DS,
Yes, You can size .257 to .251 and lower, bearing in mind that your best luck is with a mold that drops to your exact size needed as sizing endangers slugs and over sizing will detract from best accuracy. Hoch molds are the best as they avoid sizing by dropping tapered slugs.
Best done with dies for each 1000th, ie start with a 257 bullet then use 256, 255,254,etc until you get to your goal. I try to size base first when doing this to avoid trailing edges at the base of the bullet, but when sizing down 1 or 2 1000’s I prefer nose first.
But again don’t expect sterling accuracy, if any at all.
I did it to see how the 67 grain turned slugs I ordered from Altoras would do for velocity to match weight and rifling twist, but lacking a .250 sizer, I am still a little slower than I will be with the .250 diameter will be. It also tells me what pressure will be needed to chamber a very long .249 slug past the lead and into the rifling.
My bore as you have noted is .243, so I may have to use a .243 nose sizer if I want a bore rider bullet. However nose sizers are new to me, or I may eventually try for full body .246 to .248, knowing that I will still have enough girth to completely fill the groove diameter, but I would rather not have to, which is why I avoid choked barrels, which mine is not, as slug shooters often size for the choke rather than the groove diameter.
It will however tell me if I need to have my lead in the barrel cut ever so slightly longer. Something best done by sizing first rather than cutting into new barrel.
Nose rider bullets like described above, I may be incorrect in remembering the exact mold number, are what made me give up on Ideal, Lyman and RCBS type fighters sizers as they size base first and can expand the nose of a nose rider making it hard to chamber. Lee and NOE sizers, size of course nose first unless your trying to avoid the trailing edges as described above. The down side us if your shooting PB’s , which I am not, you have to pan lube.
I used to size .459 slugs to .450 so I could paper patch them.
I am sure this is clear as mud and apoligiseb if all this makes no sense at all.
RC
Yes, You can size .257 to .251 and lower, bearing in mind that your best luck is with a mold that drops to your exact size needed as sizing endangers slugs and over sizing will detract from best accuracy. Hoch molds are the best as they avoid sizing by dropping tapered slugs.
Best done with dies for each 1000th, ie start with a 257 bullet then use 256, 255,254,etc until you get to your goal. I try to size base first when doing this to avoid trailing edges at the base of the bullet, but when sizing down 1 or 2 1000’s I prefer nose first.
But again don’t expect sterling accuracy, if any at all.
I did it to see how the 67 grain turned slugs I ordered from Altoras would do for velocity to match weight and rifling twist, but lacking a .250 sizer, I am still a little slower than I will be with the .250 diameter will be. It also tells me what pressure will be needed to chamber a very long .249 slug past the lead and into the rifling.
My bore as you have noted is .243, so I may have to use a .243 nose sizer if I want a bore rider bullet. However nose sizers are new to me, or I may eventually try for full body .246 to .248, knowing that I will still have enough girth to completely fill the groove diameter, but I would rather not have to, which is why I avoid choked barrels, which mine is not, as slug shooters often size for the choke rather than the groove diameter.
It will however tell me if I need to have my lead in the barrel cut ever so slightly longer. Something best done by sizing first rather than cutting into new barrel.
Nose rider bullets like described above, I may be incorrect in remembering the exact mold number, are what made me give up on Ideal, Lyman and RCBS type fighters sizers as they size base first and can expand the nose of a nose rider making it hard to chamber. Lee and NOE sizers, size of course nose first unless your trying to avoid the trailing edges as described above. The down side us if your shooting PB’s , which I am not, you have to pan lube.
I used to size .459 slugs to .450 so I could paper patch them.
I am sure this is clear as mud and apoligiseb if all this makes no sense at all.
RC
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