the Lee sizer before and they seem pretty adamant that the boolits are lubed before sizing otherwise will lead the sizer. What are the experiences of the wise?

[Minerat]

I use my LAM to resize after PC, just back off the lube. Your 45 should work the same. If you size first then you'll have to de-grease the boolits before PCing. Look at the NOE push thru sizers you get a body then add sizing collars.

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/sizing-tools/sizing_kits

[drac0nic]

I've done both resizing pre-lube and post powder coat. Never really bothered me either way. I tend to just size post PC because it's one shot instead of two; never had one seem like it was going to peel or the likes.

[Conditor22]

I size after powdercoating. IF the powder coating peels: 1) there's a sharp edge on the sizer mouth,-- polish/smooth it or 2) you didn't bake you powdercoating long enough and/or at a hot enough temperature, 3) you boolit was not clean so the powdercoating didn't stick properly

[Idz]

When sizing after pc if the boolits begin sticking I will rub a little sizing wax on my fingertip to lube a few boolits.

[bmortell]

It should be straight forward size dry after coating. If they feel rough when sizing dry its probably because the sizer is rough. Lee sizers can usually use a polish. I usually order the size a thousandth under and then polish them up to the exact size i want. Then there the perfect size more round and smooth and pc feels good going through.

Ideally if you have a micrometer slug your gun and the sizer then rig up high grit sandpaper around a rod and smooth the die up till its 1.5 thousandth over or whatever your target goal is. Other wise id probably give it a bit of pollish anyway if your confident you can do it without changing the diameter

[tankgunner59]

I have always used the Lee bullet sizing die's after powder coating with no problems. It works very well after PCing and I do it with all of my cast bullets.

[Kraschenbirn]

As stated in a another recent thread, I've found that electrician's wire-pulling lube a valuable assist in push-thru sizing of PC'd boolits. If you're planning to size two or mre calibers, you should probably take a look at NOE's sizer set-up...more sizes available (usually in .001 increments) and, after the initial investment, much less expensive to add sizing dies or additional calibers.

Bill

[mdi]

I have always used the Lee bullet sizing die's after powder coating with no problems. It works very well after PCing and I do it with all of my cast bullets.

Me too.

I'm the kinda guy that doesn't attack a problem before it appears. I thought about, considered sizing PCed bullets in my Lee sizing dies, so I tried it and closely inspected and measured the sized bullets to see if sizing "dry" PCed bullets was problematic. I even smacked a couple with a hammer to see if sizing would affect the elasticity of the PC. Nope, worked fine, no problems; .357", .432", .452", .308"...

I have about 8 or ten Lee sizing dies. I have honed some for "custom" sizing, but have never had to polish one because it was "rough". All worked quite well right out of the box with no scratched/gouged bullets and no "leading" of the sizer...

[cwlongshot]

Only issues I have ever had sizing PC’d bullets was with a Lyman sizer for the 450 used as a push thru in a die I had made. THAT only occurred if I didn’t lube the first and then occasional bullet WHEN I TRIED TO SIZE more than a few thousandths.

If just .001-.002 no lube was needed and the bullets pushed straight thru.

The problem is surface area. The Lyman sizer is about 1.25” long. It sized over most all of that length.
A NOE sizer is about 1/2” long and sauces with about 3/4 of that length.

A LEE sizer is die length. Maybe 4”. But only sizes with less than 1/8” of surface area.


LEE push thru bullet sizers are a god send to powder coaters and I am NO LEE FAN!!


Mostly now I use my NOE as I leave it set up in my RCBS Summit press. Makes sizing even the longest fattest bullets a breeze. BUT I STILL lube first and occasional bullets. With Imperial sizing wax.

Good luck

CW

[Doubles Shooter]

The Lee push through works great for my PC'd .45's. It's even better when the grandkids are here. They size boolits for me.

[45workhorse]

When sizing after pc if the boolits begin sticking I will rub a little sizing wax on my fingertip to lube a few boolits.

Yep, does the trick. Just a few. You can feel it in the stroke when you, need more or less.

[Rick Hodges]

I use Lee sizers with powder coated bullets. I usually chuck them up in my lathe and polish the ramp, clean an d polish the insides though. I do this with all of them whether using powder coat of lube.

[Dapaki]

Sadly, I have to do a very light spritz of lanolin/alcohol on my PC boolits before using the Lee die, although I am sizing down 0.002 to 0.356". Straight lead boolits, I never lube, they come out too small if I do.