looking for a machinist or gunsmith

[kbstenberg]

I purchased 2 Lyman used bullet sizers. With my luck Both of them sized smaller than the marked size. So I am looking for someone that can enlarge the 2 sizers. They Both sized .002 to .003 undersized. Kevin

[country gent]

You can do it yourself if you want. A wood dowel or brass rod split the end 1" deep with a hacksaw. wrap till snug with sand paper and spin with a drill motor or by hand keep it moving in and out with light oil. I would star with 320 grit and work finer from there. go slow and check often. Check by sizing a bullet and measuring it.

The other is to make a lightly snug wood dowel and a small screw in the end. load this with a grit ( lapping compound) by rolling between 2 flat plates and use it to polish lap the die this works better in a drill press. as the fit lossens give the screw a half turn or so to open the dowel.

Either process will remove any burrs on the inside. but will leave sharp edges.

There is a member here who hones cylinder throats but Im not sure how small his hones go.

[challenger_i]

What CG said.
When you have it working to your standards, you might run a bore mop with some Flitz polish on it to give the die a smooth shine. I used the methos CG stated to open up the lower portion of a Lee 300 BO size die: took more time to make the tool (slotted wood dowel) and thread on the polishing cloth than it did to complete the honing process. Note: a bit of sidewalk chalk on the emery cloth/sandpaper will help keep the polishing media from loading up with material removed from the work piece.

As for honing cylinders, I bet Doug is using adjustable hones.

[M-Tecs]

If they are undersize to what Lyman stamped them Lyman should replace them.

[country gent]

Come on M-tecs you expect someone to fix their mistakes???? :kidding:

[M-Tecs]

Come on M-tecs you expect someone to fix their mistakes???? :kidding:

Yes, and I expect them to pay shipping both ways.

[Kenstone]

Get a proper sized barrel lap and some lapping compound from MSC:
https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn?navid=2100079&searchterm=barrel+lap

You will get a much straighter hole with a Barrel lap than using a split dowel and emery clothe.
Without a lot of experience, the dowel method tends to produce a hole bell-mouthed on both ends.
jmo,
.
Edit: That and you can make a lap out of steel tubing (and a hacksaw) that is somewhat smaller than the target diameter of the die size.

[Hootmix]

Have you thought about sizing, then powder coating before honing out the dies?? (just a thought).


coffee's ready. Hootmix.

[rgsumpter]

As someone mentioned above I would contact Lyman before doing anything to them first. The worst they can say is no and then you are in the same boat as now. If they replace them you will be good to go.

[akajun]

If you “ open them up” as you say
You will need to make a new piston to fit or you will have lube squeezing out everywhere at .001-.002 thou over
Cheaper to just buy what you need

[kbstenberg]

Thank for all of the suggestions. Yup I have opened lee sizers successfully. But the Lymans are hardened steel, which would probably take much more time. I never thought about contacting Lyman and my thoughts are on the line of M-tech. /// The sizes I need are for the finished size after PC and the other one is for before coating. Kevin///.The odd sizes are to fit my new 350 Legend. Bore diameter is .355 so I have to also presize to .3535

[RickinTN]

I do all my "sizing" with a Lee push through die. I only do my lubing with an in and out die. When I use the in and out die I make sure the bullets are .001" to .003" smaller than the lube die. This is the only way to keep bullets straight. Going in and out and sizing make the bullet as we say in the south Kattywoumpus. I'm not sure of the spelling there. I would final size, and any sizing with the Lee push through. They are also easier to hone to a larger diameter and no piston to worry about.
Good Luck,
Rick

[jdgabbard]

Yeah, I think I would just lap the mold rather than pay someone to enlarge it for me.

Back when I was poorer than I am today, and a young kid just trying to make my way, I couldn't afford anything but Lee molds. Back then, they were pretty well known for having egg-shaped cavities, and often dropping undersized. I had a TL358-158-SWC 2-cavity mold that was dropping close to .356, and I was leading up my barrel. I went down to the local autozone and grabbed solve lapping paste, I believe it was for engine valves if my memory serves me, and a few steel nuts. I took the sprue plate off, sat a nut on one cavity after preheating the mold and cast a bullet into the mold. Let the mold cool, then added a little of the lapping compound to the bullet and used a wrench to gently lap it to size. After I was done, I did the other chamber. After a little elbow grease I had a mold that actually cast very consistently at .360, and sized down to .358 very nicely. Shot some accurate groups with it too as can be seen here:

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=50815&d=1256978945

[kbstenberg]

THANK YOU ALL! I didn't have much to do today. So I went downstairs and got the stuff to ream out the sizers. In less than 2 hrs. I got the sizers within .0005 of my target diameter. The dang gremlins hid my micrometer AGAIN. or I would have finished the job. Kevin

[country gent]

My 0-1 resides in my shirt pocket along with a couple 6" scales. If I need bigger I get them out of the gerstner.

I may need them in the house or in the loading room or the shop. I use them everyday several times.
I need to get my bench cleaned up and get my gerstners out in the shop.