What sizing dies do you use?

[blasternank]

I'm new to casting. I've been acquiring items over time and am getting ready to jump in. What sizing dies do y'all use? I've only seen Lee sizing dies, what are your thoughts about those? What other ones are out there? Are any available now?

Thanks.

[gpidaho]

blasternank: I like the Lee push through sizers but mostly use the Noe bushings in the adapter for the Lee APP. I have a Saeco lube sizer that is a very good tool but it just sits on the shelf since I powder coat most all my cast bullets these days. Gp

[Old School Big Bore]

I use Lyman (or the RCBS clones) H&I dies and top punches for conventional lube-in-the-grooves sizing in a Lyman #450 lubrisizer, and Lee push-through dies in a compound-linkage "O" press for no-lube, size-only use on powdercoated or plated bullets.
Ed <><

[Conditor22]

I started with the Lee push-through sizer dies But found that in the long run, NOE is cheaper, had more sizes available, had now sizing attachments, and fit in a smaller storage case.

[smithnframe]

I use Lyman, RCBS and Saeco!

[onelight]

Lyman and Lee but will try the NOE sizers after hearing all the good reports on the forum and the availability of more size options.

[GhostHawk]

IF you have a Lyman #450 lubrisizer or similar machine you'll use dies that fit it.

For the rest of us there are Lee push through dies, which do work. My experience with them shows they may tend to size a hair below listed diameter. But that is adjustable with time and the right materials.

I also don't size as often as I used to.

For example a year back I cast and loaded some 250 .430 .44 mag bullets 200 grain. Of those any that would not fit into a lightly flared neck got set aside. I eventually sized perhaps 50 out of the 250. Rest were loaded as cast.

All depends on what you want to do.

[wmitty]

You asked about availability... you can check on: reloading equipment - used on e-bay and find some of the boolit sizers every so often. This is a pretty tough time to be a buyer looking for reloading equipment/dies. You also might post a want to buy a specific item on swappin and sellin on this forum. What are you looking for exactly?

[charlie b]

Never happier than when I switched to a bushing system. I chose NOE since I don't have a Lee APP to take their bushing system. I also powder coat.

[Targa]

I started with the Lee push-through sizer dies But found that in the long run, NOE is cheaper, had more sizes available, had now sizing attachments, and fit in a smaller storage case.

Yes sir, I have a couple of Lee’s and they do what they are suppose to do but the NOE’s do it much more efficiently. Once you buy a kit it is simply a matter of buying a bushing for the caliber you are wanting to size. I also like that I can use the top punch’s that come with MP molds with the NOE sizer for example and size my bullets base first which is nice for gas checked bullets.

[USSR]

Lyman sizers all the way.

Don

[RU shooter]

Started with Lee push through and really they every thing I need them to do so I still use them their cheap and simple to hone out if I need to alter the size slightly to fit my gun .

[Wayne Smith]

There is a difference between simply sizing and lube sizing. Those of us who don't powder coat still lube our bullets, and for that purpose a lube sizer is the best approach. If you are going to powder coat then one of the push through sizers (Lee, NOE) will be your best approach. if you are not going to powder coat you will need some way to lubricate your boolits. A lube sizer is your best approach - the Lyman and RCBS use the same H&I size inserts and are probably the most common. The Saeco and other lube sizers use their own unique size dies. You will need a size die for each size boolit you use, no matter which system you choose.

[Yooper003]

As others have stated ,I have both Lee & NOE. (Both types of Lee). As you are just getting started I would recommend the NOE.as they have the most sizes. I use 2 for each boolit I cast, 1 size smaller then powder coat , then resize .001 larger.

[ioon44]

I use Star type dies and the NOE adapter for the Star with NOE dies.

[AndyC]

1. Star sizer with Star dies/punches.
2. Same Star sizer for some additional calibers using the NOE adapter, NOE bushings and lathesmith's sizing punch - I expect to do all my calibers this way this eventually.
3. Also have a few Lee sizing-dies laying around.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Just a note, My corhort in crime who is just starting into casting for his Trapdoor reports that Lee is moving away from the screw in size dies in favor of size dies with their new bushing system. He ended up buying the press to go along with the standard and custom sizer he wanted.

[mdi]

For my casting style (old and slow) Lee dies have been working for 30+ years. Mainly because I don't own a lubersizer (early in my casting I didn't want to have to get a die and nose punch for every different bullet shape I cast). I have maybe a dozen Lee push through dies, with some "custom" sizes and I pan lube and dip lube my cast bullets. Since I don't ever need 500 sized and lubed bullets right now my methods work quite well...

[StuBach]

As stated above, if your planning to PC than any sizing die to the correct size should work and push through is easiest. If you plan to Traditional lube or just want the ability to traditional lube than a beat up Star sizer is the best bet by my money. I started with a Lyman 45 and a Star both inherited. Tried to make the 45 work cause I had more dies for it, ended up upgrading to 4500, waste of my money. Once I started with the Star and got the dies I needed I never looked back. Lyman now sits gathering dust for if I ever need it again for some specialty application.

As for Dies I have traditional classic Star dies as well as several ones made by forum members Lathesmith and they all work great for either Pc or traditional lube and the push through design makes things move quick.

[tankgunner59]

All of my sizing dies are Lee push through, and they work great for me. I haven't had any problems with any of them. I started out using Lee tumble lube but now I powder coat and the Lee sizing dies work really well.

[JM7.7x58]

My system has evolved into something like this. Most pistol bullets and low node plain base rifle bullets get a coating of the Recluse recipe 45/45/10. These are then run through the old fashioned Lee push through sizers, then get another tumble with 45/45/10. All high velocity rifle and 40 s&w bullets get a gas check installed if applicable, PC applied, and are then sized through old style lee push through sizers.

In answer to the OP’s question. The old style Lee sizing dies work great. They are easy to enlarge with sanding paper. If I was going to replace all of my sizing dies today I would change to one of the bushing systems, either Lee’s new style ones, or the NOE.

Some day I will have a lathe, I will make my own custom sizers at that point.

I bought a Lyman 45, but have yet to use it. I bought it around the time I was getting set up to PC. I can only see using it now with top dies that would nose size certain types of PC coated rifle bullets for auto loaders.

[zymguy]

I started with the Lee push-through sizer dies But found that in the long run, NOE is cheaper, had more sizes available, had now sizing attachments, and fit in a smaller storage case.

I second this , I have a bunch of Lee sizers if I could start over I’d get the noe


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[fredj338]

I have a Star sizer &dies but since powder coating, I have gone with Lee dies. I have polished them though, they can be a bit rough.

[Burnt Fingers]

I use only Hi-Tek or occasionally powder coat.

I traded into a Star. I use the NOE adaptor and bushings.

I'd like to see an adaptor for the Star to use standard top punches so I could more easily seat gas checks on the few bullets I use them on, 300 Blackout and 350 Legend.

[44magLeo]

You don't mention the calbers you shoot or what you shoot them out of.
I have shot cast bullets in straight walled pistol cases by casting, tumble lube then load. No sizing.
If you can cast up a few bullets, then load up a dummy round with an as cast bullet, then see if they chamber ok.
If they do then they will shoot just fine.
If your dummy round won't chamber then you need to do a few things to determine the proper size of the bullet. On revolvers, slugging the chamber mouths and size to that size or .001 over. On pistols or rifles slugging the barrels or makig chamber casts using Cerrosafe or doing pound casts will help detemine the size.
Sizing to .001 or .002 over barrel often works well. Sizing to the throat of the chamber works well too.
So when it comes to sizing you need to let your guns tell you what works.
On the dies I have lee pshthrough dies. Mine are the old style. I find these work very well and can be eay to adjust for larger bullets. I haven't tried Lees new style, the Breech Lock ones that use the inserts. They proably will work just as good but take up less space.
The NOE look interesting, They can size the whole bullet as well as sizing just the nose. This may help fine tune diameters to a better match some rifles. I haven't tried these either.
They have the same space saving that the Lee Breech Lock does.
Leo

[Shopdog]

Lyman "style" made here in our shop.

This may be a touch confusing for someone starting out but,oh well.

There's a big difference in a "through" die and dies designed as "in and out". The former you really don't have any options other than diameter,well you can choose to lube or not on a Star. But basically,you're pushing bullets through and getting "X" for diameter.

An in and out die you have the option of NOT sizing say the body. If it's being pushed down into the die by the nose..... you can stop at any depth you want. For instance,you just want to crimp a GC on but leave the body,as cast. You also,within reason can run different nose,or top punches and do some mild bumping. Would strongly recommend converting the handle to use a torque wrench if you really want to step up your game. Finding the "yield point" isn't fully about the alloy toughness. Yes that's a component,but the shape of the nose plays a vital role as well.

Example; a long'ish 6mm or smaller diameter nose is gonna yield at a different rate,than a .30 or larger,both of the same alloy. You also can "nose size"(down in diameter) with an in and out die.

So there,more things to consider on sizing dies. Good luck with your project.

[Geezer in NH]

I use Lyman, RCBS and Saeco!

Yep same here

[charlie b]

The NOE system also allows an "in and out" process for nose sizing with nose punches. It is a separate step from 'body' sizing. You can get a size bushing that will crimp the GC without sizing the bullet. Just measure the bullet and buy appropriate size body die. You can use a nose punch with the ram adaptor and size base first if you desire. With a flat punch in one side and nose punch on the other you can 'bump' bullets with them.

A very flexible system if you don't want to apply lube.

[kevin c]

Lee push through.

I polished them up on purchase (I think I read that recommendation here), and that's all I've done to them. They have worked well for me and I see no reason to change. I really don't cast but one boolit and size to one diameter after HiTek coating, so the APP stays set up the same way all the time; that makes the hassle of a screw in die minimal for me.

[robg]

i only size gas checked boolits with lee push through sizers.plain base i shoot as cast.i tumble lube all my boolits.