Newbie Question

[BSkerj]

I just started casting...I am only casting for 38/357 using a Lee 2 boolit die..according to Lee I do not need to resize the boolit when I use this mould... should I resize regardless..I am using WW for lead. Also I plan on casting for my 45 ACP 1911.

Thanks for your opinions!!

[AJ Peacock]

What size are they dropping?

My .38/357 vaquero's like .358" cast

AJ

[wallenba]

If you need to size, the Lee push thru sizer is a cheap and adequate investment.

[mooman76]

Lee doesn't really say you don't need too, he says you don't need to in many cases. If they are dropping the right size or just a little big but you can still load and chamber them freely, they are good to go.

[runfiverun]

i "size" everything but one boolit and it don't need it.
the others either get sized and lubed or i order the sizer i need to just lube and scrape the boolits.
i have 40 molds for about 65 guns and it seems they all wanna do it a different way.
i swirl lube size lube dip lube dip and size size and dip swirl and size.
no wonder it takes me a week to make a thousand boolits.

[Leftoverdj]

Try it as cast and see. Both moulds and guns have tolerances. Ordinarily, the Lee TL bullets do not need sizing, but a fat mould and a tight chamber can cause problems. Doesn't happen often, but I've seen it. You can also get occasional fat casts from any mould when it does not fully close for one reason or another. I run everything through the sizer whether I expect it to be needed or not, but don't consider it absolutely necessary.

As Dutch mentioned, the Lee sizer does a good job for about $15.

[MtGun44]

Ideally, you should accurately measure your cylinder throats (front) and slug the
bbl to get the groove diam. Best results are usually with the throats .001 or .002
larger than the groove diam. Then you should use boolits that are equal to or
maybe .001 larger than the throat diameter.

However - keep it simple at first. Shoot a few as cast and see what you get as
to accy and leading. If you have poor accy or leading or both, then it will be time
to start measuring and adjusting and such. There is a good chance that just lubing
and loading will work just fine, so give it a shot unless you just want to fiddle and
study and learn.

Bill