Getting a handle on a Cramer Mold

[Three44s]

I recently dusted off my Cramer 55a/55a HP two cavity. (100 gr .257” bore)

It came to me without handles and I did not want to buy a set of Saeco’s (which are said to fit) only to find that I instead needed an older pair!

I took a pair of RCBS handles and modeled them for a bit. I found that the primary difference is that the Cramer pins are just a very wee bit larger than the RCBS holes.

The holes in the RCBS handles are also just a bit close to the inside of the arms where a mold mounts up so the wiggle room in drilling oversized holes is a small window to goof up in.

The bit I selected is the same as the Cramer pins and what with small burs post drilling a bit of grunting ensued!

But the blocks are mounted up!

The alignment looks good but one block sits too tight to suit me on its handle arm so some clean up, possibly a second pass with the same drill bit but with some added “english” added will give my block that slightly added wobble it needs to allow it to seat the block halves fully flat each and every time as casting requires.

I would not be surprised that my now modified RCBS handles will still serve as RCBS handles but they are spares and I will mark them so as I do not confuse them with my unaltered pairs for obvious reasons.

Three44s

[engineer401]

I once did the same thing with Lee handles and it worked well.

[Shuz]

What are you planning to load those 55A's in?

[Three44s]

I once did the same thing with Lee handles and it worked well.

I thought about my Lee handles, it is good to know it will work.

Thanks

Three44s

[fcvan]

I tried to look up the boolit profile of the cramer mold listed, no luck. My first thought was this would be a great mold for use with the 25-45 Sharps. I'll keep looking.

[Three44s]

What are you planning to load those 55A's in?

I have some other molds in the wings as well, some likely better suited but right now I am playing with a .25-20 Win MGM carbine barrel on a Contender.

I have a Lyman (or Ideal) 25727 that may well be the best choice, that throws a deep cavity hp and is referred to as an express bullet. So deep that it is said to impede good fill out due to excessive cooling (I suppose).

But as to the Cramer, I will try my .25-20 with them (I believe the barrel is a 10 twist but I have not measured it).

Then I also have a Rem 141 in 25 Rem, a Win 94 vintage 1922 in .25-35 Win, 250 Savage and .257 Roberts barrels for Savage Bolt gun’s. Going farther afield, a couple of .25-06’s and just for honorable mention a Savage barrel in 257 STW.

I wonder how many coats of PC a 257 STW needs? Lol!

BTW, I am in Central WA

Best regards

[Three44s]

I tried to look up the boolit profile of the cramer mold listed, no luck. My first thought was this would be a great mold for use with the 25-45 Sharps. I'll keep looking.

Well, pictures anyway:

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/ByCaliber/Cast%20in%20the%20.257%20Roberts.pdf

Schroll down always

Another mold I have is the pointed version of the Ideal 257388 that is pictured there.

Enjoy

Three44s

[fcvan]

I had a buddy who asked me to load for his 257 Roberts, and wanted to duplicate a 115 grain factory load. He had saved every case he had fired through the gun, about 205 cases. Between the Sierra bullets, the powder, and dies, I was into it for $200. In exchange, hes provided me probably $400 in brass. His dad picks them up from a range, really just a shooting spot, in a remote N CA town. Every couple of months my friend visits his dad, and later I get the 'come get it' call.

Now that Kommiefornia has gone lead free, I may have to set him up with some lead-free, Barnes or Hornady bullets. I get out there frequently to visit family, and mow the lawn as I kept the house there. I am pretty sure we will have a good visit and he will dump a load of brass on me. Heck, he even gave me some RCBS dies that were so old they were in the original cardboard boxes, given to him by a neighbor who quit hunting and reloading. Still, the dies looked brand new, still wrapped in the original treated paper they and S&W used to wrap things way back when.

[Three44s]

Do you mean 115 gr?

My Roberts project is a barrel for a Savage Bolt Gun and you have to admire the cartridge. Light on recoil and effective. I have a couple of 25-06’s and a Savage barrel for my long action Savage bolts but you do get more recoil and you have to tote a long action around.

The Roberts is said to do better in a long action since you can seat your bullets out to 3” (I believe). Well I mounted my Roberts on a Savage 4.4” short action and ..... by golly, I can seat my Roberts cartridges out to 3” anyway!

If I was a machinist I would swap one of my 24/47 Mausers out to a 257 Roberts barrel or make it a switch barrel between 6 mm Rem, 257 Roberts and I suppose 8 mm Mauser. Then I could drive myself batty deciding which combo I liked the best!

Those intermediate length actions would do a Roberts cartridge proud I think.

Three44s

[Three44s]

Well, I heated her up!

That Cramer mold is pretty reliable once you get it hot! The hollow point former gets a little grabby but once you get your rhythm, I just would invert the mold setting on my soft cotton towel and some judicious tapping if needed and it slipped off. Sometimes the HP boolit dropped off before the flat nose in the other cavity.

It has three prominent vent lines running 90 degrees to the cavity orientation and they help.

Anyway if my Cramer is representative of the bulk of them they are keepers!

Three44s