Are you having to size your PC boolits?

gnmontey

gnmontey

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
GunNutz
Rating - 100%
123   0   0
Location
AB
Just attempted reloading my first batch of PC 200gn 45ACP boolits and discovered that I had to size them before they would seat without shaving.

Having to size them kind of defeats the convenience of PCing, I might as well just lube/size them and be done with it.

M
 
Last edited:
I found I had to bell the cases a bit more for rifle and pistol to get them to seat without shaving the sides when seating. I usually size them before the PC treatment and they work OK, .308 rifle and 9 mm pistol. My 50 Beowulf though were too big for some reason and would not chamber . Have to pull a few and figure out where I went wrong.
 
I would Bell the case a bit more and use the Lee FCD to Crimp and at the same time swage them down to chambering size. That die saves me a lot of time on my 38 Spl rounds. The only problem Is if your bore size doesn’t match up with the swaged bullet. Powder coating and a soft alloy should make almost any size work though....
 
f55 said:
The point of pc is not to avoid sizing.
Click to expand...

Ya, I hear you, I reworded my OP. In my case, I only cast for HG and PCing 50 boolits at a time is a heck of a lot more convenient than lube/sizing 50 individual boolits.

M
 
gnmontey said:
Ya, I hear you, I reworded my OP. In my case, I only cast for HG and PCing 50 boolits at a time is a heck of a lot more convenient than lube/sizing 50 individual boolits.

M
Click to expand...

It all depends how much extra pc adds, you could just bell he case a little more as stated before.

I generally get 1 or 2 thou extra with pc.

Just looked over the thread with your first pc try, are these the bullets coated twice?
 
Last edited:
f55 said:
It all depends how much extra pc adds, you could just bell he case a little more as stated before.

I generally get 1 or 2 thou extra with pc.

Just looked over the thread with your first pc try, are these the bullets coated twice?
Click to expand...

These ones were only coated once, and I did increase the case mouth bell a little. Maybe the raw cast boolits are oversize to begin with?

Seems to me I loaded some as cast lubed with liquid Allox with out any issues. May have been a different mold though.

M
 
gnmontey said:
These ones were only coated once, and I did increase the case mouth bell a little. Maybe the raw cast boolits are oversize to begin with?

Seems to me I loaded some as cast lubed with liquid Allox with out any issues. May have been a different mold though.

M
Click to expand...

Buy a Lee Universal flare die. That's what I use if my pc booolittts need alittle help.
 
measure the size of your projectiles before pc and after pc to determine how much is being added. I PC a ton of projectiles and size them all. It takes not time at all with a lee sizing die and i get the uniformity i want. I dont think i will ever go back to standard lube
 
Many or even most, moulds throw oversize bullets. The traditional thought was to size back to the best diameter for your bore, althoughe sizing does your bullet no favours.
A recent RCBS 9 mm. mould threw it's bullets at .359 inches, and if you PC it, it could add another two thou to the diameter. That is way too large to size back to .355 or .356, especially if you cast your 9's hard.
I ended up giving the mould away. I didn't even call RCBS about it since I have been underwhelmed with their customer service.

I then ordered a mould from Accurate and said I wanted it to throw it's bullets at .355 with my specified alloy. It was shipped two days later and throws nice round bullets at .355. Pricey but worth it. It is dandy for 9 with a thin coating and good for .38/.357 with a thicker coat.

Some of Emerald's clear coat, without pigment, seems to coat thinner, so that may be an answer.
 
Last edited:
I got the calipers out.

As cast - 0.454
Coated - 0.457
Sized - 0.451

Looks like the boolit I Liquid Alloxed as cast measured 0.451 as cast.

M
 
Just another excuse to fire up that lathe Greg and build a case mouth expander that expands the whole case mouth a thou are two more to the depth the bullet base is seated. I have had to do this for a couple of my rifle dies that I use to load PC.
 
fingers284 said:
Just another excuse to fire up that lathe Greg and build a case mouth expander that expands the whole case mouth a thou are two more to the depth the bullet base is seated. I have had to do this for a couple of my rifle dies that I use to load PC.
Click to expand...

Ends up I have a "Lee Universal Case Expanding Die". Why I don't know LOL. Don't recollect ever using it.

M
 
What kind of effect does casting temperature have on as cast size? I tend to chaise the temperature all over the map as the pot drains and is replenished.
Most of my casts tend to be frosted aka too hot. The bunch I PC'd were nice shinny ones. I must have lucked out maintaining the sweet spot temp wise that day.

The as cast that measured .451 was frosted.

M
 
gnmontey said:
What kind of effect does casting temperature have on as cast size? I tend to chaise the temperature all over the map as the pot drains and is replenished.
Most of my casts tend to be frosted aka too hot. The bunch I PC'd were nice shinny ones. I must have lucked out maintaining the sweet spot temp wise that day.

The as cast that measured .451 was frosted.

M
Click to expand...

if you haven't, buy or build a PID controller. I don't even remember what frosted bullets look like.. i typically fill my 20 pound lee and drain out 10 pounds ( i add sprue cuts back into the pot right away) then refill and wait a couple minutes for it to get back to temp.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom