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Hello chaps,

I’ve just bought an old RCBS Lube sizer to clean up and I’m planning to make my own sizing dies.

Does anyone have one to hand which they can measure for me? I need the outside diameter of the die and the overall length. Also are the inner ejector punches the same length as the die or slightly shorter?

Thanks,
Andy

Lyman H&I die dimensions.

OD diameter 0.701"
Length 1.56"
Ejector rod length 1.455"

Brilliant, thank you.

Machining sizing dies is not difficult. Getting the hole through the centre to the correct diameter is the crucial bit. The original dies are hardened and very difficult to machine if you want to alter them.
I normally drill the hole somewhere near then switch to reamers or a micro boring bar. I use a square collet block jig to drill the lube holes I just rotate the square collet holder in the vice to get the holes uniform.
As I say it's pretty straight forward the hole through the centre is the challenge.

I just go on ebay and buy them secondhand! Simples

Mine come in any size I want and they are cheaper than ebay. Metal comes out of the scrap bin a couple of hours in the shed and job done.

Do you get any noticeable wear or scoring with ‘soft’ dies? I was planning to harden them and grind the bores but if I don’t need to!..

You need a finish that will polish up really, really smooth. Without that the friction on the bullet means that it is difficult to push through and the bullet will deform and leading will occur with an increasingly smaller bullet diameter as the leading builds up.

Andy RV wrote:Do you get any noticeable wear or scoring with ‘soft’ dies? I was planning to harden them and grind the bores but if I don’t need to!..

Not sure what you mean by soft dies I normally use 316 stainless. A lead bullet is all ways going to be softer than any sort of metal die. The originals are hardened and ground. If you have the equipment to turn out accurate sized dies that are hardened and ground you will be able to sell them no problem to cast bullet fans if the price is right.
I don't harden them and I dont grind them. They do need to have a good surface finish on the internals. The last die I made was for a NOE custom mould for my 7.62x39 Australian International Arms rifle to shoot indoors with fast pistol powders at 25 yards. I use it all the time.