I received some 158gr SWCs that are .3615 .362 would running them in the tumbler with media reduce the size, the coating seems to be to thick

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

I can't believe a tumbler your shrink them, but then again I really never tried it.

If I bought them I would send them back for a refund. If they were free I would send them thru a 0.358 die and then lube with liquid alox.

Short answer is NO, it will not reduce the diameter. If you cast resize to .359 or smaller, this will not damage the coating. If not send them back.



WHAT BRAND ARE THE BULLETS?? Just so we know who not to buy from!

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Gunsmithing since 1961

Local shop not Commerical

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

all you need is a Lee bullet sizer die and a quick spritz of hornady one shot to make everything right

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it just needs more voltage

Cut one in half and see how thick that coating is.

I believe that tumbling in anything hard enough to reduce the coating, might make them out of round.

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Front sight and squeeze

Run them through a sizer or take them back if you do not have the correct one.
PC bullets always makes them bigger and yes you can get the coating to thick I have done that but normally not a problem with that. I have also found that for whatever reason PC bullets even after sizing run slightly larger than non coated through the same die. I think the coating may be somewhat elastic and rebound slightly after sizing.

It works just fine! I made some .355 from .358 that were coated and all that happened to the coating was it polished up a bit. I ran them thru with no lube and had zero problems!
jcelect

I had a few of these dies compromise the coating when they were new ... hence the spritz of lube ... smash through a few hundred and the issue would subside.
It a little insurance getting the process started is all

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it just needs more voltage

Almost sounds like those bullets were made/designed for a 38s&w. A 38s&w uses a .360" bullet.

The red bullet pictured below is a lyman design from 1900 for the 38s&w


I cast that 35870 hollow based bullet and coat/size it to .358" to use in a nm 1911 chambered in 9mm.

The center bullet was cast from a raphine mold. It's a 158gr hollow based fn bullet designed for the 38s&w also.


Hate to say it but if you have a lee factory crimp die. Load those .361" bullet up and run them thru that factory crimp die. Those .361" bullets won't be .361" anymore.