Press Strength???

Axman

Axman

Active Member
Today I was sizing some 45M LBT GC bullets in a Lee cast press with a Lee push thru sizing die.
The bullets were cast in 2008 out of w-wts water dropped and are .461” in diameter and I was sizing them with the gas check on down to .451”.

This was for paper patching back up to .458” for a friend who wants some for testing.
Imperial sizing die lube was slathered on bullets and pushed thru die with both hands and a good bit of force on handle.
Afterwards I figured why not try the Herters C frame press I had lying around.

I got the bullet started into die and I couldn’t get it to move very far at all.
Back to the Lee to push on thru.
The next try was with the A2 that I’ve been trying to sell lately.
My bench is heavy but not bolted down and I couldn’t budge a bullet thru and the bench was rocking good.
So I went to shop and clamped it to my heavy duty table and hung onto handle and finally got it thru the A2.

It’s an extreme example of sizing I know and not scientific but the Lee was far easier than the A2.
My only other press I had for years was a Lyman Crusher 2 now gone but it did them fine also.
Here’s the bullet after sizing.
Thanks
Jim
 

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Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
There is a sweet spot for screwing the die into the press. I find that having it a bit higher makes a difference. I want the sizing to occur when the press is at max leverage.
I bet Keith could explain it a bit better
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
When I need to size bullets more than a thou or two I find it beneficial to put them in the toaster oven at 400 degrees for 20 min or so then size them when room temp. Especially when the cast bullets have sat around for a few weeks/months and hardened. This seems to anneal them and make the sizing process much easier.
 
JonB

JonB

Halcyon member
I used a Lee classic cast for swaging jacketed bullets. I can tell you from my experience that Lee's design has "much" better mechanical advantage then the Herter's Super Model 3 ...(a "C" shaped press, I've had 3 of them). I believe BTSniper (who sold me the Swaging dies) experimented with several reloading presses for swaging and broke a few of them and deduced Lee's design had most of them beat. He also drilled a couple extra holes in the Lee link plates, to gain some more leverage, then pushed it too hard (he is a big fellow), and BAM!!! ...he broke the Lee.
 
Axman

Axman

Active Member
Brad said:
There is a sweet spot for screwing the die into the press. I find that having it a bit higher makes a difference. I want the sizing to occur when the press is at max leverage.
I bet Keith could explain it a bit better
Click to expand...
That makes sense, I had the die all the way in.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
oh yeah you want it up higher for sure.

i was showing Littlegirl this same thing a couple of years ago when we were swaging the rims off some 22 cases.

she was literally laying on the press handle at one point working up a sweat.
i was like let me try, screwed the die up a few cranks and one handed them, turned the die back in and said you been lounging around too much or what?
she tried again with the same results, and i started laughing,, she knew she'd been had at that point and was like whatthehell?
so i showed her how the leverage worked and backed the die out a bit at a time till they just stroked on through like a thin piece of brass covered in lanolin should.
 
Mitty38

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
Ye I have been guilty of producing a shiny bullet with the lip around the bottom a few times.
Generally..
I tend to size down twice if it's over . 002 or more.
I had a .311 bullet that needed powder coated adding another .002 to the mix. Making it .313.
Needed to be sized down to .309 to shoot right in the Savage.

So would size them down to .310 using Dawn Dish liquid for lube.
Washed them with water. Let dry. Pre warmed them to make sure all the moisture dissipated.
Then powder coated. Afterwards taking them down to .309.
Worked out pretty good.
 
Rick

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Mitty38 said:
Ye I have been guilty of producing a shiny bullet with the lip around the bottom a few times.
Generally..
I tend to size down twice if it's over . 002 or more.
I had a .311 bullet that needed powder coated adding another .002 to the mix. Making it .313.
Needed to be sized down to .309 to shoot right in the Savage.

So would size them down to .310 using Dawn Dish liquid for lube.
Washed them with water. Let dry. Pre warmed them to make sure all the moisture dissipated.
Then powder coated. Afterwards taking them down to .309.
Worked out pretty good.
Click to expand...

:headscratch:No wonder I don't powder coat. :rolleyes::eek:
 
Rick

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Unique case lube.jpg
When I am sizing without lubing, I keep just a little of this on my fingers, that's plenty when you pick up the bullet to place it in the die, don't roll the bullet in it, just what's on your fingers. No need to wash off or rinse. But again, I don't powder coat.
 
Mitty38

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
When I am not powder coating, or lubing right away. Or if I am taking a bigger bite then .001, say like .002, and want to slick up a powder coated bullet.
I like to use my STP/Vaseline/Wax pan lube mixed with a little lanolin thrown in. Just heat some up. Pour some in a jar lid. Add a little lanolin to make it a little more buttery then waxy.
Then do the same as you with the Hornady stuff. Just a little kept on the fingers.
Makes them run thru slicker then snot.
Do the same with brass when I don't feel like spraying down and letting dry. Like when I am building a load. And just need a few pieces done, to get me back out to the range.
 
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