Sizing down .321 to .312 is it reasonable?

[Dtdk]

Is it reasonable to size a bullet now on a regular press from 321 to 312?

[405grain]

That sounds excessive. Usually it's not advisable to size down much beyond .003" A decrease of .009" may be doable, but it will probably damage the bullet.

[ascast]

why would you? plenty of big 30 cal molds around. probably wont shoot well. I have seen lots of sizers with broken handles, wonder why....

[hpbear101]

I size .338 to .329 in a Lee push through sizer. I have some case sizing spray lube that I no longer use for sizing cases but it works great for sizing bullets in the push through dies.

[Rickf1985]

And are there any lube grooves left?

[wilecoyote]

done from .329 Lee205grs. to .323., push-through only_
once gas checked and Lee Alox tumble sized, I was around 200grs._
worked quite well in a 8mm. Steyr carbine.

[Dtdk]

I am trying to figure out if I need 2 different molds for 32-20 and 32ws

[pworley1]

It is doable but I think you would get better results from the 32 20 with a mold designed for it.

[Dtdk]

Thanks guys, I think I will just get separate molds. I don't need to over pre


Thanks guys, I think I will just get separate molds.

[243winxb]

No.

[Hanzy4200]

Sound excessive. I would suggest biting the bullet and just buying a second mold. I have no personal proof, but I would expect that kind of pressure to potentially undermine the integrity of the bullet.

[gwpercle]

Not at all ... that's .009" reduction in size ... the boolit will be deformed and the stress on the sizer will be great .

Rule #1 ... Never pass up a good excuse to buy a new boolit mould ...
a new mould to cast a properly fitting boolit is the Best Excuse Ever... slug your bore and get a mould that doesn't require more than .001" sizing down ... if you can ...
The least sizing down you do the better !
Go Buy a New Mould ... You NEED One !!!
Gary

[414gates]

I size 420 grain. 429 to. 417 in two passes. Bhn 16. Lanolin. Single stage press, Lee classic cast.

[GregLaROCHE]

If your alloy is soft enough you might do it, but you won’t have any lube grooves left and maybe some fins sticking off the base.

[David2011]

It would depend on the boolit design. I just resized about 130 pieces from .460 after powder coating to .451. The boolit has large grooves so the metal had somewhere to move without closing off the grooves. Concentricity remained good with the worst case examples being .0005 out of round.

Fortunately I had a .454 die as an intermediate step. Unfortunately I had to use my .454 die as an intermediate step and the boolits were fully age hardened. I cast them 4 years ago and put them away when we decided to buy another house and move. I ran a very few through my Star sizer and decided to get the Lyman 450 out. It was the one with both .454 and .451 dies and its linkage is far more robust than the Star. The Lyman has the more recent linkage and handle on it which is stronger than the original pieces.

After sizing in two steps from .460" to .451":

[Green Frog]

I am trying to figure out if I need 2 different molds for 32-20 and 32ws

Making a 32-20 Winchester Center Fire sized projectile out of a 32 Winchester Special (.311” from .321”) is not sizing, it’s swaging! In all likelihood you’ll lose all surface features (grease grooves) in the process. Also, the resultant bullet will be very long and heavy for a 32-20.
It would make much more sense to use two moulds, perhaps a 311008 Lyman (.311” diam, 118 gr) for the 32-20 and a 321232 Lyman (.321”/175 gr) for the 32 WS.
Froggie