As cast bullets

[40Super]

I just got done running a small batch of test .40 cal bullets(my first casted,ever),and once I got the heat and everything right I got some really good looking bullets,better than most of those I have boughten,but they are as cast also so they may not be"better". I have two Berettas that require .403 min(the barrels slugged .4025-.403),as cast my bullets are coming out .403 and nice and round so sizing won't really improve them. How many others run 'em as cast?

[zuke]

I run my LEE 45 mold as is out of my 45 Win Mag conversion with a 19 inch barrel.

[Wolfer]

I dip lube mine anymore so I size them to wipe the excess lube off. They cast at 452 and I size to 452. For a long time I didn't have a sizer die so I just dipped them in my homemade lube and pushed a fired 45-70 case with the head cut off over them and loaded them in the gun. They worked just fine. I believe this works better with revolvers than with semi autos

[popper]

Have you loaded dummys and checked for proper cycling? Seat some, pull em and see if the case swages them down in size. With a bore like that, you may need to lap the mould or add tin to get .404. If it needs .404, you may need a different expander die plug. You can TL both the TC and SWC, works fine.

[sig2009]

Kind of hard to lube them without sizing them. I hate Alox so I have to size them.

[white eagle]

if they are my size I'll lube and shoot as is

[40Super]

I've been shooting Dardas(the only place that makes .403) 155gr SWC and they ended most of my leading.They cycle the larger bullets fine and have shot all nose types in lead(most were just .401 though,and leaded the barrels bad). The mould I'm using is a Lee 175gr TC,(a SWC wasn't available,am looking to get one).
I bought it because it was cheap and I planned on honing it out to get the oversize bullets, I didn't want to do it to a $80+ mould, but it might be easier to get a mirror finish on the more expensive steel than these aluminum ones. Right now after seeing how good the bullets were coming out ,I just hate to try and "improve" them, and possibly do more harm than good. If I can use the bullets as is, then I'm good to go and don't need to hone out a sizer die also. I have some tin coming and will add approx 1% to 10lbs of my current alloy a see if they come out bigger yet, I have to play with the %'s yet. Didn't want to add any tin until I found out how they came out as is.

I made my own expander plugs for lead bullets in all my calibers that are a few thou bigger plus a "M"style step,so the case won't swage them down.

I plan on doing the melting lube in a pan of bullets up to the lube groove, let the lube harden then cookie cutter them out.

Those that have honed a mould, how did you do it? I'm assuming with a bullet and polishing compound,1000grit or higher? Then toothpaste.

[geargnasher]

I size every single boolit I cast, it's one thing that's easy to control and will catch those occasional "ahschitz" that looks great but is too fat because I got lazy and didn't hold the mould closed tightly. 95% of the time I'm lubing them conventionally anyway, so they get sized then, even if they just graze the die.

Gear

['74 sharps]

I shoot a Saeco 645 as cast. Dip in a small container of homemade lube, and use a homemade cookie cutter right away, and then move on to the next. Works great.

[runfiverun]

lapping a mold is as simple as:
taking a cured boolit.
drilling a small hole in the base [i do it in the mold] then screwing in a torx head wood screw.
putting the lapping compound on the boolit where i want it.
and spinning the boolit in the mold, while squeezing the mold handles.
sometimes heating the mold up to operating temp helps.

[40Super]

I was kind of anxious with my bucket of range lead that is just sitting there so I ran a few more 9mm and 40 bullets. they just keep coming out so great,nice and sharp edges,true round dia(with a mic),no frosting ,and to think I have no thermometer(it is ordered,just didn't make it by the weekend). I just guessed at the temp and going by what I've read on here,looking at how the bullets came out looking and adjusted accordingly. I was worried that it was going to be a big pain till I got anything shootable,but I only put 4 bullets back in the pot tonight.
I'm going to get 'em lubed and shoot to see if the leading comes back and deside whether to lap the mould or not. The "9mm" mould is a .38 145gr swc ,so it is already .359(2 more barrels need .358, 1 needs .356 bullets)

[mpmarty]

I NEVER size a boolit. I cast, tumble lube in 50/50 LLA/JPW and load them up and shoot them. Best sizer for my cast boolits is the barrel I shoot them in.

[40Super]

Now I have all the parts for making 45-45-10 but I don't want a bunch of sticky bullets, I know it should dry and not be sticky but I don't know about it yet.
Anyone have a lube recipe for making a harder and thicker type lube like is normally used in a lubrisizer and fills the grooves up using most of the stuff I have for the tumble lube? I can get STP or bearing grease ect locally that I can mix with the beeswax , Lanolin, and paraffin wax I already have. Thanx

[popper]

Lee does have a 175 SWC 2X TL mould, mine drops .403. The Recluse may take a couple of days to dry, at most. Works well for me but is more smoky than alox, I think. Works great in my .40 XDm.

[noylj]

I don't size ANY bullets I cast.
If they drop 0.403" and you want 0.403" and you can ONLY use a Lubri-sizer, then get a 0.403" or 0.404" sizing die.
Personally, back in the early '80s I went to pan lubing and then to tumble lubing and have never looked back.
TRY them as-sized. Worked for me for over 30 years.
I much prefer pan-lubing about 100 bullets at a time compared to spending several hours with a lubri-sizer.
I still say: Sizing has NEVER made a MORE accurate bullet.