Seating cast bullets that are close to the bore

BJung · November 25, 2020, 11:21 AM

Has anyone tried shooting cast bullets that are close to their bore from lands to lands?

I am loading test loads for my 7.7 Arisaka today. The diameter from groove to grove is about .3115 and starting diameter of a finished cast bullet should be .3125. I thought .312 should suffice. I bought a Lee .311 sizer die and have a RCBS .311 plug to flare the case mouth and expand the case neck to .311. But there is no .312, .312, .313.. plug available. Expanding my resizing die to .312 with a .311 sized neck would only swage closer to .311. Writing this, maybe it would swage to .3115 even if the lead is softer than the brass?

My question is, can I get away with a .3110 sized bullet shot in a .3115 bore until I can get a plunger ( only one available is .321" ) and have it machined down to .3125? I'm shooting on Friday. I'm going to try my idea anyway and compare it to later results.

BTW. I have a .309 sizer die and .309 RCBS plunger and the bullet seats very well in the case. The .309 sized bullet slips in the case mouth by hand ( practically falls through ), when sized with the .310 plunger

BJung · November 25, 2020, 11:47 AM

I'm using gas checks so this might work.

ballardw · November 25, 2020, 12:29 PM

When the question is just expanding a neck you might check out: https://leeprecision.com/universal-c...nding-die.html

Geezerbiker · November 25, 2020, 02:36 PM

The good news is that Arisaka rifles have a chromed bore so if you do lead it up, it won't be that hard to clean. At least it wasn't when I did it several years ago.

Tony

BJung · November 25, 2020, 07:34 PM

I was just thinking today, I could size to .311 and then powder coat it, adding .001" and leaving it.

USSR · November 25, 2020, 08:25 PM

FWIW, I have custom expanders made to give me the right amount of neck tension to securely hold the bullet. They work with both Lyman and RCBS dies. In your case, with the Arisaka, you would get a Lyman Type M Die to put it in.

Don

USSR · November 25, 2020, 09:29 PM

And, regarding bullet sizing dies, you have only to go here: https://www.buffaloarms.com/reloadin...izing-dies?p=4.

Don

BJung · November 25, 2020, 10:47 PM

USSR. Just looking at the Buffalo Arms resizing die image and i can't figure out how it works. Is it a mandrel of some sort?

Geezerbiker · November 26, 2020, 07:06 AM

Powder coating sounds like a good solution. Would it be possible to run them thought the process twice to put on a thicker layer of polymer coating?

This is something I planned to do a long time ago but never followed though on. I can't remember the last time I fired one of my Arisaka Rifles.

Tony

USSR · November 26, 2020, 11:14 AM

burbank_jung,

The Lyman and RCBS sizing dies fit in their lubrisizer presses as follows:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010261472?pid=172702

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010234285?pid=458891

The sizing dies are interchangeable between the 2 presses, as they are essentially identical. The Saeco https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010372471?pid=756252 is a whole nother thing and much more expensive. If you are serious about sizing bullets, this is the way to go.

Don

reinert · November 28, 2020, 09:06 AM

burbank_j, if you haven't found your solution yet, this may be of help to you;

http://www.buffaloarms.com/312-strai...van312straight

I ordered one of these for my bpcr needs in .444, and they had it to me in a couple of weeks. Mine was noted as "out of stock," too. The folks at Buffalo Arms are fine folks, shooters all. They will do whatever they can, as quickly as they can to help you out. Call them, they're all fine folks who want to help, and do it very well.

November 25, 2020, 11:21 AM	#1
BJung Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2019 Posts: 773	Seating cast bullets that are close to the bore Has anyone tried shooting cast bullets that are close to their bore from lands to lands? I am loading test loads for my 7.7 Arisaka today. The diameter from groove to grove is about .3115 and starting diameter of a finished cast bullet should be .3125. I thought .312 should suffice. I bought a Lee .311 sizer die and have a RCBS .311 plug to flare the case mouth and expand the case neck to .311. But there is no .312, .312, .313.. plug available. Expanding my resizing die to .312 with a .311 sized neck would only swage closer to .311. Writing this, maybe it would swage to .3115 even if the lead is softer than the brass? My question is, can I get away with a .3110 sized bullet shot in a .3115 bore until I can get a plunger ( only one available is .321" ) and have it machined down to .3125? I'm shooting on Friday. I'm going to try my idea anyway and compare it to later results. BTW. I have a .309 sizer die and .309 RCBS plunger and the bullet seats very well in the case. The .309 sized bullet slips in the case mouth by hand ( practically falls through ), when sized with the .310 plunger

November 25, 2020, 12:29 PM	#3
ballardw Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 1,411	When the question is just expanding a neck you might check out: https://leeprecision.com/universal-c...nding-die.html __________________ -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ All data is flawed, some just less so.

November 25, 2020, 08:25 PM	#6
USSR Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2017 Location: Finger Lakes Region of NY Posts: 1,442	FWIW, I have custom expanders made to give me the right amount of neck tension to securely hold the bullet. They work with both Lyman and RCBS dies. In your case, with the Arisaka, you would get a Lyman Type M Die to put it in. Don __________________ NRA Life Member NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor

November 25, 2020, 09:29 PM	#7
USSR Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2017 Location: Finger Lakes Region of NY Posts: 1,442	And, regarding bullet sizing dies, you have only to go here: https://www.buffaloarms.com/reloadin...izing-dies?p=4. Don __________________ NRA Life Member NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor

November 26, 2020, 11:14 AM	#10
USSR Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2017 Location: Finger Lakes Region of NY Posts: 1,442	burbank_jung, The Lyman and RCBS sizing dies fit in their lubrisizer presses as follows: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010261472?pid=172702 https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010234285?pid=458891 The sizing dies are interchangeable between the 2 presses, as they are essentially identical. The Saeco https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010372471?pid=756252 is a whole nother thing and much more expensive. If you are serious about sizing bullets, this is the way to go. Don __________________ NRA Life Member NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor

November 25, 2020, 11:47 AM	#2
BJung Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2019 Posts: 773	I'm using gas checks so this might work.

November 25, 2020, 02:36 PM	#4
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,908	The good news is that Arisaka rifles have a chromed bore so if you do lead it up, it won't be that hard to clean. At least it wasn't when I did it several years ago. Tony

November 25, 2020, 07:34 PM	#5
BJung Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2019 Posts: 773	I was just thinking today, I could size to .311 and then powder coat it, adding .001" and leaving it.

November 25, 2020, 10:47 PM	#8
BJung Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2019 Posts: 773	USSR. Just looking at the Buffalo Arms resizing die image and i can't figure out how it works. Is it a mandrel of some sort?

November 26, 2020, 07:06 AM	#9
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,908	Powder coating sounds like a good solution. Would it be possible to run them thought the process twice to put on a thicker layer of polymer coating? This is something I planned to do a long time ago but never followed though on. I can't remember the last time I fired one of my Arisaka Rifles. Tony

November 28, 2020, 09:06 AM	#11
reinert Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 646	burbank_j, if you haven't found your solution yet, this may be of help to you; http://www.buffaloarms.com/312-strai...van312straight I ordered one of these for my bpcr needs in .444, and they had it to me in a couple of weeks. Mine was noted as "out of stock," too. The folks at Buffalo Arms are fine folks, shooters all. They will do whatever they can, as quickly as they can to help you out. Call them, they're all fine folks who want to help, and do it very well.