Lubing bevel base bullets

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  • Last Post 08 July 2013
Lead weight posted this 16 March 2013

OK, I have in the past had molds that cast bullets with a beveled base, and lubing them in my 450 Lyman lubisizer was a mess.

Anyone got any suggestions how to keep from having to scrape the lube OFF the base when sized?

Kevin

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highstandard40 posted this 16 March 2013

I only have one mold with a bevel base and I had a machinest friend make a custom stem for my H&I die. You may not have such an option though. I have heard of people cutting a plug of bullet diameter from the foam of an egg carton and placing it on the stem to control the excess lube on the bullet base. They claim it works. Replace the “gasket” as often as needed, the material is cheap.

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smokiejoe posted this 16 March 2013

I I put about a 30 deg. in the base of the pin. or eyeball to fit the bullet, stops all lub. on the BB, Have to do on the lathe.

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Mike H posted this 17 March 2013

I have never seen what the problem is,when I was pistol shooting long ago I purchased a Hensley and Gibbs 6 cavity 50 BB mould,sure there is lube at the base end of the bullet,all I did was put a piece of cloth on my thigh and as I picked up a bullet would wipe it across the cloth,problem solved.If you do your own washing you could just wipe them on the cloth of your jeans. This is just the same as the perceived problem of using gc bullets without a gc. Mike.

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PETE posted this 17 March 2013

Amen Mike. No matter what kind of base the bullet I'm using at the time I wipe the base across a paper towel folded into quarters. I might be anal but the little bit of lube that comes off I have thoughts it might contaminate the powder charge if I leave the ammo sit for a coupla weeks, bullet down, before using.

Also must not have been a lot of concern in the old days as an original Win. mold I have also casts a BB bullet.

Pete

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CB posted this 17 March 2013

I used the foam from supermarket meat trays when I had that issue, although I don't see why egg carton foam wouldn't work as well. The ultimate solution is to buy a Star bullet sizer, but that's kind of extreme if you don't have other needs to update your sizer for. If you need any other help spending your money, let us know, we're here to help!

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Dale53 posted this 17 March 2013

About forty years ago, I bought a used Star lube/sizer from a defunct police dept (merged to a larger city). It is still going strong after sizing and lubing several hundred thousand bullets. The Star's design solves the bevel based problem due to design.

However, that information doesn't help those without a Star. I have had reports from others who cut a base sized circle out of egg carton foam. Place that on the top of the ejector pin in your Lyman or RCBS lube/sizer. It will conform to the base of the bullet a keep the bullet lube at bay. It stays in place and lasts pretty well. When cutting the circles, make extras as they do wear out.

When trying this for the first time, you can draw a circle and use a pair of scissors to cut the circle. When you get the size correct, then you can get a hole punch for general use.

Just a thought... Dale53

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highstandard40 posted this 17 March 2013

There is an easier way to cut the foam discs. Use an appropriate cartridge case and using your deburring tool, apply some extra bevel to the case mouth then use the case for a cutter.

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Lead weight posted this 17 March 2013

"There is an easier way to cut the foam discs. Use an appropriate cartridge case and using your deburring tool, apply some extra bevel to the case mouth then use the case for a cutter."

Great idea!:idea1: Kevin

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Lead weight posted this 17 March 2013

OK, IS there a real reason for the bevel base? I mean, come on, almost all my molds are flat base, and have no problem loading bullets dropped from them!

I was looking at the Lee 452-230-TC bullet, but it's bevel based. :cusout:

Anyone using this bullet design? Kevin

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Dale53 posted this 17 March 2013

Kevin; I have a Lee Six cavity mould for the Lee 452-230-TC bullet (normal lube groove) and have had good results with it. The Lee mould varies as much as .003” between cavities (it's sure not an MP Mould) but after sizing to .452 it will shoot groups off a bench from my 625's at about 1 1/4” at 25 yards. My MP copy of the H&G #68 will do about 3/4” at that distance. However, in all truthfullness, other than bragging rights there is little practical difference in the “Real World".

The Lee 230 TC works beautifully for a quick reload with moon clips and also feed well in a 1911 for those, like me, who have both platforms.

Further, the Lee bullet has much better terminal performance than the standard 230 gr round nose bullet.

Dale53

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Rich/WIS posted this 18 March 2013

I cast the Lee 40 TC and their copy of the H&G 68 and adjust the stop on the sizer as needed so that the bevelportion is not in direct alignment with a lube channel in the sizing die. Very seldom have lube problems on the base. I have modded the dies for FB by tufning them in a lathe to create a recess and leave only a small shoulder that seals the base, got this idea from an old NRA reloading guide. If I was only sizing bevel base bullets I would do the same to the 40 and 45 sizer, only make the recess cut at an angle to match the bevel on the bullet. I wipe the bullet bases before loading too.

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Dicko posted this 07 July 2013

My book is the only published work that explains this problem.  RCBS, Lyman and Saeco lubesizers have some residual pressure in the reservoir when the luber is in operation.  As the bullet sits on the bottom punch, the bevel is in effect a groove, and fills with lube as it passes the feed holes in the die.  Thus, when the bullet is ejected from the die, the lube has to be cleaned off the bottom of the bullet.  In some cases, every tenth bullet or so gets pushed out as the die fills with lube.  The lube then has to be cleaned out of the die before work can continue.   

I'm inclined to say “bevel based bullets can't be lubed in RCBS and similar lubers."  Technically they can, but only at the cost of a mess as you have discovered.  It makes lubing so slow as be impractical in my opinion.  There are two solutions (1) lube only flat base bullets in those lubers and (2) only the Star luber will lube bevel base bullets because it feeds the lube in a different way.

You'd think, considering how many million bullets are cast and lubed every year, that this would be common knowledge.  But in my experience gunshop staff haven't a clue which is why they don't tell you.  Worse, the mould makers don't tell you.  Lyman offers several bevel base moulds without telling us that they can't be lubed in its own luber.

Its true, as others have said, that a bottom punch machined with a conical recess works.  So it does - I machined them for two of my dies - but it doesn't eliminate the problem entirely.  That's why I say stick to flat base bullets or buy a Star. 

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mckg posted this 08 July 2013

Lead weight wrote: OK, I have in the past had molds that cast bullets with a beveled base, and lubing them in my 450 Lyman lubisizer was a mess.

Anyone got any suggestions how to keep from having to scrape the lube OFF the base when sized?

Kevin What about not sizing them, or sizing them dry, and then tumble or hand lube ...?

I stopped resizing for all calibers except the 44-40 a few years ago and have three different ways of lubing, depending on the application/gun.

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