If my bullets measure .4525 and I run them through a .452 size die, is it normal for the bullet to not be smeared all the way around? They measure .452 after sizing, but  the driving bands are a little wider in the areas that are smeared by the die. I've always read that bullets will be more accurate with little or no sizing, but it seems like the band would be more uniform in width if the bullet was at least a thousandth oversized before sizing so it will get wiped by the die all the way around.

What works for my handguns of various 45 caliber cartridges would be..............
My Smith and Wesson 45 Colts like their bullets to be.454, The Colt Anaconda of the same caliber is less picky and will use .454 to .4525 with equal accuracy most of the time. My 45acp/45 auto rim Smith and Wesson likes it's bullets to be .4525, thank you very much. The 45 auto is a bit of a slattern and will digest anything .4525 to .451.
With your bullets coming out of the mold at .4525 I would not bother to size them down they are just about perfect as they are and a half thousandth won't make any difference.
Jim

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Cast bullets are the true and rightous path to shooting bliss

BC,

In the area where the driving bands are "smeared", would this coincide with the mold half seams?

Sometimes this occurs in this area oweing to a slightly out of round condition from machining the blocks.

Regards

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In addition to the good information already presented, the other possibility is that your lubrisizer top punch / sizing die relationship is slightly out of line.  This will produce a bullet that has been sized more one side than the other or sized on one side with the die not touching at all on the other.

One solution is to use a flat faced top punch which allows the bullet to center itself in the sizing die. This works very  well with bigger bullet diameters like the .45's.  

A simple flat nosed top punch is the common 1/4"-20 x 1/2" long hex headed bolt. Insert  the threaded portion into the top punch opening, tighten the set screw and you are in business.

If the bullet nose needs to go below the entrance of the sizing die, a 1/4-20 socket head cap screw or a round screw driver headed screw would work ok.

Smaller nose punches will also work ok. i.e. .30 caliber for .45 caliber bullets. Of course you could have one made up or fill the nose of your current top punch with epoxy and file it flat unless, of course you have a lathe.

Good luck,
John

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aka *w30wcf[br]aka *Jack Christian SASS #11993"[br]I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." *Philip. 4:13[br]

Thanks for the advise. I shot some this weekend and they are accurate. I may try a flat top punch and see what happens. Its not in any particular area that gets smeared, just a small area on each bullet that looks untouched by the die. I appreciate your responses.