H&g #50

[LAH]

Getting to know my mould a little better. The first go round I only cast a couple 100. Today the cast was 26 pounds. Sure is a pretty boolit.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Creekerpics/Loading%20Room%20101/Bullets/HG%2050/DSC04578.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Creekerpics/Loading%20Room%20101/Bullets/HG%2050/DSC04580.jpg

[Dale53]

Yeah,
That is my current favorite wadcutter for the .38 Special. I have a four cavity H&G mould that works like, "Shelling corn" (that is to say, high production rate with match grade bullets.

FWIW
Dale53

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The H&G #50 has been a classic design for many years that could be considered famous. It was used and chosen in the NRA investigation and writeup in their Handloading book. It closely rivaled (when carefully loaded) the match ammo that it was compared to. An important consideration that was noted involved how many lube grooves should be filled, but that was in relation to what kind of lube was being used at the time. IIRC they were using the old NRA formula 50/50 alox-Beeswax mix in one groove...any more and accuracy downgraded. No idea at present how that stands in relation to current lubes as I'm still using the NRA mix of which I still have a large stash, in the one groove. Treat your #50 as a treasure. LLS

[rmatchell]

I just picked up a 6 cavity #50 in a trade and havent figured it out yet. Its my first HG mold and havent got many good boolits yet im going to clean and lube the mold and bet that will make the difference. Still a bit heavy but ill get over that.

[Vly]

I just picked up a 6 cavity #50 in a trade and havent figured it out yet. Its my first HG mold and havent got many good boolits yet im going to clean and lube the mold and bet that will make the difference. Still a bit heavy but ill get over that.

I have a six cavity #50 also. The cleaning is a good idea, and also it takes a lot of heat to bring it up to temperature. That is a big hunk of steel. The good news is, once the mold is up to temperature, it holds the heat well. Then it is like Dale said, like shelling corn.

[LAH]

This mould, 6 cavity, does take a while to heat. I have an old stove in my casting room on which I preheat my moulds.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Creekerpics/Loading%20Room%20101/Bullets/HG%2050/DSC04562.jpg

[Bigslug]

GRRRR! YOU GUYS ARE A BAD FRACKIN' INFLUENCE!!

I had a TEN CAVITY #50 fall into my lap through a freak incident of good fortune. Light-for-cavity boolits are pretty emphatically NOT my thing, but I figure, WTH - it's a classic, and .38 WC's are probably obligatory equipment for anybody who teaches people how to shoot.

I was content to oil it up and leave it in the cabinet, but then you guys had to go and start posting pictures and I start hearing the call of the lead pot. KNOCK IT OFF FELLAS! I don't have TIME for this!

:bigsmyl2:

[rintinglen]

^^^^Sure you do, it's too wet to paint or mow the grass. you can throw in a load of Laundry and by the time your done drying it, you'll have 600 boolits ready to size.

Enabler? I prefer to think of myself as a guidance counselor.

[fecmech]

If you're going to shoot cast wadcutters the H&G #50 is the best IMO. It will come very very close to equaling hollow base WC's at 50 yds. If you're a master class shooter you might lose an X or two but you sure won't lose any 10's!

[dverna]

My first mold was an H&G 10 cavity #50. 50 shot groups at 50 yards would hold 3" in a Ransom Rest out of a S&W M52. That was over 40 years ago. I think the mold cost $100 or so - a pile of money back then for a college kid. IIRC I could cast 1000 an hour with it. I had 2000 Remington 148 HBWC's that I used for 50 yards and only in competition as that was all I could afford. Without that mold I would never have been able to shoot Bullseye.

Like a dufus, I sold the gun and then the mold. I did keep the Star lubrisizer though.