H&I Sizing Die Introduction and Evolution

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Last Post 22 June 2025

CBA Member

Millelacs posted this 20 June 2025

I was talking to a friend this morning about casting and sizing bullets.

It got me to thinking about when were H&I dies introduced and their evolution to what we have now.

Also, what bullet sizing was done before H&I dies were introduced? Variations of pan lubing? The cowboys on the range surely had no Lyman lubrisizers.

Any ideas?

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Rich/WIS posted this 20 June 2025

H&I dies were introduced with the first Lyman sizer lubricator and so labeled in the illustration of the machine. Many of the early tools had a bullet mold as well as the tools needed to reload and also a simple bullet sizer that was a push through type like the Lee that was a part of the handles. No ideas what they used as lube or how it was applied. Don't imagine too many cowboys reloaded as they weren't likely to do a lot of shooting and a box of store bought would likely last a long time.

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Idahocaster posted this 20 June 2025

Soft lube that works well with black powder can just be applied with the fingers. Messy, but simple.

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longhunter posted this 20 June 2025

If you look up the old Ideal tools that were used it was an all in one tool.(#3-4-5-6)

Mold sizer die, case sizer primer de and recapping... bullet seating. As Idahocaster said bullet lubes were soft Mutton tallow. Fats of any kind, add wax and you have a modern lube!

Jon

Jon Welda CW5 USA Ret.

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.22-10-45 posted this 20 June 2025

Ideal came out with an improved sizing tool which was still a tong type, however, the sizing dies pivoted on centers and the pusher punch swiveled also keeping them in alignment. I have a couple of these in .22 & .32 and they work ok. The later bench mounted no.1 was probably better suited for the new gas checked bullets.

For a very good site for early reloading tools is reloading .com

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Eutectic posted this 21 June 2025

I had a bullet sizing die for my tong tool. Later I bought an adapter so I could use it in my CH press which was a lot easier. I dipped the bullets in a pan of melted Lyman black lube. The lube was waxy and made of ???

The early H&I dies had an abrupt step from the mouth diameter to the sizing diameter. This required a lot of effort for hard bullets. It was also destructive if there was any significant size reduction. Later H&I dies had a taper section which gave easier sizing and better looking bullets. Better looking did not equate to accurate because of limitations of the equipment.

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Millelacs posted this 22 June 2025

. Don't imagine too many cowboys reloaded as they weren't likely to do a lot of shooting

. and a box of store bought would likely last a long time.

I agree there. While one should never blindly accept anything on television or in the movies, there was an old episode of Gunsmoke where the shopkeeper was dipping powder and pouring it into revolver casings (probably in a loading block) on the counter in the general store.

Much more likely than a cowboy loading on the range.

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MP1886 posted this 22 June 2025

We don't know what they did as it wasn't written about. Money was very tight back then and they very well may have loaded to save money. When then came out of muzzle loaders they were 100% reloading! So may have been a carry over habit with metallic cases came out.