[MattC]

Hey, I won the superbowl office pool!, gonna get me a good sizer.  I want one sturdy that can size a big hard bullet.  What are your favorites?  I am somewhat concerned that the nose punches needed for LBT- style bullets are not available, can you just use flat?  

Thanks.  

 

[Contender]

Yes, I use a flat punch in my Star Sizer for sizing the LBT designs.

The Star is basically the only push through design still available. The Pitzer used to be the other. All the other models eject a bullet back out the way it went in. If I had this type, I would get the Redding because the top punches thread in and stay centered. Also the guide rail setup in the press makes for more even movement of the ram. Quality is superb also.

The RCBS and Lyman are the same type which eject a bullet back out the way it came in. The top punches are held in with a set screw which some feel can result in off center sized bullets due to the punches retaining hole being slightly larger than the punch stem. Don't know for sure about the validity of that complaint though. I have heard it more than once however.

My first Lubrizer was a Lyman and I found that with the softer alloys, it was quite easy the actually squeeze or bend the bullet if you weren't careful when it hit the bottom of the die. Although to be fair, I think this could happen with any ejection type Lubrisizer.

Again, this is a subjective opinion.

Dollars to donuts, I prefer a push through machine for speed.

FWIW

 

[Marshall Stanton]

By far and away, the Star is the best machine going!  You'll not break it, bend it or distort it even with tens of thousands of really hard, big bullets through it.   Use flat punches from Robert Stillwell, and size the bullets nose first.   No better rig made!

Star is now owned by Magma Engineering

Their URL is www.magmaengr.com

Here's their fancy do everything sizer with all the goodies.

 

[Contender]

Marshall,

How do you seat your gaschecks? I usually set a square piece of aluminum on top of the sizing die and set a check on top and use the punch to set a bullet into it squarely. Then I remove the aluminum square  and size base first as normal crimping the check on.

Just curious for a better way of doing it.

 

[Marshall Stanton]

Contender,

Using the Star sizing unit, size your bullets nose first, and you'll get much more concentricity than base first sizing, as the ogive of the bullet will guide the bullet in straight to the leade of the sizing die, and if using a closely fitting diameter flat punch, simply place the gas check on the heel of the bullet, and the flat punch will positively seat the check square and true with the axix of the bullet, and crimp it on as the puch pushes the bullet through the die.

By the way, don't believe that garbage about one flat punch diameter working from .35 through .475 caliber!  That is pure hogwash!  If you want the checks to seat surely and squarely, use a flat puch that is no more than .003" under the diameter of your sizing die!  In this manner the checks wont pull back from the heel of the bullet when being pushed through the sizing die nose first!  

Hope this helps!

God Bless,

Marshall

 

[Contender]

Thanks Marshall

That's really some great info. Now I can pickup the pace even more seating checks.

It pays to ask a Pro!