Bumping Up Boolits

[1bluehorse]

Have read several posts on "bumping" bullets to a larger diameter...I've been trying to get a .432 cast boolit and have not had real good luck getting a size die to accomplish that [smilie=b: ...not even sure if .005ish will even make a difference or not as I haven't tested them yet, between .4313 (sizing die) vs. the "new" .432ish boolit.....cold....yesterday was the first day that the temp was above 25........anyway, what I'm doing (vs. using the sizer), is screwing a large bolt (same threads as a die) into my reloading press and adjusting it to where a full handle throw gives me the amount of "bump" I want (measured with a micrometer). Just using a shell holder that the bullet will just fit...(for the 44's I'm using the #11 for 45 colt, works fine)....from the measurements I've taken it seems to increase the size over the entire boolit (by measuring the driving bands) just thought someone may find this usefull....by the way it don't take much ram pressure, the first one I did measured over .435...and I thought I had barely "touched" it...:holysheep

[paul h]

Maybe I'm not following you, but if the as cast dia is .432", why not just shoot them unsized?

I know some competition rifle shooters bump bullets, but in handguns I've either gone with unsized if I want a larger dia, or if a mold casts too small I lap the mold to get the dia I desire.

[dilly]

Have you tried beagling the mold?

[1bluehorse]

Maybe I should have just said that this was an easy way I found to "bump" a bullet to a larger size that worked for me....the reasons don't really matter but I'll hit on a couple...I don't shoot them as cast as I like to run everything through a sizer to facilitate conformity, (roundness, straightness, and to lube them with my lube of choice) I do not like to pan lube, dip lube, and intensely dislike tumble lubes...have not tried shake and bake but from what I've read, not to interested...now I know you guys are probably thinking, idiot, just get a sizing die that will work....I have three for my 44's...none do the job...can't seem to get Magma to understand I want a .432 die that ACTUALLLY will size to .432 if I run a .433 bullet through it (of the three, one sizes to .4295+, one is .4301 or 2 and one that is .4315 (kept that one)....the other two are on their way back from Magma that they RE-sized to do that, we'll see....by the way, I've gone through these tribulations on a couple other threads and will reiterate that Magma is a first class outfit and have gone out of their way to help MY situation, so don't take this as a slam on them...anyway, if you're looking for an easy way to "bump up" a boolit, this works pretty darn good...

[boltons75]

Sounds like you need to contact lathesmith, member on here, and have him make you a sizer die.

[.22-10-45]

Hello, 1bluehorse. Few years ago I was laid off with no metal lathe handy..and a Kirst conversion cyl. in .45 long-colt just installed in my circa 1980 era Colt 1860 army. I had some 200gr. round nose that dropped .452..and I needed .454..what to do??
Any large industrial supply house in your area can order drill bushings..either flanged or not..and there are companies that will custom grind any I.d. you want.

[Wolfer]

Thanks for this tip. Where I see something like this being handy is if you think a bigger boolit might be better but dont want to beagle or lap your mold to find out.