Just slugged barrel now ???

[greg61986]

Just slugged cylinders and bore on my GP100 cylinders all .359, bore .357. Question is my lee mold dropping at .358 to .359 should I size or just lube and shoot, its a tumble lube bullet I am thinking just shoot them. Next question my Saeco mold dropping at .357 to .3575 it is a gas check mold will these be ok to shoot or not. If not how can I make them cast bigger without beagleing or whatever its called wouldnt that just make it egg shaped. Alloy is rougly 1/3 lb tin 15lb coww 4-5lb roofing lead I know changing this will make them bigger or smaller but what do you recommend.

[MtGun44]

Size to throat, should work fine when throat is larger than groove diam, as yours is.

If you can - go to .359, if not, .358 should work reasonably well, too. Beagling WORKS,
don't knock egg shaped boolits. ;-)

Bill

[greg61986]

Ok just found out bullets are already egg shaped at least the saeco mold ones, lee measures same all the way around. Saeco one measure .358 after running thru lee sizer at least one way turn it a 1/4 turn still .357 so I guess I will beagle this mold and see what happens.

[Gtek]

One might think that would lap out round at about .359" or so, then polish out a push die to .359". Gtek

[zuke]

Try at 359 and see what happen's

[MtGun44]

Try .358 first, may work and is easier. If accy isn't up to snuff, beagle to .359 and
go again. No use making this harder than it needs to be.

Bill

[Wayne Smith]

Imagine that, a Lee mold to spec and a Saeco that isn't! I assume the Saeco is an iron mold? Beagling it may be easier than lapping it out, but you have the advantage that lapping goes slow in iron. Is the out of round bigger on the seam? If so beagling it may work.

[gray wolf]

How did you measure the throats ? and do the .358 bullets fall through the throats without any resistance at all ?


Question is my lee mold dropping at .358 to .359 should I size or just lube and shoot, its a tumble lube bullet
.358 to .359 what does that mean ? some are one measurement and some are another ? or the bullet is different in different places ? how does it fit in the cylinder throats ? Did you shoot any yet and is there a problem ?

Alloy is rougly 1/3 lb tin 15lb coww 4-5lb roofing lead I know changing this will make them bigger or smaller but what do you recommend.
That's about 5.5 Oz. of tin to a 20 pound mix, seems like a lot of tin. Almost 20 to 5 mix, why add so much tin and then add the almost pure roofing lead ?
Are you using a Mic ? or calipers ? your barrel is a 5 grove and not that easy to measure, I bet it's not .357 but closer to .356 and your cylinders are closer to .358 the last GP100 I measured had a .356 bore and cylinder throats closer to .3578 Not saying they all are but yours just don't sound correct.
Just saying and not trying to be an expert.

[whisler]

Grey Wolf: check your math, that is actually 1.7% tin plus whatever is in the COWW.

[leadman]

I would put the GC on the Saeco, lube, load and shoot. Should be ok. If you use a sizer to lube go to a .359" die as it will size the GC to this size or with springback might be a touch larger. The Lee boolit will probably be alright with the soft alloy you are using.
If you added some antimony it would help increase the size of the boolits.
I would load what you have as they might be ok as is.

[gray wolf]

Grey Wolf: check your math, that is actually 1.7% tin plus whatever is in the COWW.
WOW !! thank you for the heads up, I must have been using Julie's glasses :killingpc
I need to stand in the corner for that one. Sorry my bad.

[wallenba]

Egg shaped is common. Measure both diameters, add together, divide by two. That's the 'working' diameter. When fired, the cylinder throat, forcing cone and barrel can swage it. Unless the two measurements vary greatly, I'd bet they shoot just fine. Also, try relaxing your grip on the mold handles when casting. A vise like grip can actually make a difference.

I have a Saeco out of round too, an #081 for my Mauser, it was undersize too. Most of the time these will be wider across the parting line. Some 450* furnace tape from the hardware store is .002 thick, and is a five minute fix (Beagling).

[greg61986]

I am using calipers that's all i have. Saeco is wider on the seem and that is after running thru .358 lee sizer or pushing thru cylinder to "shave" off the seam, no the seam is not that big just smoothed it out before measuring. Did get a .3565 measurement on the bore in a few places it was hard to measure so that might be closer. No the bullets do not fall thru cylinder can push them thru with minimal force with pencil. And my lee mold is measuring .358 .3585 .359 bullets are the same all the way around must just be different cavity's. And I just got done casting a batch of slugs that is why the roofing lead was in there. As for my tin I thought I did the math correct I read 20 to 5 mix got scared and almost thru them all in the pot and remelted then cut with more wheel weights to save tin. Not that I need to save it 110 lbs of it prob enough for my life.

[gray wolf]

Thanks for the answers Greg,
and sorry for falling asleep while doing the math about your tin.