Sizer press suggestions

[BLakatos]

I am wanting to upgrade the way I size bullets. I am currently using a push through sizer with a wooden dowel in a drill press.
At the current time I am only sizing minie balls. However, I?d like the option of possibly sizing other sizes.
I was considering getting a commercial sizer. However, I?m not wanting to lube the bullets each time they are sized.
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance, Brian

[Maillemaker]

I am a huge fan of Tom Crone for sizing dies. He makes push-through sizers and he makes ones that will fit in a simple single-stage press. These do not lube; they are only sizers.

Now that Lee has abandoned the custom sizing die market for anything over .50, Tom Crone is about your only option.

I do not recommend the sizing dies sold by North East Trading Company. I tried 2 of them. I believe they are manufactured wrong. I had heard there were some that were just made wrong, but I tried two of them and they both had the same problem: Rather than a gentle transition from the entry bore to the sizing bore, they have a massive chamfer. Basically, it looks like they drilled with a drill from one end to make the entry bore, and then drilled through with a smaller drill to make the sizing bore. So you have a step/chamfer that looks like a drill bit point angle that transitions from one bore to the other. This horribly mangles bullets When you try to push them through the sizer. I also don't see how you can get concentricity/centering if you are pushing a shouldered bullet through them.

Tom Crone does not do computers. Phone is 301-473-5699.

If you want to lube and size at the same time, the Lyman Lubrisizer works well enough with S&S Firearms sizing dies, but it's messy. Lube tends to squirt out the bottom. But I use it for sizing and lubing RCBS Hodgdon bullets.

Steve

[Joe Heatwole 8174v]

I use Lyman Lubrisizers for all my bullets. They do squirts some lube out the bottom over time but not in large amounts. I have two and they work very well. And you can size without lubing if you want. I have tried other methods and I think this works best for me.

[bobanderson]

If your focus is skirmishing, and using only one or two diameters, it's hard to ignore the simple steps of mixing a basic bees wax based lube, pan lubing and push through sizing. Remember that many bullets shoot best just as they fall out of the mould. In that case, your sizer die is really only a lube wiper.

In my case, I load a lot of different calibers. I have a lube recipe, using Neutrogena soap and other ingredients, that casts well into lubrisizer sticks and does a great job controlling black powder fouling year round. I've also made my own sizer dies for Lyman, RCBS, Lee and Star lube sizers. Not bragging here, just illustrating how involved it can get. The benefits for me are improvements in fouling control and accuracy across a wide range of firearms. I like tinkering and working with my hands, plus learning to use metalworking tools.

[BLakatos]

At this point in time, my main purpose will be for muskets. To be honest, I?m not a fan of preluding bullets, I?d rather lube once I?ve loaded them in to tubes. However, I would be nice to have that option if I wanted it.

[PoorJack]

At this point in time, my main purpose will be for muskets. To be honest, I?m not a fan of preluding bullets, I?d rather lube once I?ve loaded them in to tubes. However, I would be nice to have that option if I wanted it.

I'm with Mailemaker on this one. Get some sizing dies from Tom Crone. Since I was already into reloading smokeless centerfire, I had several single stage presses. One got repurposed into being the "sizing" press. It's one of the old cheapo "O" frame presses and works just fine. I don't lube before sizing. Shooting minies that aren't sized can be done, but sizing ensures concentricity. And before anyone chimes in about cheap molds, I don't think Moose makes a "cheap" mold. The fact is that lead can shrink and move a bit in a mold and the sizing eliminates that.