Wondering if I need to start from scratch

[Windyvista]

I am new to casting and reloading. I cast up about 300 boolits (158 gr with gas check) for 38 special using a brand new Lee 6 cavity C358-158-SWC mold. I water dropped them to get the hardness up which was maybe my first mistake. I made sure the mold was cleaned with acetone, lubed and smoked before initial use. When I got to the sizer, I initially had some problems on the first few boolits due to the lubricant that had been suggested and the 0.363 oversize many were measuring at using calipers. I read up on oversize boolits on the Lee website and inspected the molds for lead splatter or problems that might make the mold not close properly. The mold looks great and closes with no problems. So I am not sure why the mold is throwing a high diameter. Anyways, after lubing with Lee Liquid Alox, I sized the boolits using a Lee 0.358 sizing die with no further problems but I noticed that many of the boolits were then coming out with very diminished lube bands. I was also having problems getting the gas checks to fit flat. Best I could get was the gas check on one side and hope the sizing process would push it on correctly but I did notice there were some where the gas check did not go on properly. On some, the copper gas check looked like a comet trail coming off one side of the boolit. I immediately pulled those I found like that.

I pan lubed them this morning using a 50% Beeswax / 50% Alox 350 lube. I let the lube harden up for 5-6 hours and attempted to push the boolits out by hand. Inspecting the lube bands, it appeared that many did not have any of the lube in them. I am trying now to freeze the lube to see if hardening it more might help but I really think part of the problem is the diminished size of the lube band and it being shallow. Just not a lot to get the lube to stay in.

I am wondering if I should just start all over and make sure the boolits are not that oversized. Comments ?

[Love Life]

I would cast a few more to se if the mould is still throwing them out at .363. If it is I would call lee and send it back. With the 38 special you should be fine with just the tumble lube, but each gun is a different story.

[Bob Krack]

I know there many reasons to place gas checks on many boolits but why on a .38 special?

No flame intended.

Bob

[bruce drake]

I believe that mold was designed for 357 Magnum velocities and pressure. Using it in a 38 Special will not push it to that level but its still a good idea to help standardize the boolit bases with a gas check. We do it with rifles, no reson why we can't with high-pressure pistol loads.

On the other hand, I fired the same LEE Boolit for many years without a check and never had a problem with accuracy either.

THe original post is lubing pretty heavy as well. A dip in the LLA before sizing and another after is an easy way to lube that bullet.

Bruce

[slide]

I agree with LoveLife. I would send that mold back to Lee.

[williamwaco]

I agree with LoveLife. I would send that mold back to Lee.



Ditto AND. If you are loading only for the .38 Special lose the gas check and get the T-358-158-SWC.


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