problems with sizing 309 cast in Lee 309 sizer

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  • Last Post 27 June 2011
biddulph posted this 13 August 2010

Hi all,

I have been having problems putting the gas checks onto .309 lyman bullets with my Lee sizer in 309. The point of the next bullet pushes into the centre of the bullet already in the sizer to the degree that it makes a massive indent to the extent it half takes the edge of the gas check away from the bullets edge.

Has anyone had this problem? I have tried with success using a bullet that I have cut the point off to push the next one up but its a pain in the butt!

 

What about getting a lengthened plunger that pushes the bullet all the way through?

 

your help, as always, most appreciated.

 

cheers

 

James

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giorgio de galleani posted this 14 August 2010

I have found that my bullets love the least possible sizing,I have an old Lyman H&I die marked 311 that sizes them 312 (I discovered that measuring the sized bullets)

You are forcing your bullets through a too small die, making too much effort if you get gas check deformation.

.309 might be too small diameter for 30 cal rifles (30WCF leveractions excluded) the risk is leadin if the bullet does not seal the troat.

What bullets are you using?

Lyman 311332 or 311466?

I would push 'em through a 311 die with a cylindrical rod or just lube ,and not size in a lubrisizer.

Often in the reloading game ,if an operation requires too much strenght,you are making a wrong operation.

Veer on their flanks and attack them on the rear.

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cityboy posted this 14 August 2010

biddulph wrote: Hi all,

I have been having problems putting the gas checks onto .309 lyman bullets with my Lee sizer in 309. The point of the next bullet pushes into the centre of the bullet already in the sizer to the degree that it makes a massive indent to the extent it half takes the edge of the gas check away from the bullets edge.

Has anyone had this problem? I have tried with success using a bullet that I have cut the point off to push the next one up but its a pain in the butt!

 When I need to push a bullet out of the Lee sizer, I balance a section on 1/4” wood dowel on the punch and raise the ram.

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curator posted this 08 September 2010

I size my bullets with the Lee die by first sizing nose first without the gas check (no lube). I then reverse the bullet and put the check on and size base first. Then the gas check is tight to the base and the bullet is sized concentrically. Done this way, the checks don't fall of on their way to the targer resulting in fliers and they are marginally more accurate.

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grouch posted this 09 September 2010

I don't have any trouble with mine - it's only a matter of adjustng the die to the right depth and the plunger provided will push the bullet through the die. Grouch

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corerf posted this 09 September 2010

The checks are not seating fully.... IMHO. If the check is on the base of a bullet and the bullet base is square, even without a crimp on the check, you should NOT be able to use a pencil shaped object and cause the check move by pressing the pencil into the center of the check.

My checks SNAP on each bullet base. Good luck in me even getting one off once they are on. They become married.

Are the bases of your bullets square or are they concave? If concave in any way, then the problem you are having is coming from that.

Possible that you have TOO big a bullet also. If your using the Lee sizer to knock 4 thou off the bullet, thats alot of upward force. No sizer can handle large sizing operations without deformation of something. You might (if this is the case), run a 311 first, then a 309 sizer. Even Lyman and RCBS sizers will struggle with a 4 thou operation, but their process won't allow any check deform, only nose deform and bumping.

Is any of this bearing witness? Shooting in the dark a bit here but.. Maybe it will stir the pot a bit.

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tturner53 posted this 09 September 2010

I think I saw something about using case sizing lube on the bullets for a deal like this. Maybe something water soluble to wash off easily after sizing.

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canalupo posted this 09 September 2010

these may sound like silly questions but.....

Are the gas checks the proper size?

and Is the bullet a gas check type?

If the gas check is to big it will cause the type of dent you are mentioning as it passes through the die. If the bullet base is not formed properly for a gas check it would also cause similar dent because edge of check would drag on sides of sizing die.

I size .311 lee tl bullets and add gas check with sizing die, however I put a coat of tumble lube on the bullets before sizing then place gas check and size. I then recoat with tumble lube and it seems to shoot well in my 30 caliber rifles and my 7.62 Nagant.

Good Luck

Bob D

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Wayne S posted this 09 September 2010

Did you slug the  throat of the intended rifle ??

What is the “as cast” dia. of your bullets.

Are you going to use a “tumble lube” mix ??

You should be sizing to the next full .001 of what your throat measures ; ie, throat= .3095, size .310

Useing  a “tumble lube"  mix, try seating the GC by hand, as stated above,

 if everything is wight with the casting gods the GC should smap on and stay.  A good project for while watching TV,  I have 2  3” x  5” 1/8” steel plates, one is drilled to allow several different size bullets & GC's to fit through the holes,ie; .226, .287, .311,ect and a piece of 3/4” piece of plywood that sits on my lap,  the GC's that don't snap on get checked for straightness then given a tap into the proper size hole.

The bullets are then either TL if I plan to shoot them AS CAST, or  lubed in a lubsizer with an H&I die as close to AS CAST as possible if I plan to size them down .004 {.314 down to .310>

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bandmiller2 posted this 27 June 2011

It would probibly help if you screwed the Lee die down further.One bullet should pass through the sizing part of the die and rest in the loose part before anouther is sized.In outher words push the bullet through the restriction with the punch not the nose of the next bullet. Frank C.

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leadhead308 posted this 27 June 2011

There are some good suggestions, not knowing how far down the sizer is screwed , I would try that first for sure. Raise punch all the way to top of press stroke, then screw sizer down to punch, touching it. I size C-309-170gr-F , LEE mold and Sizer , linotype coated in LEE liquid ALOX lube (dried over night) , then run through sizer adding gascheck. I don't recoat , not sure if that is a mistake, but they seem to shoot well.

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