sizing?

[JCools]

If I cast a .358 dia boolit.Can I size it down to .357 or .356?

[HARRYMPOPE]

yes, no problem.

HMP

[JCools]

I have been casting .358 dia 158gr lswc's 4 about 1yr.2 of my pistols fire them fine.But my colt trooper 357 wont(they don't fit the cylender).I haven't slugged the barrels yet.I do believe it's a dia issue though.And think that a sizing die would be better than having to buy another set of molds.I will slug the barrels 1st.

[Shiloh]

yes, no problem.

HMP

What HARRY said.

This is why I would like the molds to drop oversize. One can size down, but can't make them larger. One can Beagle or lap the molds, and I have one I am going to try.
Beagling makes the best sense as it is a reversible procedure.

Shiloh

[JCools]

What is beagling? I have heard this term used and being a relative newbie.I don't know what that is.

[JCools]

Since I'm talking to some experienced casters.I have another?Can I melt down some sinkers and cast them in my molds to slug my barrels?

[wallenba]

What is beagling? I have heard this term used and being a relative newbie.I don't know what that is.

Beagling is enabling a mold to drop boolits larger than the predicted diameter ( on at least one side) by mechanical means. A small strip of high temperature adhesive foil is applied to one mold block half between the cavities and on each side, and usually between the bottom of the cavities. Care neds to be taken to allow the vent lines to breathe. The foil is a product rated to about 600*. It is sold at ACE, a 3M product and is about .002 thick. It's sold for furnace work.
Most molds, in my experience, will produce a boolit wider at the mold parting line, so Beagling can actually bring it closer to round.

See: John Goins AKA "Beagle" http://www.lasc.us/Brennan_4-0_ModifyCastBullets.htm

[JCools]

Thanks I slugged the barrels and cylenders the cylenders were .357 and my casts come out to .360-.359.So I think I'll size them to .358.James

[Bullwolf]

You can size down 1-2 thousandths relatively easily, and a Lee Push through sizer die is a pretty inexpensive tool for the job (17-18 bucks) if you are just getting started out sizing Boolits.

http://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/medium/685/685087.jpg

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=685087

Lubing the Boolit also helps reduce the effort required to size it down.

You can use conventional Boolit lubes when you size, or if you are really sizing something down quite a bit, good old case sizing lube will work quite well too.

I have re-sized .359 cast Boolits for use in .38, .357magnum, and 9mm (.355) depending on what I wanted to do at the time.

As others in the thread have said, it is better if a mold drops oversize Boolits since you can always size them down, but you can't easily make them larger.

You can create a soft lead slug to slug your barrel with using fishing sinkers, or you can use the softer stick on tape type wheel weights too.

A little lube helps when slugging a barrel as well. There are a few videos about it on You tube, if you want to watch and see how others have done it. I often learn something new when watching someone else do it.

You can also find numerous threads here on Cast Boolits about slugging barrels, and cylinder throats using the Search function.

Cheers



- Bullwolf

[Shiloh]

Since I'm talking to some experienced casters.I have another?Can I melt down some sinkers and cast them in my molds to slug my barrels?

In the fishing tackle departments of sports related stores, I found egg shape sinkers
in many sizes. I have been slugging with these. The hole on the axis line will collapse
allowing them to be driven down the barrel. Clean first. Makes the job easier.

Shiloh