Question About Minie Balls Sticking in Sizer

[VMI88]

Thanks to all for the assistance - after cleaning/lubing the sizer and using a better fitting plunger I'm able to get the bullets through without deforming them. However, sizing down .003" does seem to be at the maximum range of possibility since there isn't much left of the grease rings afterward.

Eggman, you make a great point - is anyone making an old style Minie ball that casts somewhere around .573 or even a little smaller? I'm not a competition shooter so I'm more interested in an original style bullet even if it's a little under optimum size.

[Maillemaker]

I had the exact same problem trying to size some Sharps bullets a month or so ago.

I initially tried putting some 3-in-1 oil on a bullet and pushing it through. Believe it or not, this actually made it worse.

I then smeared some high pressure grease on a bullet, and it went through with ease. And all subsequent bullets went through fine with no additional lube.

Steve

[Hal]

I lube my bullets with Hornady "One Shot" case lube. The paste type, not the spray-on kind. It comes in a little flat can very much like shoe polish, and the consistency is very much like shoe polish. Just a tiny amount on your thumb and forefinger will lube them well enough just through handling them and you can do probably 6-8 before needing to put more on your fingers. The same applies to sizing modern cases, but I find it does a great job when sizing cast bullets.

And....I wholeheartedly agree with others about getting a reloading press. There are some pretty inexpensive ones out there that are a C-frame type that would be just fine for resizing bullets. The C-frame makes for easy access and visibility. I wouldn't want to small base full length resize 30-06 cases on it, but for light work like resizing bullets, the open front would probably be an asset, not a liability. And like I said, they are pretty inexpensive.

[Bruce Cobb 1723V]

For years Jerry Harmon made them that size. I would suggest asking for one of the sizes you want here. He made hand sizers and lubrisizers too. If not, ask Tom Crone to make one up.