LEE push through sizing die.

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  • Last Post 28 February 2018
Pigslayer posted this 26 February 2018

I bought a LEE .358 push through sizing die for my "Accurate Mold" clone of the LEE 356-95-RF. Tried it last night & found that jt was actually sizing to .3575" according to Starrett. Drat! Looks like I have to get out the drill, dowel rod & emery paper!! Probably won't take much to enlarge it to .358". Baby steps needed here.  sealed

-Pat

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Ross Smith posted this 28 February 2018

I just sized some .311 down to .310. water quenched ww's. Since they were difficult going thru the NOE die I ran them a second and third time. After mic-ing the passes They did get progressively smaller(minutely) and they also became more "rounder". Gonna shoot em tomorrow. gc-ed 190 hochs. Any body else tried this?

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RicinYakima posted this 28 February 2018

You can not change the chemistry of the lead alloys. They will spring back to release internal pressure. The original Ideal sizing dies had a sharp lip down inside the die that shaved the bullets, but that left them off centered. So the compression dies became popular in the 1960's after Col. Harrison started publishing his study of cast bullets in AR. .

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David Reiss posted this 28 February 2018

In a conversation with Al Nelson, he confirmed my suspicion all along, that sizing dies are made just under, about .0005", to allow for springback as Jeff stated. I check my sizing dies with pin gauges, and most of the time they are .0005" under. Sized bullets come out right at the die's specified size. The dies are made with the use of WWs in mind. 

If you look back in FS #247 when I reviewed NOEs push thru sizing die, the same situation existed. 

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
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BigMan54 posted this 27 February 2018

I've never had a conventional Lube-Sizer die that was undersized. If anything using LINO or #2 I usually get .0005 oversize because of that springback. In fact when sizing  #454190 cast from my ancient IDEAL mold it drops at .456dia from WW+. So I size in a .454 LYMAN die 1st, then I size in a .452 RCBS die. If I size in the .452 it will shave lead & it will "collect" inside the die's internal lube groove and eventually plug up the die's lube " holes".

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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JeffinNZ posted this 27 February 2018

Spring back is of alloy that no sizing die or technique will change.  We just learn to allow for it.

Cheers from New Zealand

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Pigslayer posted this 27 February 2018

This is a classic problem with sizing dies. Harder alloys such as Linotype or #2 will size larger than softer alloys. 

 

I found that out also. I get springback even with Lyman # 2.

 

-Pat

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 27 February 2018

Oh GREAT, I just ordered my 1st LEE sizing die in .430dia

I sure as heck hope I don't have the size problems with Lee that I had with LYMAN. 

I have found that the LEE sizer dies are pretty easy to enlarge. I use 500 grit emery on a dowel rod with a little light oil. I put the dowel rod in a battery operated drill & work it up & down like when honing a cylinder. I thought that maybe I should polish it up with some crocus cloth but found that it didn't need it. I've never tried to hone out a Lyman die but I have heard that they are real hard.

 

-Pat

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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OU812 posted this 27 February 2018

This is a classic problem with sizing dies. Harder alloys such as Linotype or #2 will size larger than softer alloys. 

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BigMan54 posted this 27 February 2018

Oh GREAT, I just ordered my 1st LEE sizing die in .430dia

I sure as heck hope I don't have the size problems with Lee that I had with LYMAN. 

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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JeffinNZ posted this 26 February 2018

I have opened up dies using emery paper wrapped around a dowel, inserted in the die and the die rolled to and fro on my work bench.  Gotta tell you though; Lyman dies are HARD.  Can't speak for Lee but the technique certainly works.  Great work out also.

Cheers from New Zealand

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