Lee Sizer Die

[BrianB]

Here is my next question for the day. Tried to use the Lee .358 sizer die yesterday. I followed the directions to a T. Short of jackhammer, sledgehammer or some other similar demolition tool, I see no way to push the bullets through. I know it was not a problem with the bullets themselves because they went through my cousin's RCBS Lube-A-Matic effortlessly. I can't imagine trying to size a 45-70 bullet. Anyone had similar problems?

[imashooter2]

What reloading press do you have it attached to?

[RoyRogers]

My 1st one I installed on a little Lee loader I use for decapping. I could see I was going to break that press before getting a bullet to size. Put the sizer die in a RCBS press and really had to put significant pressure on it to size the 1st 3 boolits. On #4 they started going through with relative ease and have since. Saw some metal fillings on the gas check on #3 so I think it was rough inside. Now it will size on the Lee press with modest effort. Yes - mine were lubed before trying to size them.

[lylejb]

Just to verify, you did lube BEFORE you tried to size, correct?

I've just begun to used the lee push through die, have done about 500 boolits so far. I've had several stick due to being oversize. This was my own newbe casting mistake. I think i didn't get the mold all the way closed a time or two while casting up the batch.

other than that (my newbe mistakes) it has went easy.

[runfiverun]

wipe a bit of something in it before you start it'll make life easier and run a lubed one through it every 15 or so,or wipe a bit more lube in.
another use for jpw,or imperial wax,or a bit of soapy water even.

[Acronn]

Never had a problem sizing with the lee sizer, but it is much easier with a little lube, much smoother.

[putteral]

I use a Lee single stage challenger press . I have never had a problem with Lee sizing dies.Routinely size the .358-105-swc down to .356 without much trouble. I think the key is you have to lube them first, which I do. Also never a problem with their .452 sizing die.

[JIMinPHX]

Lubing is important. Don't be shy about that.

Trying to take a boolit down more than a few thousandths at a time can be a bit tough.

If you set the height of the sizer in the press so that you are away from the center of the press handle stroke when the boolit makes contact with the die, that gives you a lit more leverage to work with.

[rhead]

Make sure that the die is adjusted in the press so that you are doing the sizing as you pass the max. leverage from the press handle. The actual sizinf takes place in only a short portion of the die. I learned that the hard way!!!!!!!!!!

[Ricochet]

I learned the hard way to never try to hammer out a stuck boolit in a die. Back out the die so the plunger just bumps it before the press handle goes over top center. Work the handle. Screw the die in a little and repeat. Keep doing it till the boolit pops through. If you try to just force it, you'll break your bench.

[BrianB]

Here are the answers to some of the questions. The press is an RCBS Partner. The bullets were lubed before sizing. The bullets measured just over .360. I actually had to use a hammer to push them through. The lead is straight wheel weights. Maybe .360 is just too much, but I'll give some of the suggestions a try before I spend $200 on a Lube-A-Matic set-up. BTW, I took the die off the press before I hammered the bullet through.

[EDK]

Try them "as cast" with LEE LIQUID ALOX or LARS' XLOX if they will chamber in your rifle. Tap the gas check on with a mallet. I'm sizing to .361 for my MARLINS.

[Larry Gibson]

Make sure that the die is adjusted in the press so that you are doing the sizing as you pass the max. leverage from the press handle. The actual sizinf takes place in only a short portion of the die. I learned that the hard way!!!!!!!!!!

Back out the die so the plunger just bumps it before the press handle goes over top center. Work the handle. Screw the die in a little and repeat. Keep doing it till the boolit pops through. If you try to just force it, you'll break your bench.

BrianB

While the RCBS Partner is a decent press it does not have the mechanical leverage that most "regular" presses have. Thus it is imperative you heed the advise in the quotes from other posts. Your problems simply stem from the sizer die sizing the bullet at the weakest part of mecanical advantage of your press. You need to re adjust the sizer die. The second quote tells you how.

Larry Gibson

[docone31]

I use them in my paper patching. Great little devices.
I use dish soap for lube. I put some in, and roll the castings around in it.
Once done, I rinse with hot water. "Lube" gone.
From there I paper patch. I would pan lube if I were doing conventional sizeing.

[outdoorfan]

I've had two Lee dies, maybe three, that wouldn't even size hard boolits (20-21 bhn) down .001 until I lapped them out a tad with emery cloth. They can be really rough in there, and I was using a Rockchucker.

[Firebricker]

Brian, Have you measured any of the ones sized in the Lee die ? It might be a little undersized. FB

[geargnasher]

I've sized thousands of .45's in my .452" Lee without a hitch, I did polish it once when new with 000000 steel wool wrapped around a bronze brush and wd-40 with a drill to get a mirror shine. I use mostly WW + 4% 50/50 solder or range scrap with a pinch of whatever solder is cheap, air cooled, and cast from .455" to .4525" depending on mould, all size easily.

Oh, and I use an RCBS Ammomaster which, I believe, can easily make diamonds at the top of the stroke!

Gear

[BrianB]

Thanks for the help, I'll heed the advice given here and try again in the morning. I did measure the sized bullets. They were exactly .358.

[runfiverun]

docone to make the dish soap really slippery add some water to it.
i size my water dropped boolits this way while still wet even through the star i can feel a big difference takes the slime out too.

[HiVelocity]

STEP 1- Grab a handful of your cast bullets, with a teaspoonful of Johnson's Paste Wax, seal in a ziploc plastic bag. Let it sit in the sun for about an hour (to let them get acquainted).

STEP 2- Roll the bag around in your hands and dump out on a sheet of wax paper. Let them dry overnight................Viola! They'll shoot through any sizer like grease through a goose..........lol!

HV