Sizing for cast bullets

[Jalisco]

I'm about to start casting for my .32WCF but I'm not sure which sizing die to get. My Ubertis slug at .305 bore and .311 for the grooves. The mould is meant to drop a bullet .313. Should I size .311 or go .001 over to .312?
Any advice would be welcome.

Kind regards,
Jalisco

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Are you sure about the measurements?  I thought standard for the .32-40 and .32 Special was .321.  My old mould drops wheel-weight metal  at .322.

If you are correct, try a regular .308-.309 mould and DON'T size them.

I try to avoid sizing rifle bullets.  I used bullets .002 to .003 over groove dia., and quite sucessfully.  I lube them with my fingers, 'cause I think pan-lubing is too messy.

[Jalisco]

Yes, positive about the measurements; .32-40 is completely different to .32WCF.
After reading comments on a few different forums I've ordered a Saeco mould .313 for my guns. now I just have to decide on a lubrisizer! It's looking like a Magma Star at the moment, mainly because of only having to push it through one way (saves a lot of time), though it's not cheap!

Thanks to all!

Jalisco 

[Noz]

Maybe I'm confused (it has happened) but I thought the 32WCF was the 32-20.

The 32-40 is another beast completely. Larger than and competetive with the 30-30.

[Ranch 13]

I'm about to start casting for my .32WCF but I'm not sure which sizing die to get. My Ubertis slug at .305 bore and .311 for the grooves. The mould is meant to drop a bullet .313. Should I size .311 or go .001 over to .312?
Any advice would be welcome.

Kind regards,
Jalisco

  .313 would be the place to start. Be sure and give those thin lil slope shouldered cases a good flare, or you might crunch more of them than you'ld like while seating the bullet.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Noz;  And maybe I was confused!  Sorry, but it helps to fill the ewaves, I spose.

[Wills Point Pete]

 Assuming that your chamber throat will take a .313 bullet, you would be fine with not even sizing the bullets, they'll swage down two thou easily. Now .312 would also work and if you are using full loads of real black and your bullets are soft, say no harder than 1-20, you could go down to .309 and the kick in the butt from the black powder will bump them up.

We don't really need to lose too much sleep over details like this until the ranges stretch out way past Fort Mudge. Your boolit needs to be small enough to fit the throat, not so large it sticks in there if we need to eject without shooting. The harder the boolit, the more critical the sizing as far as it being to small.

[Jalisco]

Thanks for all the help!
I'll try them as cast using 50/50 of WW / pure lead and see if they fit, otherwise I'll size to .312.

Jalisco

[Springfield Slim]

Buy the Star, you won't regret it. I have 3. I personally would size to .312 with that gun.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I WISH I could afford a Star!

Slim ... wanna sell one, used? 

Know of any used Saecos at a fair price? (My 2nd choice)

[Springfield Slim]

Actually I just sold a used one. I bought it from another forum, guess he didn't need it or just didn't know what it was worth. It looked a little old but I boiled all the old lube out, cleaned it and repainted it. Sometimes you just run into deals but not too often with the Stars'.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Actually I just sold a used one. I bought it from another forum, guess he didn't need it or just didn't know what it was worth. It looked a little old but I boiled all the old lube out, cleaned it and repainted it. Sometimes you just run into deals but not too often with the Stars'.

So I've noticed!  They're so good few want to get rid of them.

This is my NORMAL luck, by the way ... "I wish I'd known" ... etc. 

[Howdy Doody]

I WISH I could afford a Star!

Slim ... wanna sell one, used? 

Know of any used Saecos at a fair price? (My 2nd choice)

Pard, I wish I could own a Star too.

But, what has me curious is why you want a Saeco lubersizer. I have one myself, it wasn't expensive to buy, but the dies are. I often felt I should have gone with RCBS or Lyman since they use the same dies. Then again, I load some oddball sized bullets for different purposes and I don't think something like a .455 and .381 diameter is available for the Lyman/RCBS. That is my only reason for going with the Saeco and I wish I had gotten the bench clamp for it, but there is always Christmas.

Yeah, I would love to have a Star. 

[Ranch 13]

Not to worry about oddball sizes for the Lyman and RCBS sizers, Buffalo Arms has a pretty big list of additional sizes available.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Pard, I wish I could own a Star too.

But, what has me curious is why you want a Saeco lubersizer. I have one myself, it wasn't expensive to buy, but the dies are. I often felt I should have gone with RCBS or Lyman since they use the same dies. Then again, I load some oddball sized bullets for different purposes and I don't think something like a .455 and .381 diameter is available for the Lyman/RCBS. That is my only reason for going with the Saeco and I wish I had gotten the bench clamp for it, but there is always Christmas.

Yeah, I would love to have a Star. 

So you don't think the SAECO is enough better than the RCBS or Lyman to warrant the expense?  I'm not educated enough to know a lot a differences - I thought the SAECOs were LOTS better - I don't mind savin' money, if I could go with the cheaper ones!

Slim e-muled me to a link for a guy sellin' a STAR, but I can't afford it right now.  DANG IT!!!

[Hell-Er High Water]

SHB,

I have been using a Lyman 450 since the mid 1960's and have no regrets.  Bullets from this sizer/lubricator in 45-70 have won two CAS long range state championships.  As a matter of fact I now own three of them, one for each of the three different lubes that I use for different purposes.  Two of them were purchased used, one locally and one off of eBay.

Lyman and RCBS dies fit both brands and, as mentioned above, Buffalo Arms has a good selection of 'non-standard' dies for these.

If you get either a Lyman or an RCBS you should have good results with either and at a reasonable price.

Just my two bits worth.

HHW

[Howdy Doody]

So you don't think the SAECO is enough better than the RCBS or Lyman to warrant the expense?  I'm not educated enough to know a lot a differences - I thought the SAECOs were LOTS better - I don't mind savin' money, if I could go with the cheaper ones!

Slim e-muled me to a link for a guy sellin' a STAR, but I can't afford it right now.  DANG IT!!!

Actually, my comments are due to the fact that I find lubersizing real drudgery actually. I bought the Saeco about 5 or 6 years ago when I started in casting. I would have bought a Lyman or RCBS, but at the time they didn't have the 455 die available if they even have one now and Saeco did. I pan lube most of the stuff I shoot for CAS and size with a Lee on a Lyman turret press. It goes much faster for me that way. I just am not into sitting there and lubersizing a 1000 bullets. I do it, but it is out of necessity not love. 
I could really rock and roll with a Star, but it will remain on my wish list.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Well, NOW I'm all corn-fuzed!

I figured a lubrisizer of ANY type would be the best way.  Right now, I'm getting bullets "as cast" at .454" - .455".  I like 'em fine at that, as I was aiming for .453" - .4545"  and they shoot well.  I have one of the little Lee units and I bought the .454" sizer, but it seems to be closer to .4525" - .4535" and according to them, that's within their tolerances.  (For their prices, I understand.  I used to be a machinist apprentice and I have an appreciation for manufacturing tolerances.)  SO - I'm actually pretty happy with the sizing, either with the little Lee I have, or simply as cast.  That leaves the lubing.  THIS is what I hoped to streamline and make easier and quicker with a lubrisizer of some type!  Right now, I'm pan lubing and find it SO tedious that it is practically intolerable!  I used to have NO problems going in and loading  for 6 months to a year at a time!  Now, what with casting, then lubing - well ... I have actually considered going back to smokeyless, AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT!!!  I LOVE shooting BP!  It sounds like it's a personal problem I have to work out.  Nobody said it'd be easy!!!   


Using you as an example, Howdy (if I may  ) it sounds like my current method of casting (which while somewhat tedious, I seem to have few problems casting good quantities - in decent time with) as well as pan-lubing may be the best for my abilities AND finances.  Let's face it, less lubrisizer and accessories purchased equals MORE money for primers and BP and therefore more shooting ... and that's GOOD!

Thanks, pards.  It sounds like I have some thinking and long range planning to do, rather than trying to find a good price on equipment I may - or may NOT - need.  I gotta figure out a better, more efficient way of removing the lubed boolits from the lube pan, which is where I'm eating up so much time.  I think I'll try the "refrigeration" techniques some have mentioned - it seems to make the boolit handling phase quicker and easier.

[springfield]

If you are on a budget than just find an old Lyman 45 and go with it until you can get a Star. Mine worked fine, just slow. I now have an Lyman 4500 for a special experiment I am doing, but it doesnt work any better then the old 45 did. And yes, pan lubing is a pain. Worke fine when I was doing just my own bullets, you just have to guess right at the temp of the lube before you push out the bullets. I couldn't make the refrigerator work for me.