Can a Lee 0.510 Sizing Die be opened up to 0.576 ?

[Cane_man]

Wanting to make my own minie ball sizing die... how hard would it be to lap the 0.510 sizer to 0.576 using the "Buckshot" method (sandpaper and a dowel), but do this on a lathe?

[garandsrus]

It would take forever! If you have a lathe, just get a piece of threaded rod and make your own die. Drill, ream, or bore the hole to within a couple thousandths of the finished size and then sand/polish to the final diameter.

[Cane_man]

Ok @garandsrus sounds good!

[DougGuy]

Heh I'd just order a custom from Lee. By the time you sand your way to finished diameter, you will be well into the soft metal underneath the case hardening, and likely not very round. Timewise I couldn't hone that much out of one with the Sunnen hone anywhere near the cost of one from Lee, worth the wait in savings.

[rintinglen]

you are talking over 50/1000ths of an inch. Short answer--no, you can't get there from here without more work and time than it's worth. Buy a custom sizer from Lee and call it good.

[Cane_man]

You are probably right that it would be money saved by just ordering the custom die from Lee.

But I have the tinkerers curse!

I have some 7/8-14 threaded rod, this is the plan I decided on:
-cut off a 2" section with a hacksaw
-wrap threads with 14 gauge soft copper wire to protect the threads
-chuck it in the lathe, clean both ends
-step drill
-final drill will be a commonly available 14.5mm which is 0.5708
-then lap the final 0.005" with sand paper and lapping compound
-I have pin gauges in 0.575 and 0.576 to let me know when I'm there
-I can probably make a punch from a 1/2" or 5/8" bolt

This is part of the fun in this hobby is making stuff... I've made complete sets of swaging dies in 0.223 and 7mm-08, that took some time.

[garandsrus]

Sounds like a plan!

[bedbugbilly]

If you have the time, materials and equipment - you can make one.

Figuring on all of those things though - you can buy one from Dave at Lodgewood MFG - it will come and you can get at sizing so you can be shooting.

I needed a .515 sizing die for my Smith carbine and considered using a Lee 501 sizing die to make it - for the time and effort to take the Lee and transform it - I had the .515 sizing die in my hand from Lodgewood in about a week - during which time, I was able to work on other things that needed doing.

[Cane_man]

I had ordered a sizing die from one of frequently recommended suppliers for minie ball sizers... I placed the order a few weeks ago thinking it would take months, as this supplier is hit or miss on shipping times (said to be a week or six months depending upon what is going on)... wouldn't you know it came in the mail!

I put a 0.576 nogo gauge in it and it fit right in, but it did the same for a 0.577 :confused: and the 0.578 would not fit. Might leave this as my 0.575 sizer and make a 0.576 to my liking.