Weight variation...how much is OK?

[Typecaster]

I've been fighting with an RCBS 45-250 KT mould, and now have modified my technique and am having some success. Alloy is 1:5 Lino-WW @ 700ºF. Problem was fillout/frosting of the base band—which was never a problem when I cast for .357, .44, or .45 ACP.

I was extremely critical when I inspected the boolets, and have a pile of keepers with sharp bases and a pile with a slight (barely detectable) rounding of the base...everything else went back in the pot. I weighed samples from both piles, and the ones with the slightly rounded bases weigh about 1.5 gr. less than the sharp ones.

I've never weighed peestol boolets before, just given a visual inspection. So my question is: how much variation is OK? 1.5 gr. difference from a 250-gr. is barely over half a percent.

Richard

[felix]

What you have is fine for a pissola with open sights, and for that matter, lever guns too in the same configuration. Charging cans won't know the difference between yours and my BR boolits. ... felix

[pdawg_shooter]

I allow + or - 1% for all my cast bullets, rifle or handgun.

[HeavyMetal]

I checked a box or two of Jacketed bullets once, 2% spread was the norm 200 gr. 45 auto J. semi wadcutter.

[454PB]

What Felix said. I spent endless hours weighing and segregating boolits, then tested them to see if it made a difference on paper. It didn't.....a good visual inspection is all I use for both my handgun and rifle boolits now.

[runfiverun]

if they clean up in the sizer, i would shoot them.
i hollow pointed a bonch of 44 and 45 boolist this winter and had almost 10 gr
difference in weights and some off to the side etc..
and at 50 yds my groups went from 1 1/2" ave to 2"ave.
and from 2" at 100 to over 3" is 1 1/2 gr gonna make any diff...no 4-5 gr not enough to notice.
if your bases are good you'll be fine.

and you may want to put a bit less of a sprue on them when they get hot like that.