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Old April 8, 2016, 09:15 AM   #1
stubbicatt
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Tale of cheap SOB

I guess each has his own reasons for getting into bullet casting. For myself, mostly, I got started to feed BPCR years ago, and stay with it now to feed my Schuetzen rifle. Of course, since I'm already doing that, I guess I'd may as well cast for my revolvers.

I sold much of my equipment 15 years ago or so when my cancer metastasized and it didn't look like there were any long term prospects. So the BPCR and the Lyman sizer and die collection went down the pike.

So now I am casting for a 30-30, a gas checked RCBS mould. Really, an outstanding product, the RCBS mould. But rather than either buy a dedicated Lyman or RCBS lubesizer, or get a sizing die and top punch for my Star, I determined that I would go cheap on this one, try something different, and I bought a Lee push thru sizer, in the spirit of experimentation and innovation.

Cripes.

I tried the tumble lubing, and it just doesn't do it for me. From all accounts, it works just fine, but to look at it, with that thin veneer of alox all over the bullets, it just can't work... I know the Wright brothers proved that heavier than air flight is possible, but when I look at it, I just don't see it! So, scratch the possibilities of tumble lubing. Toss those bullets back in the melt and start over. Besides, they smell bad.

Now I am struggling to figure out "proper" grease-in-the-grooves-lubing. I tried pan lubing, but never was able to successfully figure out a suitable "kake cutter," so moth balled that tedious operation. Now I'm simply heating lube, and dipping bullets in the lube, and then running them through the Lee sizer die. This is less tedious than pan lubing, but certainly more tedious than running them thru a lubrisizer of some sort.

The tedium of lubing and sizing this way has me reconsidering a proper die and top punch for the Star. There's a fellow who goes by the moniker Lathesmith at cast bullets website who has made other dies for me which have worked out well. His dies and top punch setups will set me back about $65 or so, so not a princely sum, but still I want this Lee setup to work out for me!

Question is, what will I do with the Lee sizer when I finally give up on experimentation and get the right setup for my Star?

The angst a cheap SOB will put himself through to save a buck. LOL.

Last edited by stubbicatt; April 8, 2016 at 09:23 AM.
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Old April 8, 2016, 09:32 AM   #2
reddog81
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Powder Coating was the answer for this cheap SOB.

All you need, in addition to the sizing dies, is an old Cool Whip container, powder coat, some black airsoft BB’s and a toaster oven.

I use the LEE push through sizers.
The powder coat can be bought for around $15 per pound and will coat about 2,000 bullets(an estimate)
Airsoft BB’s are like $10 and will last forever.
Cool Whip costs under $2.
My toaster oven costs $40, but they can be found for cheaper.

There are a number of threads on castboolits.com that explain the process in detail. That forum has a whole section dedicated to Coatings and Alternatives.

Yesterday I shot 60 9mm rounds and 200 38 special rounds without a speck of lead in my barrels.
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Old April 8, 2016, 10:21 AM   #3
stubbicatt
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Forgive me Red Dog. I have only heard good reports on powder coating. It just doesn't interest me. I'm glad you have found something that works for you. So far, using the right alloy, the right size, the right propellant, the right lube, and achieving the right velocities has left me with good, accurate, cartridges, and a clean bore, without leading.

I really have no desire to add to the complexity of my hobby. As they say, "excellence is the enemy of good enough," and shooting greasers is "good enough" for me.

Thanks for the suggestion though.
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Old April 8, 2016, 10:45 AM   #4
reddog81
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I thought you were looking for something cheap... Powder coating is no more complex than using a lubesizer from what I can tell.

I guess if you already have the Star lubesizer the additional cost isn't as bad as starting from scratch.

Using some esoteric formula to determine the right alloy, right propellant, right lube, correct velocity and correct size seems exponentially more complex than powder coating and sizing.

I probably would have gone the lubesizer route myself, but once I tried powder coating I was hooked.

Good Luck on your endeavor.
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Old April 8, 2016, 03:14 PM   #5
Mike / Tx
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I hear you on the pan lubing. I tried that for a few months with a couple of calibers and, well to keep it clean, I just didn't like it.

I did purchase a Lyman and Saeco sizer with a few dies to go with each in my most used calibers. I did this to lube mainly revolver bullets that I was pushing to top end and it is far easier and cleaner to install Carnuba Red with them.

Then since I already had a bunch of Lee sizers I tried the PC route. To be completely honest, it to me isn't much more than pan lubeing, other than the mess associated with it. I do get great results from it but I simply cannot bring myself to coat more than a couple hundred bullets at a time and those are ones that easily stand on their own. I did up some rifle bullets that I stood up on some mesh screen, but I could only get 30 or so in at a time on my screen so I blew those off as well.

I think your on the right track, $35'ish or so for the proper die to lube with and your on your way. No mess or fuss. I myself probably should have gotten a Star sizer to begin with but, I'm one of those cheap folks too.
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Old April 10, 2016, 01:33 AM   #6
chris in va
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PC here too. I did it to save on gas check costs and the mess of tumble lubing. I also can now use them in my 9mm with polygonal barrel, and no more lube smoke.
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