Decisions - Beagle a new Lyman 457-132 mold or try for replacement

[kjbann]

Just got a new 457-132 postell 535 gr. mould to go with a new Lyman Model of 1878 45-70 Sharps. I called Lyman customer service prior to ordering and the lady said the mould should pour .4595 to .460 and stipulated that is with Lyman #2.
Well, the mould pours .456 to .457 with COWW + 1% tin and that isn't gonna work so well with the .459 sizer lathesmithe is building.

Everything I've read indicates that if anything, bullet size gets smaller as hardness goes up, so it would seem that Lyman #2 wouldn't pour any larger bullets since it is probably about 3 BHN points harder.

I beagled the mould per
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?117331-Mould-Enlargement-%93beagling%94

It took two thicknesses of tape, but the mould pours very nice .4595 to .461 bullets now. This is my first attempt at beagling and I'm surprised at how well it turned out. Really surprised at the fact that the measurement with the parting line is nearly the same as the measurement perpendicular to the parting line.

Now I'm trying to decide whether to keep the beagled mould or try to exchange it for another.

Any feedback on experience with Lyman customer service would be appreciated. I got an oblong mold from them once and they replaced it as soon as they saw the photo I sent. It was so out of round, measuring tools weren't required - just eyes.

Ken

[Maven]

"Everything I've read indicates that if anything, bullet size gets smaller as hardness goes up...."

Ken, It's just the reverse: harder alloys, e.g., linotype, cast larger than softer ones, e.g., pure lead, Lyman #2.

[big bore 99]

I would hang onto the mold. You've worked the bugs out. Why start over? You're really not adding much tape and if it shoots good, I'd keep it play with alloys if you want.

[country gent]

Ken another option is to lap the mould out to what size you want with the alloy you want. Mould and alloy temp can also affect bullet size when casting. I dont normally run that hard of an alloy in 45 -70 or 45-90 but a very simple 20-1 alloy that works good at BP velocities. The 535 grn postell is a good shooting bullet and works well. Give the bullets a try and experiment with other alloies also. You didnt state your "goals" for this rifle bullet combo, Hunting, target, long range or shillouettes, or just plinking. Use can make a big diffrence in requirements.

[kjbann]

"Everything I've read indicates that if anything, bullet size gets smaller as hardness goes up...."

Ken, It's just the reverse: harder alloys, e.g., linotype, cast larger than softer ones, e.g., pure lead, Lyman #2.


Maven,
Thanks for straightening me out. How much difference in size would you expect with about 3 BHN points. It seems like quite a bit to me.

[kjbann]

I would hang onto the mold. You've worked the bugs out. Why start over? You're really not adding much tape and if it shoots good, I'd keep it play with alloys if you want.

big bore,
That's probably what I'll do 'cause I hate the hastle and delay of returning, etc. The beagled mold (thanks to John Goins/aka beagle) seems to pour as nice of .460 bullets as I could ask for - with no flash at the seems. It just seems like there is often some issue when I buy Lyman stuff anymore.

[kjbann]

Ken another option is to lap the mould out to what size you want with the alloy you want. Mould and alloy temp can also affect bullet size when casting. I dont normally run that hard of an alloy in 45 -70 or 45-90 but a very simple 20-1 alloy that works good at BP velocities. The 535 grn postell is a good shooting bullet and works well. Give the bullets a try and experiment with other alloies also. You didnt state your "goals" for this rifle bullet combo, Hunting, target, long range or shillouettes, or just plinking. Use can make a big diffrence in requirements.

country gent,
The Sharps will be used here on the farm for ringing gongs and breaking rocks out to 300 yds for now and probably 500 yds. max after that. Also whitetails with different bullets and 1.8" cases to be Indiana legal. My only experience with mould lapping resulted in a lot of time with little results. Maybe due to a poor choice of compound. That was with an aluminum mould. By comparison, I like the beagling better. The first bullets through this gun were Missouri Bullet 405 gr. RNFP which are 18 Brinell. They actually seemed to work pretty well, so I thought I'd give the COWW's a whirl and see how they do.

[Maven]

Ken, There's a table in Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook, 3rd. Ed. which shows the "as cast" diameter with metals/alloys of different hardness.