Bullet WON'T Lube

  • 840 Views
  • Last Post 02 November 2018
  • Topic Is Solved
BigMan54 posted this 20 September 2018

I have a really weird Lubing problem with my LYMAN 450 and the LEE 358-158-RF.

 I've lubed & sized countless thousands of the H & G # 50 WC, the RCBS # 38-150 SWC & # 38-158-RN. And the LYMAN #358311, #358495, #358665, #358477, #358429 & #358156GC. Only problem I've ever encountered is a bit of lube getting under the #358156's Gas Checks.

The LEE 358-158-RF is a totally different proposition. The Lube will go every where except into the Lube Groove. I lube/sized 200 #358477 & #358429 last night. Barely any adjustment, with the LEE bullet I kept having to adjust; deeper & deeper. 

Then the Lube filled in under the bullet in a BIG way. It "squirted" lube out every where but the groove. I adjusted the die up & down, and I'm using the correct nose punch. The bullet nose lines up perfectly with the Top Punch. There is a tiny bit of bevel base, no more then a Gas Check "shows". 

I'm using the same LYMAN #358 sizer die that I've used for 40+yrs. 

I can't figure it out. I'm using WLL X-Lox lube. I warmed up the lube with the LYMAN base  heater for about 10 minutes and then unplug it. The Lube flowed perfectly for the 450 SWC's. Then everything went to crap.

BLASTED STUPID BULLET.

.  

 

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.

Attached Files

Order By: Standard | Newest | Votes
OU812 posted this 20 September 2018

Try not using the heater.

Attached Files

David Reiss posted this 20 September 2018

I say it is the operator. Use LA.

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.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

Attached Files

BigMan54 posted this 20 September 2018

I have tried not using the heater. Makes only a bit of difference . 

45/45/10 may be my only solution. But this old Jew doesn't want to dig into the TOASTER OVEN Fund, to buy another LEE sizer die until after I get my Oven. I've probably wasted enough gas money looking for a used one as it would cost to just buy a new one.

And David,

YOU ARE WELCOME ANY TIME TO COME OUT TO THE SUNNY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST AND SHOW ME HOW TO DO IT RIGHT.

We'll sit out on the covered patio and watch the Sun rise up thru the Inland Empire SMOG. Sipping Decaffeinated Coffee & eating our Oatmeal with SWEET & LOW. 

No FLOODS or FIRES this close to the BEACH. And we can go Shooting at one of 2 RIFLE ranges in all of LOS ANGELES COUNTY.  Just a short 2.5 hour drive of 50 miles to get there and no more then 3 hours to get home.

And I've got just a great inflatable bed, queen size for you to sleep on while your here. And you won't even have to sleep alone. My Daughter's CAT will keep you company.

And if you're really lucky you'll get to experience that WONDERFUL SoCal PHENOMENON; an EARTHQUAKE,  probably no more then a 3.8 or if you're really lucky a 4.3.

So come on out. We've got at least another month of summer, before we all have to put on real shoes w/socks and long pants.

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.

Attached Files

OU812 posted this 20 September 2018

Will be willing to drive to Georgia and give it a try. Not much entertainment here, but we can get drunk maybe.

Attached Files

  • Liked by
  • max503
  • MarkinEllensburg
Rich/WIS posted this 20 September 2018

Had a similar problem once, can't remember what bullet, very frustrating.  Problem may be the location of the holes in the sizing die, the bevel and lube groove each line up with a hole and the grease gets under the bevel and hydraulic pressure forces the bullet up, Take the die out of the sizer and compare hole spacing to lube groove spacing, may not provide the answer but will give a visual on the problem.  Have the same mold but haven't cast with it yet.

Attached Files

shastaboat posted this 20 September 2018

I contacted LEE about that particular bullet and suggested they make it a gas check design instead of that little bevel base.  It feeds very well in a .357 Mag lever action but without the gas check you can't load it to over .38 spl velocity.  Notice the other larger diameter bullets in that design are all gas check?   They didn't get it!

Because I said so!

Attached Files

shastaboat posted this 20 September 2018

OH, yeah....you should escape the arm pit of Southern Californica.  There are 49 other States out there.  Some Blue but most are red.

Because I said so!

Attached Files

BigMan54 posted this 20 September 2018

Guys,

I really appreciate all you suggestions.

OU812,

Sounds great !

But I don't think I'll be able to find an Ambulance service willing to transport me that far for a price I can afford. I don't drink, not since 1989. Only piece of Doctor's advice I've ever managed to follow. But I sure would like to watch you. It's been a really long time since I watched a Drunk staggering around, falling down and trying to get back up. It would be almost as funny to watch as it was when I was drinking.

 

Shasta & Rich/WIS,

I'm going to try turning the die around 90degrees. Hope that works. Otherwise it's size only in the Lube/Sizer and then 45/45/10. Or I'll simply wait until I get my Toaster Oven& powdercoat them all.

Shasta,

I would dearly LOVE to move to ARIZONA. But half my Wife's Family still live within a 100miles of us. And they are CLOSE, VERY CLOSE.  And She still hangs out with 5 of her High School Friends, from 45yrs ago. It's a frightening sight & sounds when all 6 are together at once. Dogs HOWL, SMALL CHILDREN & GROWN MEN FLEE IN TERROR.

I'm stuck.

 

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.

Attached Files

Ken T posted this 20 September 2018

I  recently had a similar problem setting up an RCBS H&I die in a Lyman 450.I normally use Lyman dies with a double row of holes.I solved the problem by running the bullet deeper into the die.The bullet in question was a Lyman 446110.

Attached Files

David Reiss posted this 20 September 2018

As we say here, "All hat and no cattle". Oh Rog I pray for you!

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.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

Attached Files

BigMan54 posted this 20 September 2018

Guys,

Again thanks for ALL suggestions.

Ken T.,

I've set that die so deep the lube is flowing over the TOP of the bullet.

David,

The warmth of your feelings are deeply evident in the kindness of your words.

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.

Attached Files

David Reiss posted this 21 September 2018

Rog,

You know what they say, I would not tease you if I didn't like you. You are so much entertainment though, keep it up. Love ya Rog. 

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.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

Attached Files

Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 21 September 2018

ok, ok, i think we need to buy bigman a toaster oven;  ... i'll put in a couple bucks  ... where do we find an honest man with a paypal account to collect and count up  the nickles and dimes ?? ...

... just a minute, there is some guy with a lantern at my door ...

ken

Attached Files

OU812 posted this 21 September 2018

Operator error? Heater causes lube to be too thin...especially in southern California. Causing sizing pin to slip too easily inside die...especially if sizing too slow and not stopping against stop.

Attached Files

OU812 posted this 21 September 2018

Reduce pressure by cranking down less.

Attached Files

BigMan54 posted this 21 September 2018

OU812,

I'm using my last stick of WLL XLOX. This Lube-Sizer has never worked unless the pressure is cranked down tight. Doesn't matter if the die is LYMAN old or new, or RCBS, even if the Lube is 50/50 softened up with a bit of Bear fat. I've used all three with never a problem. 

In fact I've an extra LYMAN .401 size die & #43 T. P. . 

David will just love this story. 

When my former best friend helped himself to whatever he picked & chose from my casting gear, some of the things he took was an RCBS 40-180-FN mold & it's TP.  I had about 1000+ rds of loaded 40S&W ammo at the time, so buying a replacement mold & T.P. wasn't very high on my list of Replacement equipment. A few  years later it came time for a new mold & T.P. . I had to go cheap so I bought a LEE 2cav 401-175-TC with a LYMAN #43 T.P. to go along with it. Stuck the die & T.P. in the mold box, fit just right. Then I had to stop shooting/loading/casting for 10yrs.

Fast forward to early 2016. I was able to start up again. One of the 1st things I bought was a LEE 2cav 401-175-TC & a LYMAN .401 Lube-Sizer die & a #43 T.P. .

Got casting some LYMAN .45 RN & 9mm TC . Added the new LEE 40cal mold to the mix. GEEZ that is a nice smooth casting mold. Then dug out the 3  .44cal LEE 2cav molds my DAD stuck me with years back. But there were 4 mold boxes not 3. The 4th box was a brand new LEE 401-175-TC, with accompanying LYMAN Lube-Sizer die & TP.   

I store all my molds in their boxes on the bottom shelf of one of my gunsafes. The LEE'S were in the back.

So a pair of LEE 2cav molds & 2 sets of Lube dies & TP's.

So anybody need a new in package LYMAN .401 die & #43 TP .?

 

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.

Attached Files

Brodie posted this 22 September 2018

You have not been holding your mouth right.  Turn that frown upside-down.  Jerry Brown the magnificent has decreed that ALL CITIZENS OF THE PRC must be happy--or at least appear to be-- or they will be sumilary fined and all firearms confiscated because they will be declared security risks.

B.E.Brickey

Attached Files

shastaboat posted this 22 September 2018

Try my lube.  50/50 
Beeswax and high speed lithium based wheel bearing grease.  Reminds me some of the old 50/50 beeswax and cosmoline but this stuff really doesn't lead.  Flows well without a heater.  

Because I said so!

Attached Files

Ross Smith posted this 22 September 2018

Probably should keep my mouth shut, but.... I've done this: Are you sure you have the correct lube -size die installed? I'd like to know what the solution is.

Attached Files

Gregor posted this 22 September 2018

Was gifted an older toaster oven to do my powder coating in.  Try the GOODWILL Stores, bought a new hot plate for $5.00 to make my lube outside.  

Attached Files

Show More Posts
Close