RCBS sizer die adjustment

[Kevin Stenberg]

Is there an easier way to enlarge a RCBS bullet sizeing die? I have tried wet dry sandpaper being spun by a hand drill and valve lapping compound. Even after an hour I may have taken off .0005.
Do I have to send them to someone with a lathe to enlarge the sizer. I have 6 sizers and not one of them are within .001 of the designated dia.
Or would RCBS take them back and send me the correct size? All were bought second hand.

 

[KHornet]

Will be interested in the responses on this one!

Paul

 

[Rick]

In all of the reloading tool mfg bullet sizers has to be the biggest nightmare. Change your alloy even slightly and you have changed the final sized diameter of the bullet run through the exact same die. Odds are extremely good that your RCBS dies are correct but correct being determined with a different alloy than your using. Alter the Sb percentage just a little and your final sized diameter will change. Gaining or loosing .001" is very doable with nothing more than a different alloy.

 

[KeithB]

I would bet that the die hole is pretty close to the marked size. All the manufacturer can do is measure the hole to make sure it matches the marked size. If it isn't then I would bet that RCBS would replace that die (if it was in unaltered condition). On the other hand, as the guys here have pointed out, sizing die diameter is not equal to bullet diameter (usually).

Do you have a set of pin gages or small hole gages and an outside micrometer?

 

[Brad]

When I make a sizer the final say is a bullet of my alloy for the intended load. When the bullet is the size I want I call it good.
Like Rick said, change the alloy, or heat treat, of the bulelt and the sizer gives different results.

 

[Pistolero]

Interesting. I was just checking a .358 Lyman sizer die today with pin gauges. A .357 pin will go in, but a .358 will not.

This is the only one I have ever checked this way. Need to size a bullet and see what I
get.

Bill

 

[USSR]

Yeah, ya can't always go by what's stamped on the die. When I first started loading .45 ACP with my cast bullets that were run thru a Lyman .452" die, I was having feeding problems. On checking bullet size, I found them to be .453". Bought a .451" die and it produces .452" bullets for me.

Don