Need .40 Bullets Sized

[Westwindmike]

A friend just gave me some lead boolits for my 40 S&W project, but they are "as cast" and a bit oversize (.405).

Does anyone around Murfreesboro have a Lee push through bullet sizer die in .401-.402 that I could borrow for like 10 minutes?

Just need to size these 100 boolits so I can load them. After that, I will probably just buy commercial cast boolits as I don't want another caliber to cast for.

Thanks!

 

[Westwindmike]

Found one.

It seems to be sizing them at .402. When I load a dummy round, they chamber fine in the gun but will not go fully into the cartridge gauge. Factory round passes "plunk test". So, are my boolits too big?

[Jct1911]

Gun barrel is the cartridge gauge, load to the gun, not the gauge. I've always sized .401 though.

[Westwindmike]

The bullet sizer I got probably should have been .401 but after getting the rust out of it, it was .402. I've never had any trouble shooting up to .003 over bore though. Will test fire some tomorrow.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Yeah, with cast if it will chamber it will be safe so long as the rest of the load is safe. I have shot .313" cast Bullets in a .300"/.308" bore without issue.

[Westwindmike]

Well, I got the bullets sized and then broke the decapping pin on the Lee sizing die. Been using Lee for 25 years and never broke one. This one was in a used die I bought and was frozen and would not move. Sent it to Lee and hope to get it back soon. Want to try some of my reloads in the KT Sub 40 I just traded for.

[Omega]

Well, I got the bullets sized and then broke the decapping pin on the Lee sizing die. Been using Lee for 25 years and never broke one. This one was in a used die I bought and was frozen and would not move. Sent it to Lee and hope to get it back soon. Want to try some of my reloads in the KT Sub 40 I just traded for.

I've never broke a lee pin, they always pop up even when I missed a berdan primed case.  Keep us posted on Lee's CS.

[Westwindmike]

I've never broke a lee pin, they always pop up even when I missed a berdan primed case.  Keep us posted on Lee's CS.

I never have either. The pin/collar was rusted badly and even soaking in Kroil couldn't get it loose.

Lee should receive it today. Maybe they will send me a new die.

[Westwindmike]

Just to follow up on the sizing die. Lee couldn't get it apart either so they sent me a new die for the cost of shipping. Great customer service!

[noylj]

1) My tests over the years has always shown that as-cast and unsized are as accurate or more accurate (almost always more accurate then sized bullets).

2) If they fit the gun, they are good to go. Case gage is for those who like their toys.

3) I assume they are not lubricated, so if you HAVE to size them, get a Lee sizing kit and LLA and go town. Per Lee, "For cast bullets, you want to select a sizing kit to be .001" larger than groove diameter." What they should say is AT LEAST 0.001" larger. Too bad they don't offer 0.402 or 0.403" sizers.

[Omega]

2 hours ago, noylj said:

1) My tests over the years has always shown that as-cast and unsized are as accurate or more accurate (almost always more accurate then sized bullets).

2) If they fit the gun, they are good to go. Case gage is for those who like their toys.

3) I assume they are not lubricated, so if you HAVE to size them, get a Lee sizing kit and LLA and go town. Per Lee, "For cast bullets, you want to select a sizing kit to be .001" larger than groove diameter." What they should say is AT LEAST 0.001" larger. Too bad they don't offer 0.402 or 0.403" sizers.

1) Not sure I've seen the same results at least with self cast bullets, purchased ones maybe, because when they advertise.401 you usually get .401.

2) Sort of, the plunk test is as good as a gauge but a gauge is an invaluable tool for cases such as the 300 Blk and others which you form yourself. 

3) Many bullets sold are already lubricated, you almost have to request unlubricated ones if you want to do your own.  And if you require.402 or .403 just open up a .401 it's easy enough to do:

There are a bunch more vids out there .

[noylj]

On 21 May 2016 at 5:58 PM, noylj said:

1) My tests over the years has always shown that as-cast and unsized are as accurate or more accurate (almost always more accurate then sized bullets).

2) If they fit the gun, they are good to go. Case gage is for those who like their toys.

3) I assume they are not lubricated, so if you HAVE to size them, get a Lee sizing kit and LLA and go to town. Per Lee, "For cast bullets, you want to select a sizing kit to be .001" larger than groove diameter." What they should say is AT LEAST 0.001" larger. Too bad they don't offer 0.402 or 0.403" sizers.

I think your response shows a lack of understanding of what I was trying to write--a failure to communicate on my part, probably. I have no real argument about your comments, except I am not sure where they came from based on referencing my post.

>1) Not sure I've seen the same results at least with self cast bullets, purchased ones maybe, because when they advertise.401 you usually get .401.

What does this have to do with my post? I was mentioning that when I tested my own cast bullets, sized versus as-cast and hand-lubed, several decades ago, the as-cast were more accurate and I went and got slightly over-size sizing dies for my Lubri-Sizer, then went to pan-lubing and then tumble lubing and never regretted it.

I have ordered as-cast bullets just for this reason, but I am now old and don't really care about going to the trouble any more, so I just make sure they are large enough (note: if you get leading with commercial bullets—almost always because they are too hard and use lousy lube—simply very lightly tumble lube in LLA or 45/45/10).

>2) Sort of, the plunk test is as good as a gauge but a gauge is an invaluable tool for cases such as the 300 Blk and others which you form yourself. 

Reference was to worry that while the rounds chambered in the gun just fine, they weren't passing the gage. For me, chambering in the gun is what counts and a case gage is just a tool and the poster was worrying about a non-issue.

And I have formed cases for wildcats and NEVER needed or thought about a case gage. 

The main thing with the plunk test is that most folks don't do the plunk test for chambering problems:

Take the barrel out of the gun. Drop rounds in until you find one that won't chamber (I assume you could use the gage for this and find your problem also, but I don't have a gage). Take that round and "paint" the bullet and case black with Magic Marker, Sharpee or other marker. Drop round in barrel (or gage) and rotate it back-and-forth a few times.

Remove and inspect the round:

1) Scratches in the ink on bullet--COL is too long

2) Scratches in the ink on edge of the case mouth--insufficient crimp

3) Scratches in the ink just below the case mouth--too much crimp, you're crushing the case

4) Scratches in the ink on case at base of bullet--bullet seated crooked due to insufficient case expansion (not case mouth flare) or improper seating stem fit

5) Scratches in the ink on case just above extractor groove--case bulge not removed during sizing. May need a bulge buster.

>3) Many bullets sold are already lubricated, you almost have to request unlubricated ones if you want to do your own.  And if you require.402 or .403 just open up a .401 it's easy enough to do:

As above, I have done so. As far as I know, ALL lead bullets sold are lubed or coated unless you specifically request as-cast.

Also, I haven't watched your video, but I would not open up any sizing die without a lathe and a good machinist. I am not and I don't have, so I wouldn't do it. Since as-cast is the way I went, and tumble lubing works great, I don't have to go to ANY trouble. I suggest you try it and see for yourself. I've at least tried both and did actual testing. YMMV, but that is why testing is so useful.

Edited August 5, 2016 by noylj

[Omega]

In #1, I was also referencing my results.  I almost always do better, accuracy wise, sizing my cast bullets to just slightly overbore.  I do sometimes get good as-cast results due to getting the alloy mix just right, but most times I need to size them so they can perform the way I want them too.  All this is for rifle by-the-way, I am not as critical of my pistol rounds due to the short distance they need to travel and wider margin of error I need as compared to hunting.

As for #2, not sure what you are getting at as we mostly agree.  The gauge is definitely NOT needed as I have done your method, more or less, many times.  But the cut-away gauge I purchased for the 300 BLK and .277 WLV is so much better and easier to see where you need to adjust your case processing at.  With the 300 Blk, I was not getting down far enough with the sizing die at first so the case was not loading properly.  Could of I done it with a sharpie, sure but it would of been a PITA to do that with every case that didn't load right.  With the gauge, if it passes I load it, if it doesn't I put it aside to troubleshoot later.  I had converted a few K worth of LC cases, and what I surmise is that the ones fired from a SAW needed a little bit more TLC to get them sized properly.

#3, watch the vid.  While you can use a lathe I suppose, it is really not necessary.  It is a very simple process and I have done a few because Lee does not offer the specific size I need (unless I order custom).  As for lube, I've tried most methods and they all work fine for the most part.  But I have gone to Powder Coating due to me storing my bullets for awhile sometimes and they either end up getting dust or lint up into the lube or just plain drying out.  With PC I first tried the tumble method, which worked ok, but using the PC gun is so much better aesthetically speaking anyway as both methods work about the same as far as performance goes.