Wha' ya' think?

[Jim]

I've been looking at Lee molds for my Guide Gun. I thought I had an old 405 hollow base mold, but it ain't there. :(I'm gonna order one of them, but I have a question fer y'all.
Lee makes a muzzleloader mold that casts a 298 gr. minnie bullet. They claim "as cast" is .454. Theoretically, that's .004 under groove diameter. If I use a 1:20 lead/tin mix and keep the velocity down around Mach, ya' think the skirt will flare enough to engage and shoot half way decent?
I'm thinkin' if I use a charge of Unique, that fast pressure spike will flare the skirt quick enough to make it work.
This boolit would be used for recreational shooting, so if I can get minute of coffee can accuracy, I'd be happy.

Wha' ya' think?

[Dale53]

If you plan to shoot much, with that bullet, you'll spend all of your time casting and have little time left for shooting.

I use the Lee 340 gr PB bullet and get 1.5" groups (five shot) at 100 yards out of my Marlin 1895 45/70. It has Ballard rifling and shoots very consistently. I use an appropriate charge of 4198 or RL-7. No fillers or wad.

Lee makes this in a two cavity mould. You can cast enough, fast enough, to save a little range time.

If you want REAL production, take a look at Ranch Dog's web site for other good options. Ranch Dog has worked a lot with these Marlins and his information can help you.

http://ranchdogmolds.com/

I might suggest that you try one of his two cavity moulds (he has the 350 gr in stock just slightly over the cost of a stock Lee mould for this special design) and if it works well in your rifle, then subscribe to his six cavity mould of the same design. THAT is a plan...

Dale53

[leftiye]

You have to watch your exit pressures with them minies when using smokeless. They will blow the skirts out if exit pressures are too high. Wrecks accuracy. Go higher with the pressures and the skirts can separate in the bore (blows the front of the boolit off as the skirts grip the bore). You know what happens next shot (your gun blows up). This not to mention that most minies don't have adequate lube grooves, and may lead (accuracy gone). But, you shouldn't have any problems with boolit fit, and sealing the bore- LOL.

[Jim]

Dale,
Rate/speed of production is totally irelavant.

Leftiye,
At Mach I, how much pressure could I possibly develop? I would think I'd hafta use a case full of 4895 to develop enough pressure to blow the front of the boolit off the skirt. BTW, the lube grooves on Lee's minnies are HUGE.

Anybody else?

[shooter93]

It's not just the speed you're concerened about when worried about blowing off the skirts. It's pressure...it's curve and the depth of the hollow base. It's easier than you think to shed the skirt in handguns at their sedate velocities...be careful.