sizing cast bullets

bait dunker

February 12, 2009 16:24

I recently bought a 500 gr 45-70 Lee bullet mold. I started pouring the bullets and after a bit they looked very nice. I cast about 50 of these bullets and let them cool. Next day I measured the bullets and they all came out .461-.462. Ive read that I dont want the bullets more than .001 over my bore size. Im asuming that I will need to run these through a sizer. So once I order a sizer is there anything I should be aware of, or watch for before lubing and loading?

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  perry shooter

  February 12, 2009 17:15

  Be aware that different alloy's will cast different size bullets Linotype will for the most part be lighter and larger then pure lead. The base is the most important part as to group size so you want the base to go into the die first if you have to size over .003 however I have better luck sizing nose first if only sizing .001 or .002 Have you slugged the bore ?

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  bpost

  February 12, 2009 17:32

  If you are not going to shoot a lot Lee has an OK sizer that goes on your press. If you want to get serious about it; buy a luber-sizer and get the correct diameter sizing die.
  
  Slugging the bore is the only way to determine the correct diameter of bullet needed for your rifle.

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  jonk

  February 13, 2009 04:54

  It won't hurt anything to shoot a bullet 3 thousandths too large (cast lead that is) if you have a decent throat. It will size them down just fine when shooting.
  
  The question is will you be able to seat the oversized bullets without crumpling cases, and chamber them?
  
  Absolutely, slug your bore.
  
  On to sizing. And lubing. You will need to lube with something. Lee's liquid alox is a tumble lube that works just fine for many applications, but on a big 45/70, possibly with a long barrel, might not be sufficient in terms of amount of lube sticking to the bullet. You would just have to try and see. Johnson's paste floor wax also works good to tumble lube once melted. Otherwise you will have to get a proper lube to fill the lube grooves. The easiest thing to do is use a lube sizer, from RCBS or Lyman, but you can pan lube (dip in melted lube) then run through the lee sizer which is much cheaper.

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  Pearyw

  February 13, 2009 05:34

  I lube 405 gr cast bullets for my 45-70 Marlin with Lee liquid alox and it works well.

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  Pearyw

  February 13, 2009 05:38

  I lube 405 gr cast bullets for my 45-70 Marlin with Lee liquid alox and it works well.

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  budman46

  February 15, 2009 05:25

  bait dunker,
  
  if your lee 500 grain bullet loaded without sizing fits the chamber and is loaded to middle loads you won't have a problem, it'll swage down just fine, or use liquid alox and lee's push thru sizer.
  
  i retired a veteran rcbs lubri-sizer after using the liquid alox/push-thru sizer system. i find it faster with no leading even after thousands of 1800fps, gas-check bullet loads in various military surplus arms.
  
  budman46

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