Why no .312 or .313 lee sizing dies ?

[Wolfdog91]

Curious as to why isn't there any sizing dies for a .312 or .313 dia bullet sizing dies from Lee ? I checked and all I saw where .311 and jumped right to .314.
Just curious.

[RyanJames170]

No idea, i wish they had more .312 bullet molds myself.

[Paul D. Heppner]

A Lee .311 die, a 1/4 inch wood dowel or brass rod, some 400 grit wet/dry paper, some Rem oil, a variable speed drill, and hone away. It's easy and doesn't take very long. Go easy and check often. Hone a little, clean, and size a couple to measure. Repeat as needed. Don't be in a hurry and creep up on your target diameter.

[swheeler]

Because they have never shot a 30-40 Krag!

[dg31872]

I always wondered why there is no .310 sizing die?

[1hole]

Curious as to why isn't there any sizing dies for a .312 or .313 dia bullet sizing dies from Lee ? I checked and all I saw where .311 and jumped right to .314.
Just curious.

They haven't told me a thing about it but I suspect there is too little demand. Sorta like why there are no .243 molds.

[GhostHawk]

Paul Nailed it.

I reamed my .311 out to .3125 and found nirvana. Mostly use the .314 for most things.

I would like a .310 for the Dirty thirty, standard US .309 30 cals.

But for Mosin's it is hard to beat the .314 IMO. Some of the SMLE's are just as big.

Tip, set your gas check on the shank with a steel plate and a rubber mallet.
You can "Bump" those bullets up a few thousandths, then size them down again.

I should probably buy a second .311 die and just save the polished out one for the SKS. Label it accordingly.

[GhostHawk]

They haven't told me a thing about it but I suspect there is too little demand. Sorta like why there are no .243 molds.

.243 likes to run FAST and with high rotation. Fast enough and with enough rotation that even 1 or 2 grains more of 3031 can cause 1-3 bullets out of 10 not to make it to target. Gray puff in the air, destroyed in route.

I suspect if you brought a .243 down to some 1600 fps with a 120 gr cast boolit it would shoot very well. But that is not really what .243's do is it?
3500 fps and inches of drop to 300 or 400 + yards is what made me love mine. Aim at the top of the head at a crow waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out there, wait for the wind, touch it off, surprised crow. Nothing big enough to carry home.

[sghart3578]

I have honed out a few of my Lee sizing dies and it is easy. Just be patient.

Lee will also make you a custom sized die.

[rintinglen]

Back before life caught up to him, Ranch Dog used to sell special order molds and sizers, made by Lee. i bought a .313 and several molds from him and regret his circumstances changing so that he could no longer offer those useful products. His molds are, for the most part, available from NOE, but the specialty sizers seem to be gone.

[Solothurn]

I special ordered a .313 sizer from Lee around 3 or 4 years ago. It actually sizes .3135. Wasn’t enough smaller than my .314 sized to work for my application.

[gpidaho]

Curious as to why isn't there any sizing dies for a .312 or .313 dia bullet sizing dies from Lee ? I checked and all I saw where .311 and jumped right to .314.
Just curious. This is a big reason to switch to the Noe bushing sizing system. Gp

[Conditor22]

NOE has sizing bushing sizes /308 ---.316

I wouldn't use a drill to enlarge a Lee sizing die, I think it would be harder to keep the inside round.
I wrap wet/dry sandpaper around a round dowel or rod, slide it through the die then roll the die on my thigh.
Check the size often by installing in you press and running a boolit through it.
When you get close to the right size switch to finer sandpaper until you get to the desired diameter.
I like to Finnish by polishing the entrance with a felt dauber, some fine polishing compound and a Dremel

[RyanJames170]

Not a bad idea, I may have to try this on a .308 and .323 sizing die to open then up.

[Minerat]

Lee doesn't but NOE does.

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/sizing-tools/bushings/30cal-bushings

[Conditor22]

you need a Push Through Size Die Body $39.95
https://noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/sizing-tools/bushing-push-through-size-die/push-through-size-die-body

to use the NOE Bushings ($9.75 ea) and can use the LEE push rod for the caliber or buy an NOE push rod ($7.50 ea only need 1 per caliber)

[ the Lee red plastic catch tub fits on the NOE system.

[gpidaho]

I load for several 30,31 and 32 calibers and The Noe system makes sense too me. of the .308 to .316 bushings only the .308 and the .315 are not in my accumulation. Gp

[Conditor22]

the NOE bushing also take up much less space :)

[Outpost75]

I have had DougGuy hone several Lee dies up for me to match cylinders which he was honing for me, at the same time, so that I could accurately size boolits to fit the newly honed cylinder(s). He doesn't "advertise" this service, but will quote for it if asked.

Cost varies depending upon how much the donor die must be opened, how hard it is and how many stones it eats up~!

To me it was worth every penny, because I had multiple .45 AR, .455 and .45 Colt revolvers having large .4555-.4560 cylinder throats which really needed true .455+ bullets to fit and he was able to take my Lee .454 push-through and tweak it to produce exact .4555" round boolits!!!!~

My 1914 New Service .455 Eley now shoots like a rifle, as does my 1914 Webley MkVI, My 1920 .45 Colt New Service, my 1917 S&W Hand Ejector .45 ACP, and my no-name cobbled up .455 Eley rook rifle.

[DHDeal]

I've opened up just about every Lee die I have. I'd save money and aggravation nowadays, if I'd have just started with the NOE.

[GregLaROCHE]

This is a big reason to switch to the Noe bushing sizing system. Gp

Thumbs up to the NOE system. However, you need to have at least one Lee sizer to get the plastic container for catching the sized boolits. Maybe someone has found another way to catch them. It would be interesting to hear about.

[Minerat]

Mount a press upside down and let gravity do its thing on to a towel in the bottom of a bucket?

[Valley-Shooter]

Thumbs up to the NOE system. However, you need to have at least one Lee sizer to get the plastic container for catching the sized boolits. Maybe someone has found another way to catch them. It would be interesting to hear about.The same red container comes with the bulge buster kit.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[megasupermagnum]

https://leeprecision.com/bullet-szr-punch-.312.html

.312" Lee. They have .313" too. If not, its simply a made to order item. What you are seeing is the standard production sizes.

[charlie b]

https://leeprecision.com/bullet-szr-punch-.312.html

.312" Lee. They have .313" too. If not, its simply a made to order item. What you are seeing is the standard production sizes.

Note the item listed is for the new Lee sizing system that fits the new upside down press.

But, you can get the std push through dies custom made for whatever size you want.

[GregLaROCHE]

Mount a press upside down and let gravity do its thing on to a towel in the bottom of a bucket?

That’s a great idea and an excuse to get a new press!

[gpidaho]

I have the APP press and you can set it up with the old style Lee push through dies or buy the new Lee push through system made for the APP. Noe also sells an adapter made for the APP so you can use your Noe bushings. Gp

[1hole]

.243 likes to run FAST and with high rotation. Fast enough and with enough rotation that even 1 or 2 grains more of 3031 can cause 1-3 bullets out of 10 not to make it to target. Gray puff in the air, destroyed in route.

I suspect if you brought a .243 down to some 1600 fps with a 120 gr cast boolit it would shoot very well. But that is not really what .243's do is it?

???

My post about the lack of some sizer dies and .243 molds was about the lack of a sufficent customer market for those items, not how to load .243.