Lee sizing die vs FCD ?

[jeff423]

I recently broke my .45 acp Lee Factory Crimp die and the way things are going I don't know when I'll be able to get another.
I have a spare Lee .45 acp carbide sizing die and I was wondering if I could remove the primer punch and use it on loaded rounds like I did the FCD?
I didn't crimp with FCD, I just used it to "iron out" any bulges from loading lead bullets.
When I tried it it seemed like the sizing die was just a little tighter than the FCD.

I tried Lee's customer service but they are continually busy.


Thanks,

Jeff

[mooman76]

I have done it before. Not my favorite thing to do but I have had a few rounds that I loaded and bulged the shoulders out just enough that they wouldn't load. So I wouldn't have to tear it down I removed the deprimer like you are talking about and ran it through to iron out the bulge.

[Firebricker]

That should work fine till you get a replacement.

[WildmanJack]

Holy crap, just for grins and giggles, how did you break the die?? I just bought three different calibers and sure don't want to make the same mistake.
Jack

[Windy City Kid]

The sizer die is much tighter than the Lee FCD.

There is a couple of problems you may have if you run loaded rounds through a sizer die.

(1) You will get under sizer bullets. (If you shoot cast bullets) and lead your barrel.

(2) It may over crimp your bullet and you will have head space issues.

(3) The lead bullet doesn't spring back, but the brass does, so you will get poor bullet fit and loose bullets. Take one of the loaded rounds you have run through your size die and try to turn the bullet in the case, I bet you can. If you can turn the bullet in the case you will probably have feeding issues because the bullets may go deeper in the case. If the bullets go deeper in the case than your original OAL, you can rase your chamber pressure quit a bit and even damage your firearm.

Other than that it works, but not well.

WCK