How to open up a Lee push thru

[shootnlead]

I have a Lee push thru die that I need to open up just a little...

I think that lapping with a drill would work...but I have never tried that.

What is the best way to do that?

 

[KHornet]

I have lapped a couple with a split wood dowel and fine emery paper.
Work slow and measure as you go.

Paul

 

[Brad]

Take a dowel and make a lengthwise slit in it. Cut a strip of 240-300 grit emery. Put one end of strip in slot and wrap the emery around the rod. You want it a slip but snug fit in sizer. Add oil to emery, a fair amount, and put it into the sizer. Roll the sizer up and down your thigh. Keep the emery strip moving in and out of the lower portion of the sizer. Lee sizers do all the work in the bottom inch or so.
Clean well after about 30 seconds. Size a few bullets and measure. Keep repeating until you get the size you want. As you get close it doesn't hurt to go to a finer grit but realize it will cut much slower.
For a nice finish add a little Flitz polish or JB bore cleaning paste to a snug patch and spin it in a drill. Run that into the sizer for 15 seconds and it will make it smooth as can be while removing essentially no material. I don't bother with this step, I find a 400 grit finish does fine.

 

[Roger Allen]

Motor valve grinding compound!

Take a rifle brush that's smaller than your die (i.e. 22-25 cal brush w a patch for 30-35 cal) and chuck your patched brush w compound soaked into your patch into a drill a run it on high for 45-60 seconds. Clean w carb cleaner (valve compound is typically water based and it blast away).

Run 10 bullets through your die and measure your last 5 and that's where your job settled

 

[Ian]

The stuff I've always used is very much oil based, typically Clover brand.

 

[Roger Allen]

Yeah I think I'm using permatex brand

 

[Brad]

I bought Clover brand silicon carbide in grease. I have 240 and 320 grit. I like getting a known grit size and quality.
That said, I still prefer the split rod method.

 

[Roger Allen]

Yeah I think permatex is what they call "self adjusting" forget the terminology but breaks down as you use it.....not convienient as you start off with a "grade 1" abrasive and end up w a "grade ?" Abrasive. It ain't bad but it ain't the best. Cheap though and not terribly distructive. I tell you the truth. All lee sizers benefit from a polish. From the factory they look like a muzzleloader barrel that's been cleaned but not really cleaned. A polish really affects the effort necessary to size and those w older/injured shoulders/elbows will appreciate

 

[quicksylver]

Split dowel and paper , work slowly check often....works great... or what KHornet said..

 

[fiver]

all of the lapping compounds break down with use.
unless your using a diamond compound.