Which Star dies go with these new Lyman molds?

[Russel Nash]

Hi again everybody!

More newbie questions for you all.... I am thinking there is already a thread on this topic, somewhere, but I haven't been able to find it so far. If you know where it is, could you provide a link.

I ordered 3 Lyman molds. So far 2 have come in.

147 grn 9mm: LY2670637 / #356637 / one lube groove

175 grn .40 S & W: LY2670638 / #401638 / one lube goove

200 grn .45 ACP Lead SWC: LY2670460 /#452460 / 2 lube grooves.

Maybe I screwed up here, because I didn't slug any of my pistolas' barrels.

Which Star "sizing dies" do I need to buy to run my bullets through?

Did that make sense?

Again, I'm not out trying to re-invet the wheel here. If there is a thread already that jives up Lyman mould numbers to Star sizer dies, that would be cool if you could post a link.

Thanks!

[Springfield]

.356 .401 .452

[Russel Nash]

When I called Magma Engineering today, I talked to a very nice lady named Sylvia, who really knew her stuff.

She was saying that I would have to let her know how many lube grooves were in the bullet, what the center to center distance was between the lube grooves, and IIRC what the distance was either from the nose or the base of the bullet to center of the lube groove was.

She did say that the dies would most likely come with "shot" and those would get stuffed in the extra lube holes.

So I was wondering is there just some Magma Engineering / Star lube sizer dies that just so happen to jive up with the molds that I bought.

She was saying that if I had bought their molds it would be very simple for her. I guess they everything already blue printed out between their molds and their sizer dies and have come up with some sort of cross reference chart.

So that got me thinking that somebody here might have stumbled across a Lyman to Star sizer die cross reference chart, or made one up.

OR...

OR!!!

Am I just making this more complicated than it has to be?

See, I don't have the lube sizer yet, and I don't have any eyes on or hands on experience with one, so I don't know if it is possible to adjust the dies, or what have you.

Thanks,

Russel

[HeavyMetal]

you don't adjust the dies you adjust the depth the boolit is pushed into the die.

Once you get the sizer and the dies, pick one and put it together. Nose sizing is by far the most accurate way to size your boolits, so measure from the center of the lube groove to the base of the boolit then measure how long the "punch" is that is on the sizer. You might also make sure it will fit in the die without rubbing on the sides! A basic start point is simply subtract one from the other ( boolit base distance from punch length) this will give you a start point.

Most Star sizer dies come with three rows of four holes. Fill the top and bottom holes with shot and use the center holes to add lube. from here on out it's your basic trial and error.

Push a couple boolits through and see if the lube is on the nose or in the groove. sometimes you can look in the die and see lube coming out above the boolit base.

In this case shorten the punch and your good to go. if on the nose lenghten the punch.

Again you'll have to play with it a little bit.

Your not making it to complicated, Some times sales people just like to add a little mystery to the mix.

In sales lingo this is called "smoke and mirrors" . You did the right thing! Don't spend more money until you get more info!

Hope this helps.

[garandsrus]

Russell,

What she was telling you is that Magma would drill the lube holes spaced for your specific boolit with the correct number of holes to match the lube grooves on the boolit. What you probably want instead is to tell her that you will use the die for multiple boolit molds and ask them to give you a die for that.

You will need to plug the holes you are not using for your current mold, but if you get a different mold you may need to use different set of holes. It's no big deal to "un plug" the holes.

John

[runfiverun]

that pretty much sums it up!
your molds are prob all one groove?
and you can plug or unplug the sizer holes as needed or untill you
get tired of doing that and buy another one, for adifferent mold

[Adam10mm]

I only have one sizer die now but I will be doubling up and getting one sizer die for each bullet design I have. That way I can just grab the sizer die, adjust the punch, then get going. I will be getting a die with a single hole and then dies with multiple holes.

[Russel Nash]

Thanks for all the replies.

I will probably be calling Magma back tomorrow...err... today... and placing an order with them then.

I think I have done enough surfing and thread posting here to figure out which gadgets I want with the Star lube sizer.

[MtGun44]

You really should slug your barrels prior to dropping all that money
on sizing dies. If your guns are a bit larger than normal, you will be
out about $120 for wrong size dies. Slug the barrels and then
buy sizers about .001 or even .002 larger than the barrel groove diameter.

Bill

[Adam10mm]

Good advice.

[Russel Nash]

I could probably do a search here first (and probably end up with 10 pages of results)....

But I guess by slugging, you all mean to either ram a bullet partway down the bore or use that cerro safe stuff and do a cast of the chamber/bore.

Is that correct?

Then take a set of (digital) calipers or a "mike" and measure the outside diameter, to see if my guns would be better off shooting a bullet sized to .402 versus just .401 .

Geee... I didn't know that sizing dies for the Star cost that much. Yikes!!

Getting back to the Lyman dies I purchased, how close will the bullets be in diameter to the dimensions labeled on their boxes?

Off to the search function....

[Russel Nash]

I think I found a good thread here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...light=slugging

So, I think that answers my question then about slugging the barrel.

Reading that other thread reminded me that I have some other gadgets that I need to buy:

1. Cast iron dutch oven for smelting
2. Casting thermometer
3. Propane tank, like from a BBQ grill
4. Slotted spoon for removing wheel weight clips or other dross
5. Ingot mould of some sort... old muffin tin or mini-bread load tin... preferably
rusted?

6. A mould handle for each mould
7. Laddle for filling the ingot mould

I have a camp type stove that I have never used. I have a hose, somewhere? and an adapter to connect it to a full size propane tank for a BBQ grill.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

[Russel Nash]

Oooppsss... I don't mean to totally monopolize my thread here, but an idea just struck me. Maybe it has hit some of you guys before too.

I have a friend with a metal working lathe....

Instead of pounding a slug all the way through a barrel (with a brass rod of the appropriate diameter)....

How would a long brass rod work that has been threaded on the outside. Have a hole drilled through the center of your slug.

Have a head turned on the brass rod... or get a brass rod that has been threaded its entire length.

Yes start the slug into the barrel with the regular hammer and "punch" method.

Then stick the the threaded rod through the hole in the slug. At the other end of the barrel (the muzzle), slide over a big brass washer and then a brass hex nut.

Gingerly clamp the barrel in a vise. Use something like a "dog bone" ratcheting wrench slipped over the threaded rod. Hold the loose end of the rod with a pair of vise grips to keep it from spinning, and then start cranking on the "dog bone" wrench.

The slug gets pullet through the bore, instead of being pounded on. When you get to the end probably just a quick yank with the vise grips would pull the slug the rest of the way out of the bore.

It seems like a more mechanic/skilled way to treat a gun barrel.

Of course, this method would work best with a semi-auto barrel, that is so easily taken apart from the rest of the gun.

I have never slugged a barrel, so I don't know how hard or frustrating the other method can or will be.

Just an idea....

[Lloyd Smale]

i usually just order them with 4 or 5 rows and then plug off the extras. Even if i only need one row ill buy them like that. Its easier to plug holes then have to have others drilled later if you get a differnt mold.

When I called Magma Engineering today, I talked to a very nice lady named Sylvia, who really knew her stuff.

She was saying that I would have to let her know how many lube grooves were in the bullet, what the center to center distance was between the lube grooves, and IIRC what the distance was either from the nose or the base of the bullet to center of the lube groove was.

She did say that the dies would most likely come with "shot" and those would get stuffed in the extra lube holes.

So I was wondering is there just some Magma Engineering / Star lube sizer dies that just so happen to jive up with the molds that I bought.

She was saying that if I had bought their molds it would be very simple for her. I guess they everything already blue printed out between their molds and their sizer dies and have come up with some sort of cross reference chart.

So that got me thinking that somebody here might have stumbled across a Lyman to Star sizer die cross reference chart, or made one up.

OR...

OR!!!

Am I just making this more complicated than it has to be?

See, I don't have the lube sizer yet, and I don't have any eyes on or hands on experience with one, so I don't know if it is possible to adjust the dies, or what have you.

Thanks,

Russel

[454PB]

Once you've slugged a barrel, you'll see that it's not a big complicated job. The tool you describe would take longer to build and use than it takes to slug a dozen barrels!