Canadian Airgun Forum

Not my idea, but it works REALLY well for sizing bullets.... Today I mounted my Lee Press upside down on my bench....



I used 1/4" ready rod to make the long bolts, and 1/2" pipe for the standoffs.... The only modification needed to the press was to grind part of the webs away on either side at the top where they interfered with the standoffs.... In addition, I added a lead weight to the handle so that it doesn't rise up when you let go of it.... This keeps the ram up to give lots of room above the sizing die for loading the bullets....

You simply drop the bullet into the bottom of the NOE sizing bushing (which is now on top of the die) and lift up on the handle.... The sized bullet drops into the plastic tub on a shelf just under the press.... No more working blind, upside down, or having the bullet enter the die crooked, or pinched fingers....

Bob

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Dominion Marksman Silver Shield - 5890 x 6000 in 1976, and downhill ever since!
Airsonal; Too many! Springers, Pumpers, CO2, but I love my PCPs and developing them!
Proud Member of the 2000+fps Club!

I was going to cast before my lead levels got high. And that's what I was going to do. Rather then trying to balance a bullet on a ram to push up. Dropping them into the sizer and pushing them down, seemed much faster.

Good idea. I've been doing it the other way, since 1972. But then, the RCBS and Lyman bullet lube-sizers do not work like the Lee. Set the bullet on the ram, pull the handle down, turn the lube lever, pull the handle up and the bullet is back on top of the ram to pick off, all sized and lubed - as far as i know, only the Star lube sizer pushes the bullet out the bottom after lubing it - or your upside-down Lee sizer.
Too bad the Lee didn't lube them as well.

Incidentally, a friend in Idaho & I approached Lee to make their sizer dies in 3 thousandth measurements as custom dies. The reason it to size down jacketed bullets to a different rifle.
We started with .375 bullets sized down to .366 for our 9.3mm rifles because there are not a lot of 9.3mm bullets available here in NA. This was expanded to size .323" (8mm) bullets down
for use in .303 British chambered rifles. We also had series sizers made to make .330" bullets for the .318 Rigby and 8x56R Styer bolt rifles. Too - .338" bullets can be sized down to get heavier than normal 8mm. (.323") bullets for the 8mm Rem Mag. and 8x68S rifles.
Lee has made enough of these now, that they know what to do & will do about any custom size wanted.

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Best Wishes
Daryl

I have a half dozen Lee sizing dies, and they work OK, but the sizes are very limited, and custom ones can take a long time to get.... I got two .243 dies and ground them out for .25 cal (which they don't make, standard)…. I did a good job on the .250 cal for airgun use, but the .257 ended up out of round, and I chucked it....

Once I discovered the NOE system, where you can change diameter by changing bushings (at $10 ea)…. and the huge assortment of sizes they have.... I'll never go back.... In fact, I think I'll sell all my Lee dies, I have .224, .250, .284, .308, .357 and .457 cals…. When I got the call from NOE asking me to design some boattail bullets, and later pellets, for them.... I was able to get Al to make sizing bushings for airgun calibers as well, plus expand their sizes to 0.001-0.002" smaller than the PB calibers used by airgunners, since we often find a thou under bore size is better than larger, like in a PB.... The range of sizes available from NOE is truly remarkable....

Bob

_________________
Dominion Marksman Silver Shield - 5890 x 6000 in 1976, and downhill ever since!
Airsonal; Too many! Springers, Pumpers, CO2, but I love my PCPs and developing them!
Proud Member of the 2000+fps Club!

Do these bushings fit a Lyman or RCBS press? The Lyman work fine in the RCBS press, but I haven't tried them the other way around.

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Best Wishes
Daryl

You need an NOE Sizing Die Body, which is standard 7/8" threads....

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=564_104

You then purchase whatever size bushings you need (body or nose, hundreds of sizes available), plus one push rod per caliber, separately.... The Lee pushrods will work if you already have those.... the only thing strange is that it screws into the press from the bottom.... The top guide will accept the red plastic Lee bullet catchers.... As far as I know the die will fit any press, here are the instructions.... He shows installing it in an RCBS press....

http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php ... 245.0.html

If you have any questions, either post in that thread, or PM Al (SwedeNelson) directly....

Bob

_________________
Dominion Marksman Silver Shield - 5890 x 6000 in 1976, and downhill ever since!
Airsonal; Too many! Springers, Pumpers, CO2, but I love my PCPs and developing them!
Proud Member of the 2000+fps Club!

tks Bob - 7/8x14 is the standard thread for standard loading presses, yes. Sounds like a good idea from you and NOE.
I'm going to post this info on the NE forum. I am sure there are some guys there interested that Al will make custom sizes.

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Best Wishes
Daryl