Today was stage two of an experiment. The goal is to drop powder coated 45ACP #68 wad cutters through a RCBS bullet feed die in a Lee Load Master. Stage one of the experiment was completed last evening, this involved seating and taper crimping such rounds in one step at stage 5 of the press WITHOUT pooching the PC or lead and still having the round pass the plunk test in my barrels and a Wilson gauge. Success made in that first stage. Today, I assembled the new die and installed in stage 4. I adjusted per the instructions and the boolits pass through it faithfully, no grabbing and no hang-ups. This is going to work.
Since many of us size our coated bullets in a Lee push through, we can simply use Lee bullet feed tubes on top of the sizer and we will be filling the tubes as we size, no wasted motion. I used a sharp point on a solder gun to make nice small clean holes in the tubes just above where the holes will sit above the RCBS die. When the tube is full at the size press, a small nail or round tooth pick through the holes will retain the boolits. Lee tubes are thinner walled than the RCBS, so I fashioned a bushing to make it a snug fit in the feeder die. Voila'!
Thing is, I only have a few coated boolits right now, but lots of sized bare ones to coat when the humidity drops. This will make loading a good bit faster for me. When I am up and running for sure, I will report.
prs