Saeco Mould Question.

[Lucky Joe]

Today I picked up a .458 SAECO two cavity magnum mould #65017. Has anyone had any experience with this mould. I need suggestions since I bought it for no currently apparent reason. "What the heck is the matter with me".

[onceabull]

lucky Joe: I couldn't find any Saeco # 65017 in print catalog or website, but do note That their boolit # 017 in my catalog is a nominal 0.458 ,350 gr FPGC.. I haven't personal Exp.with that #,but have with four others of their .458 moulds(all heavier)and they were darn super.. Yours looks like you should be shopping for a 45/70 levergun soon, !!! failing that , can I claim "first asking" ??:twisted: Onceabull :twisted:

[arkypete]

Joe
I use one of Saeco's 350 grain gas checked molds in my Winchester 1886.
Jim

[kywoodwrkr]

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=176802
Saeco 2-Cavity Magnum Bullet Mold #017 45 Caliber (458-459 Diameter) 350 Grain Flat Point Gas Check

FWIW
DaveP

[Lucky Joe]

Yes the #017 is the mould I'm talking about, I took the number off the box hence #65017. I have cast a fair number of lead boolits though none with gas checks. What would be the best way to mount them on the boolit? Thanks for the replys. I plan to try them in a H&R Buffalo Classic.

[arkypete]

You'll make your life easier if you seat the gas checks and size the bullet to .458 or .459 and use a good bullet lube.
You die set should have a case mouth expansion die, not part of the sizing resizing process. You want to get a minor amount of flare to the case mouth, so as to not scrap the bullet when seating the bullet.
If you do not have a case mouth flaring die both Lyman [the 'M' die] and RCBS make such an animal.
Jim

[Lucky Joe]

arkypete,

I generally use the Lee size kit if I resize a boolit, I know this is one way to seat a gas check. The Lee site only shows a size kit of .457 which is probably too small what other way can I seat these checks?

Thanks,

[arkypete]

Hmmmm
That could present a problem.
I'd suggest that you not size the bullets, just lube them. Take your gas checks and anneal them, 'burn them' on the stove to make them more malleable.
What I do is set a piece of flat steel where the shell holder goes and use a nose punch to press the bullet into the gas check. You could use a plastic mallet and give the bullet a light tap to seat it into the GC.
To crimp the GC to the bullet may be a problem, as Lee sizer tubes are aluminium.
Or are you using the sizing set up that works on a loading press?
If you have the Lee set up that works on a loading press you could save some of your scrap bullets. Roll the bullets in valve grinding compound and force them through the sizer and lap out the diameter to .458 or 459.
Clean out the sizer like a rifle barrel.
Force you bullets through the sizer gas check first and you'll be ready to go.
Jim

Part of this game is modifying the tools to suit your needs.

[Lucky Joe]

arkypete,

A machinest friend can ream the .457 sizing die to .458 so this problem is probably solved. I have a .38/.357 sizing die here in front of me and a magnet sticks to it quit handily, so I'm going to say this is steel not aluminum. When you talk about lube I have used exclusively Lee's Liquid Alox in my pistol ammunition, this is my first venture with a rifle what do you think about the Alox for a lube in this situation. Anyone else feel free to jump in I appreciate the help.

Thanks,

[arkypete]

Joe
I found Lee Liquid Lube to be too messy for my loading machines and general handling. I use Rooster Red or LBT Blue for rifle and pistol boolets.
I would guess there's no difference between lubing the bullet before or after the sizing. The one advantage I could see the lubing after sizing is you'll have lube all over the bullet rather wiping the lube off during the sizing.
Should you decide to try using some of the hard lubes your machinest friend could make an aluminium tube that matches you sizer from Lee in diameter.
Ahh he says what's this?
You melt some of the hard lube in a small pan, say one half of an inch deep. Set you bullets down into the melted lube, set pan and bullets outside and the lube hardens in a couple of minutes. Use the aluminium tube to push down over each bullet, like a cookie cutter, to cut the bullet out of the lube, move to next bullet, etc. Eventually the first bullet will push out through the top, then the second, third.....
Jim