I am just getting into a new casting chapter of loading and would like to know what would the best bullet lube sizer

Most any of them will work. The Lyman & RCBS are both very good. If you're looking for speed & bulk consider the Magma Star or if you really want heavy duty check out Ballisti-Cast. Personally I use a Star.

Thank you Creeker just starting out and don't what to cheep out or go over kill

What you going to size? Rifle with GC,pistol, a few or going to keep the Clan in plinkers . Clint

Mostly rifle 45-70 .44 mag and maybe some .30 Cal with gas checks just a new chapter in my life of hunting and shooting

I use a Star where I can and Lyman for everything else.

Notice the Star is not a good choice for seating gas checks and Star/Magma/specialty from folks at castboolits dies with top punches are usually more expensive.

Most people today use harder alloys - and harder lubes - than folks once did and the machines with heaters have been sturdier in recent years - a major consideration in buying used.

The investment in sizing dies and top punches will likely over time become a large part of the total cost of ownership. That might be a major consideration going in. Mostly even though the Star is the best on the market don't expect it to be the best choice for gas checked rifle bullets.

Good advice, that.

With the Star you don't have to mess with different top punches for the same caliber with different nose configuration either since the bullet goes in nose first and the punches are flat and push against the base of the bullet. You will need different punches for different diameters though. The Star seems to seat gas checks better as well.

Not sure where you are coming from with these statements. The Star seats GC's better than any of the other sizers I have (Lyman, Lub-A-Matic, and Saeco), especially if one turns out the center of the punch but leaves a .030" edge so that the pressure on the GC is only on the outer edge.

I've also tried Lyman's GC Seater, which I don't care for.

As I mentioned previously, the Star doesn't require different top punches with different bullet nose designs as do all the rest, so one punch for each caliber is sufficient.

David

I have a Star and I can not give you any advice on other lubers.

But when you run the heavy large calibers bullets threw the Star with Lathesmith dies and punch's. Some times it smashes the slugs and they will not run threw the machine if you use the GC bottom punch.

I had to experiment a little bit and found out if I used the PB punch even with the GC's the machine runs flawlessly.

Again I can not comment on any other luber . I have never used any other

Not familiar with Lathesmith dies. I run 515 gr. .476" Nitro Express bullets and 430 gr. .512" Linebaugh bullets through mine and have never smashed a bullet. I have bent the handle on the sizer if the bullets have sat too long after casting. I use mostly Magma dies, although I do have some I bought from the Castboolet site. All seem to work fine.

That being said, I have run a bore mop coated with Flitz on a drill inside the dies to polish them up some. I do seem to recall some time back having difficulty running large bullets through the die but can't recall for certain. Seems I may have had to lube the bullets first by hand, then size, but only for like a couple of dozen then all was well.

I usually make my own punches and don't understand why the PB punch would be any different than a GC punch. Odd.

The Lathesmith GC punch is concave it lets the GC flex a little bit I think when seating.

And with my heavy slugs the punch was pushing the out side of the slug and squishing it making it to large to go threw the die. That is my guess any ways. the PB punch it flat and pushes evenly across the base of the bullet and my problem was solved.

Lathesmiths customer service is great I have talked to the owner several time since I started casting my own and he is good people.

I do not have any Magma dies

Here is a punch I made. I went a bit overboard with cutting the center out, but it works as well as any of the others and shows the edge a bit better.



Is this how Lathesmiths GC punches are made? I don't use many PB bullets so I haven't tried to size PB bullets with this type of punch so don't know how it would work. Might cause problems without a GC.

I do know that the punch should be pretty close to the bullet diameter, just enough so it doesn't interfere with the die, like maybe a couple of thousands under size of the die.

[quote=Paladin]
Here is a punch I made. I went a bit overboard with cutting the center out, but it works as well as any of the others and shows the edge a bit better.



Is this how Lathesmiths GC punches are made? I don't use many PB bullets so I haven't tried to size PB bullets with this type of punch so don't know how it would work. Might cause problems without a GC.

I do know that the punch should be pretty close to the bullet diameter, just enough so it doesn't interfere with the die, like maybe a couple of thousands under size of the die.

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Yep that's the way he makes them. They clear the die by just a few thousandths and his PB punch's are flat.

The great thing about Lathesmith is he will make any size you want and he will customize them any way you want.

I sent him a cast bullet and he matched the lube holes up for me at his standard price for the die. No extra cost.

He also gave me advice about the smashed bullets and between the two of us I fixed my peoblem.

OK I stand corrected. The Star was originally sold with matched nose punches and dies for base first sizing with each successive bullet pushing the last one through. It's not obvious to me how well it works with a nose first push pushing the gas check to push the previous bullet out especially with a rounded or semi-pointed bullet on through and I'm not sure how much fussing with lead shot will accomplish to lube multiple grooves on a long rifle bullet but I guess folks have learned to do a lot more while I wasn't paying attention.

I find the Star unmatched and a joy to use for relatively short flat meplat flat base handgun bullets. For long more pointed more grooves rifle bullets I use a Lyman.

The Star pretty much gives me bullets ready to load. the Lyman I sometimes wipe the bases.

Thanks for all the replies I guess there is a little more to it then I though ,
I think I will start out with the 45-70 's and go from there now to find a mould any opinions on a good one to get or does any one have one they would like to sell

If your 45-70 is a Marlin, or even if it isn't, get in touch with Veral Smith of LBT and get the Marlin 405 gr. mould. LBT moulds are the easiest moulds to get going and work with. You can cast good bullets from the very first one with little to no fuss. Buy Veral's book as well and read it from cover to cover. A lot of stuff in there that goes against the grain but I've found it all true.

Now that I've re-read your post, let me look and see if I don't have an extra .458 mould.

David

It takes some time but try the Castboolits forum group buys.
I love the Mihec molds they are almost art when you first get them. I also have a NOE and several Accurate molds.

Good luck to ya

If your having a hard time sizing hard cast it will go easier if to lube them with some spray lube. I use Hornady One Shot or Lyman spray lube. Just a light spray is all you need. Also grab a lubed bullet every so often and rerun it this lubes the lead on the sizer die. IMHO if was starting over with nhFrank needs I would get a Lyman or RCBS and not look back if later found I was shooting a lot of pistol (500 and up a month ) I would add a Star to the bench. I have and use a heater on both of my sizers. Welcome to the Madness. Clint

The more I am getting in advise the more I can't wait to get started in casting thank you all and , yes it is a marlin I am shooting and thinking about getting a barrel for my encore next .I did have a #1 a while back and like other rifles that have come and gone I wish that one was still in the rack with the others

Definitely get on Castboolits forum, and watch the classifieds. I was having the same debate on what to get as well, for the same purposes, and a used Lachmiller Lube-A-Matic appeared at a great price and in great shape that made up my mind for me.

A Star would be cool. I'm not ready to drop that kinda dough on it yet, however.

Another way to go is powder coat, and don't use a luber-sizer at all. It's about the same amount of time and effort as tumble-lubing (not much). Size with Lee-style push-through dies in your reloading press.

Of course, then you don't get to spend countless hours reading about what lube to use, and what top punches to buy, etc.

nhFrank where are you at? It helps a lot to have mentor close by. Clint

I live in Canaan NH up on a hill with the deer and the bears and a few wood chucks
On the push through sizer are they a good way too go or just a simple short cut?

The push through sizers are a better way to go, if you're not applying bullet lube. They tend to size straighter, and are faster to use.

The Lee versions need to be polished inside for best results, but others are available from various castboolits members. I use Lee myself, and polish them.

The trick, I found, well actually Veral Smith told me, is to size your bullets within hours after water dropping them, to avoid extreme difficult sizing. My air cooled 255 gr 9.3mm bullets will harden to 15 BHN. If I water drop them and size within a few hours, they will harden to about 25-30 BHN. If I try to size them once they hit that hardness, I practically break my bench.

Alan

Thanks to Paladin for an early Christmas I really appreciate the casting equipment you sent me to start out casting

You're welcome. I hope it all works out.

Well did some casting with the mold paladin sent me a 4 bullet mold for my .44 it ,makes a 270 gr bullet lubed and sized em and I put a few down the tube started with 16 grains of 2400 and went to 17 grains they shoot pretty good .
Next I need a lube and sizing press any one have a used one they would like to part with