Boolit Sizing Question

[tarbe]

Gents

i had Mountain Moulds make me a .424 400gr 72% meplat boolit for a .404 Jeffrey project.

The project died, and now I am wondering if I could use .420 and .417 sizing dies to use this mould's boolits in my .416 Rigby?

Or do I just need to count the loss and move on?

thanks,

Tim

[bangerjim]

You will probably loose some grease groove depth even if you fill them with grease 1st, but why not try?

Worst case, you will size a couple times and end up with a No Lube Groove (NLG) boolit perfect for powder coating!

I do several NLG castings with great success. No more grease for me.

If you go that way, skip any grease or lube for PC.

banger

[MT Gianni]

If it were a 358 or 308 diameter resell would sure be easier. I vote to try it.

[williamwaco]

I believe it will work fine. If you loose too much grease groove, try TL.

[tarbe]

Thanks for the feedback.

Do you guys think it would be any benefit to try this in two steps, vs one?

I had not even thought about TL if the grooves get compromised...but that makes sense to try for sure.


Tim

[bangerjim]

Depends on the "stoutness" of your arm and your press. One step is more like swaging than sizing! I would never do it in just one. 2 steps is more reasonable to ask of your equipment and arm!

banger

[williamwaco]

I have done it in 1 with the Lee push through dies. I wouldn't try it with a lubrisizer

[tygar]

I've done .458-60 to .454 that had nice lube grooves & had no problems. I just double lubed. After sizing/lubing I tumble lubed it also. Seemed to work fine, then after it worked I dropped the TL & again had no problem so going to .417 shouldn't be any big deal. Also I just go right to it in my RCBS luber, again with no problem.

I also did some .432 to .418 for some slugs. They didn't have any grooves left & for grins I TL them & shot them in my .416RM & they actually shot OK at 50yds.

I wouldn't think you'd have any problems.

[rintinglen]

.424 to .420 should be a walk in the park, and a further .003, sheesh, nothin to it. I frequently size 358-429 down to .350 for use in my .348 Winchester. I lube them and size them to .358, then simply size them in a .355 sizing die, them I run them through a custom LEE push through die to final size. Given that you are talking only .004 inch reductions at a time, this should be easy as pie. I would not try doing it in one fell swoop though, that might be pretty hard on you and the machinery.

[tarbe]

Ok, gave this a try.

I used a push through, after TL.

Only issue is a little skirt of lead at the base (this is a plainbase boolit).

I will hand-spin the boolit base down on some 100 grit to take off the little skirt that was formed.

Otherwise, they look fine.

Time will tell if they shoot!

I do have the RCBS GC boolit...so hopefully one or both will perform in this new-to-me rifle.

Thanks for all the replies!


Tim

[DocSavage]

I have sized a 300 gr 45/70 bullet to use in my 45 Colt pistols and still had enough of the lube grove left. You could size and lube then give them a coat of tumble lube or Ben's T/L.

[tarbe]

Well, I loaded up some of these boolits last night.

Turns out the nose profile is such that while they may work ok in a 404 with a .423/.424 groove dia., in my skinny Rigby the boolit has to be seated waaay past the crimp grove to get a round to chamber in the rifle.

Looks like I will need to just let someone get a good deal on the mold, and move on.


Tim