"Correct" top punch not correct?

[ACrowe25]

Got ready to lube a few thousand on my lyman 4500 and started terrible. Depth set perfect etc etc all of a sudden I notice the top of my boolits are being engraved... Using the correct punch according to castpics but it is a little small? I'm using lyman 495.

Should I worry about this? What is the correct top punch?

Well,,, photobucket doesn't want to work. Imagine the top of my wadcutter boolit (lee 6 cavity standard lube 148 grains). Picture the outer ring, now just inside becomes an indentation when pushing the boolit in for sizing.

[ACrowe25]

Here we are

[ACrowe25]

Nothing?

[lancem]

I wouldn't worry about it myself, I have a couple Lee molds that when I size them small marks are left since things aren't perfect. I don't see that it has any effect down range.

[bhn22]

It looks like your "as cast" diameter is a bit large, and that your bullets are a bit soft. That appears to be the correct punch from the pattern embossed in the top of your bullet.

[Wayne Smith]

There are no 'correct' top punches for Lee molds, Lee don't believe in lube sizers. Make your own or use the closest that works.

[MGySgt]

You can make it a 'custom' top punch, by using some of your as cast boolits and chucking the TP in a drill press and using value grinding compound to polish the TP to make a perfect fit.

[gwpercle]

I "custom fit" nose punches with a small ball of epoxy putty. Clean and de-grease the inside of the punch and press the ball of epoxy putty into the cavity and install into the lube/sizer . Use some oil or light grease or paste wax as a release agent on the nose and side of boolit. Place boolit in sizer die and lower punch with epoxy putty carefully on aligned boolit, make sure everything is lined up and straight, lower handle until bullet is 1/2 way into the die. Let harden overnight, remove and trim any excess away any excess with pocket knife . Perfect fit. If you want to change it the hard putty can be removed. I made one for my Lee 358-148-WC boolits years ago and it's still in service. I use epoxy putty because regular epoxy tends to run and if so it can glue the bullet into the die (voice of experience) epoxy putty stays in place. Can be found in plumbing dept. and sometimes in auto parts stores.
Gary

[ACrowe25]

I just ordered all 3 sizes of the flat punches from accurate molds. $8 for all 3 shipped... Why not. Or it was $5 for 1 shipped lol.

One thing that concerns me is I know the top "dimple" is going to indent on a few. Is that a concern? I can't see it being one. Smashing it down to almost flat.

[ACrowe25]

I'm talking about the lee 358-148 WC standard lube grooves

[bhn22]

The button on the nose acts kind of like a spoiler on a car. It deflects air around the nose of the bullet to stabilize the air flow, allowing the bullet to be less affected by it's devastating lack of aerodynamics.

[Fishman]

I just ordered all 3 sizes of the flat punches from accurate molds. $8 for all 3 shipped... Why not. Or it was $5 for 1 shipped lol.

One thing that concerns me is I know the top "dimple" is going to indent on a few. Is that a concern? I can't see it being one. Smashing it down to almost flat.

Thanks for the heads up on the Accurate punches. I did not know he sold those.