lee bullet sizers

C

c.j.sikes

New member
i have been looking at lee bullet sizing equpt. at present i am using lyman but for 38 wc i thought the lee might be a better way. anyone try this? thanks cjs
 
c. j.

Did ya recieve the small package??? How`d it work out ????

Back to the Lee sizers, when I`m lazy I`ll cast up some tumble lube WC & lube em in a mix of 45%alox 45%johnson paste wax 10% mineral sprits, this will dry qwiker then I size em in my Lyman 3585 die to square it all up then relube & load .

This lube will look thinner & won`t be near as sticky but will survive up to med velocitys (900fps or so)

I do this in the summer mostly after depleting other bullets & if ya lube em & turn a fan on ya can size em hrs after lubin.
 
I use it for. 40 S&W with great results. 185+/- gr. Tumble lube swc groups as well as anything else I shoot from my Glock 23 with stock barrel. No, I do no have excessive leading in that barrel unless I push the bullet too fast.
 
I tried the Lee sizers right after they were introduced. Found the whole tumble lube process a lot messier than my Lyman conventional lube/sizer. Installed a heater under my Lyman, put in some Blue Angel lube, and have never looked back.
 
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Boy, my experience was just the reverse of Zippy13. Started in the late 70's early 80's with the Lee pan lube kit, remember that! Used it for a while and decided it was BS and bought a Lyman in the early to mid 80's. Think it was a Model 45. Used it for a while and decided it was BS and gradually acquired some Star tools (3) and accessories, heaters extra dies and top punches. Liked the Stars a lot. Used them from the mid to late 80's thru 2010.

Then read on the Cast Boolits board several posts from shooters that said they liked the Lee size and lube kits. Said they were cutting Alox up to 40% - 50% with good results. What the heck - for about $20.00 including the shipping I bought a 38 special kit. Liked it a lot.

Sold the Star stuff for about $700.00 + freight. Spent maybe may be $100.00 - $150.00 on Lee kits and 5 quarts of Xlox.

Haven't had any reason to look back yet

Jerry
 
I have several of the lee "push through" sizers. The problem with them is; they don't come in enough different sizes to handle some bigger, or smaller size-to diameters. They make them in pretty much standard size-to diameters. Then, if you want to use a stick lube, you must pan lube, to me a major PITA.

So, I have been gradually switching to Lyman sizer dies for my 450. They're available in more different sizes and they allow you to use just about any lube. I recently decided to get some carnuba red from;

http://www.lsstuff.com/lube

Glenn Larsen makes the carnuba red as well as several other lubes. It requires heat to flow, about 100 degrees. So I bought a Lyman heater to go under the lubber. The carnuba red is reputed to be able to go to 2600 fps with rifle boolits. Gas checked of course, and sized to .001-.002 over bore diameter.
 
I use several different lee sizer for various application,on some bullet all I need is something to apply the gas check with a slightly oversized Lee sizer does that just fine.

For some application I need to size the bullet or apply a gas check and size the bullet the Lee sizer works fine for that as well. For $20 each plus a bottle of Alox to make my Alox/JPW lube with whats not to like. The dies are also easily modified to produce a large bullet dia. if needed.

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/HowTo/How to Hone a Size Die.pdf
 
I have several Lee push through sizers. I have successfully "customized" one; I honed out the ID to size bullets to .431". Works great. I also have one I bought from Ranchdog that is about .432" that I us on his 265 gr. GC design bullets I cast from wheel weights. I size pan lubed and tumble lubed bullets and also apply gas checks. Works good!

Alox is as messy as you are. I personaly don't have a problem with the "mess" of tumble lubing. Bullets go in container ( butter tub), not on my hands. Squirt in a bit of thinned alox or 45-45-10, keeping it in the tub. Swirl a bit and dump on alum. foil. Now here's where I get "messy". I stand the bullets on the base so excess will run down the bullet to keep my seater die cleaner. I totally get my thumb and forefinger messy, but 1/2 second and a paper towel will fix that. Some folks don't bother to stand up the bullets just let 'em lay so they won't get two fingerd dirty. If not applied too thickly, aloxed bullets shouldn't be sticky to handle and seat easily.

I've used alox on low powered 38 Special WC, up to mid range .44 Magnum with little problems...
 
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gp100man i got the bullets and they look really good. i wrote you seperat but i dont know if you got it. i am waiting on a lead decaping die from lyman, it sizes and bells for lead bullets. any way thanks for info. and bullets cjs
 
CJ, if you're referring to the Lyman "M" die, it does not decap or neck size your brass. You must use a standard FL die leaving the neck expanding button out of the process. Then run the case into the "M" die to expand and make the step in the neck. Some dies cannot be used without an expander button, there would be nothing to hold the decapper pin. Then you must use a universal decapper die, then use a FL die with the decapper rod removed.

Maybe you already knew this, but the way you wrote that, I didn't want a new reloader to get confused:confused:.
 
snuffy you are right i have never used the m die but thanks for the info. no matter how long you have been reloading yoou can still learn somethig new. i had not give it much though but what you say makes sense. on buy the way i am still new to reloading, started in 1958, i may never get it right but i keep trying. thanks cjs
 
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