Lee sizing dies issue seating gas checks

[Maximumbob54]

Has anyone else had issue with their sizing die shaving the side of the bullet? I seat gas checks in my Lee sizing dies and this is the only time I really ever have this issue and I can't figure out why. I was just seating some plain base checks. I've found it works far better to seat them with the bullet going base first or the check usually crumples at one side and is destroyed. But sometimes the check is sheared off a tiny bit and the bullet side is shaved some. It's a flat nosed bullet so I know it's going in straight. I'm using soda can aluminum so it's paper thin and only offers minimal resistance. I'm really at a loss and am tired of having to scrap the ruined bullets.

What causes this issue???

[RBHarter]

I do have 1 that doesn't push square . I fidget with the push rod each time . The biggest contributor I can find is that the push rod is undersized . I think RD suggests .005 for fit ,ig a .225 sizer push rod should be no less than .220 .
Even if you have a dedicated sizer press you might have mystery muck in the shell holder slot holding it out, off or up out of square to the die. You may even have a die that isn't seated squarely in the press . I have 1 die that gives me just enough trouble that I flipped the lock ring over with the hard face down instead of the o ring face. This way I can push the die up square in the threads then lock it with the hard face so it doesn't "self align" in the threads .

[Ranch Dog]

Has anyone else had issue with their sizing die shaving the side of the bullet? I seat gas checks in my Lee sizing dies and this is the only time I really ever have this issue and I can't figure out why. I was just seating some plain base checks. I've found it works far better to seat them with the bullet going base first or the check usually crumples at one side and is destroyed. But sometimes the check is sheared off a tiny bit and the bullet side is shaved some. It's a flat nosed bullet so I know it's going in straight. I'm using soda can aluminum so it's paper thin and only offers minimal resistance. I'm really at a loss and am tired of having to scrap the ruined bullets.

What causes this issue???

Might just need to return it and let them send you another. Not much to these things.

[Maximumbob54]

Can't say I've managed to solve my problem but it is a bit of a "duh" solution.

Ordinarily one would lube the bullets before pushing them through. The powder coating hasn't required any lube to slip through and in fact slides through easier than lube of any type I've ever used. But it would stand to reason that a dab of alox between two fingers and those fingers seat each check... Poof, only one sheared a little and was redone just fine.

Best I can get:



I suppose I could have cleaned the thing up since it now has alox muck in it. But either way, the angle of entry and then the angle before sizing both seem a little steep for my needs in this. I'm trying to figure a way of rounding them both off just a bit. At least enough to take the edge off them both. I could risk messing the whole thing up with the dremel swearing I would only use a low speed and be as gentle as possible but that's still the usual path to destruction. Any other ideas?

[62chevy]

A wood dowel and some emery cloth with plenty of oil. That is what I used to smooth my 45 acp whack A mole.

[Maximumbob54]

Small batch test results were inconclusive. Would have helped if I did the test first since I got rained out and didn't want to ruin my phone in the rain. I say inconclusive because I really needed to be shooting farther out but the range was a mud pit and I would have needed to drag the target stand through it. So I really do want to say the GC rounds were a little more accurate but longer distance would have showed it better. Still though I think there may be something so I will come back to this another time. Kingsland, GA really needs to hurry up with that new range. It's no fun having to drive all the way to Waycross to test some new ammo.