Lee sizing press

[LT.Diver]

Does anyone here have any experience with the Lee Lubing\Sizing press? Does the liquid Alox eventually harden or does it stay tacky?

 

[snuffy]

It's not a "sizer press". It's a die that screws into your reloading press;

One part simply goes in the ram where the shell holder normally clicks in, that's the bullet pusher. The base then slips over the die, then the cover slips over that to provide a place for the bullets to collect after they've been pushed through the die.

No, the lee alox never does completely dry. But I find it a non-problem. Unless you're going to carry the shells in your pocket, they won't be a problem if they're slightly tacky.

 

[GMFWoodchuck]

Does it work well? I'm considering it for cast bullets for my muzzleloader, shotgun slugs (for with sabots), and my Dad's 30-40.

 

[helg]

The Alox does not become as hard as copper jacket. When it dries, it does not leave dirt on your hands though.

In order to use the Alox coated bullets in bullet feeder, you have to tumble the Alox-coated and dried bullets in powdered mica:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=595942

 

[snuffy]

Does it work well? I'm considering it for cast bullets for my muzzleloader, shotgun slugs (for with sabots), and my Dad's 30-40.

Yes, well most of the time. It depends on what the alloy is, very hard alloy like linotype will "spring back" about .0005, or half a thousandths. That's for rifle and pistol bullets.

For muzzleloaders you should stay away from mineral oil based lubes like allox. I suppose you could size MZ bullets with one, but they don't come in a lot of different sizes. For a 50 cal, they make a .501 and a .510. Nothing bigger.

Shotgun slugs are shot as-cast, no sizing required or desired. For the lee key drive, it's made to go inside a shot cup. It needs to be full size to be able to grab the petals of the wad. Lyman's sabot slug, same thing, leave it full size.

 

[ranger335v]

The sizer will work fine IF it's the right diameter. Use "Bore Butter" for a better BP lube.

 

[SciFiJim]

For the bullet lube, try mixing the Alox 50/50 with Johnson Paste Wax. You can get it in the floor cleaning section at places like Lowes. The mixture dries much quicker than Alox alone and doesn't have that tacky feel. I have used this mixture effectively on 45ACP and .357mag lever rifle with no leading.

 

[GMFWoodchuck]

I should have been more clear. My bad. Not the lube, how are the Lee Sizing dies/setup?

 

[SciFiJim]

The sizing die screws into you press like any other die. The pusher rod goes onto your ram in the place of the shell holder. You set the bullet on the ram and push it through the sizing die. They collect in the red plastic container that comes with the sizing die. The bullets should be lubed first before sizing, and then again after sizing. The first lubing can still be wet when you size the bullets.

If you are using the tumble lube bullet molds that Lee sells, they are designed to be shot as cast without sizing.