Sizing 7mm Mauser (7x57)

[raven2110]

I slugged my 7mm and it microed out to .289. I have a Lee C309-120RN mold I use on my M1 Carbine. Can I push this casting through a .285 sizing die, or is this too much lead to shave/squeeze off? Or should I try and size it to .298 (friend said he can mill me that size or he suggested .290.5) OR (and this is only a last resort), use ammo sparingly , then hang on wall if ammo dries up :cry:(you all know what I mean, I'm praying it doesn't).

[Lefty SRH]

Don't try and size down the LEE C309-120, thats too much to size down. You won't have a lube groove left. I'd say a .291" sizing die would work well. If your 7x57 is a mil-surp rifle then I'd suggest a heavier boolit mold for that rifle. The 7x57 mil-surp rifles tend to have long generous throats. What rifle are you using?

[brnomauser]

I slugged my 7mm and it microed out to .289. I have a Lee C309-120RN mold I use on my M1 Carbine. Can I push this casting through a .285 sizing die, or is this too much lead to shave/squeeze off? Or should I try and size it to .298 (friend said he can mill me that size or he suggested .290.5) OR (and this is only a last resort), use ammo sparingly , then hang on wall if ammo dries up :cry:(you all know what I mean, I'm praying it doesn't).
sorry to tell you but what you're hoping for is not going to happen. 309 to 285 is way way way way too much to size down. The force you'd need to use would be unreal (certainly way out of the realms of sizing presses). And then you'd end up with a bullet with no grooves or shape left, and a deformed base or tip (depending how you sized). You'll also need a bullet 289 to 291 diameter, 298 will be way too big.

Not sure what your third option is, but it needs to be buy a new hold and sizer I'm afraid...

[Lefty SRH]

If you push ANY boolit thru a .285" die then it will be WAY too small for the .289" barreled rifle. You would get some SERIOUS leading and zero accuracy.
I'm kinda having a hard time understanding where/what ytou are trying to achieve.

[Lefty SRH]

Assuming this is a Lyman mold, 287308 fits great in my 1908 Braziliazn 7mm Mauser. Its about 165gr RN thats on the long side.
With your barrel being .289", my best advice for you is to try and find older Lyman/Ideal molds that drop larger boolits. Another option is to get in on some of the NOE group buys. Normally he gives you an mold size options.
Here's the only 7mm GB with sizing options but its still to small for your Mauser.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?133424-NOE-286407-150Gr-FN-(7mm-Louverin)
This link shows the different driving band diameters he is making available to the customer. Just keep in mind this is for a 30 caliber rifle
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?134023-NOE-311-175Gr-FN-(Saeco-315)

Hope all this helps you decide what you need to do for your rifle. Of coarse if you have any questions all you have to do is ask. This forum is a HUGE wealth of knowledge. They have been a BIG help to me in my first year of casting.

[wmitty]

I have a M 93 that slugs .291" and I tried sizing various .308 dia. boolets down and have only had very limited success with these. The lube grooves retain lube if you lube the boolet before sizing. The gas checks are distorted and the plain base boolets seem to survive the sizing better. I have the older RCBS mould for their 168 grain boolet and am in the process of paper patching these and sizing to .292 or so in an attempt to get the old Mauser shooting again. I have used the .311" Lee push thru die with a bushing made by forcing the neck of a .30-30 case into the die and cutting the case off at the shoulder. This will give you an I.D. of about .290 and it is easily opened up by rolling a boolet in fine grinding compound and forcing it thru the brass bushing. Cheaper than buying a special die.

[raven2110]

Thanks to all who replied. It was just a 2 am thought (couldn't sleep) about how to keep ALL firearms fed on a very low budget. But I had already made those arguments, but posted anyway. If ammo does get short, or non-existence, was just looking to keep everything shooting. My 7mm Mauser is an old military very used piece. It shoots true with factory ammo and I got my first deer with it over 45 yrs ago. My uncle gave me the rifle. Said it was 'dug up' around the P.O.W. camp in Brownwood, Tx. Said it was used during WW II. But I believe it is a Spanish model used during the Spanish Civil War. No pitting, inside or out, but the stock looks like it was carried (banged) around a lot.

I will take all advise about keeping it alive and useful. But thought the .285 mold by Lee would be too lose. It's heavy, so if push comes to shove, use it as a club, LOL.

Again thanks for all that answered. This IS a great site. I hope and pray I will be of some help to you all someday.

[brnomauser]

lee molds aren't your only option, there are other good (better most would say) molds. If you're on a budget try second hand. Also a lot of holds drop bigger than they say, and you can run them hot to get them bigger anyway. Or if you end up with one that drops too small you can hone the mold out, or beagle it (adding a strip of aluminium tape to hold the mold open a fraction so it drops bigger).

[brotherdarrell]

I have a Lee 7mm soupcan mold I bought through Midsouth Shooters Supply. It drops boolits @ .287" - 288". May be worth a shot and Beagling the mold.

brotherdarrell

[Wolfer]

I haven't had any luck paper patching myself but it sounds like you have a good candidate for it. Also Erik at hollow point mold service will open up your driving bands. His prices are reasonable and his work is superb.

[Lefty SRH]

I haven't had any luck paper patching myself but it sounds like you have a good candidate for it. Also Erik at hollow point mold service will open up your driving bands. His prices are reasonable and his work is superb.

Damn, I forgot about Eriks services. He did one of my .38spl molds and man that made a BIG difference.