Do Boolits change size as they age?

[AJ Peacock]

I searched and was unable to find any information on the size stability of boolits.

If there is a treatise that discusses this, please point me in the right direction.

I just cast a bunch of 338 boolits and found that in one direction, they measure .3395" and the other direction they measure .3375". Will the boolits change size at all over time?

Before someone asks, the larger size is measuring across both cavities, so beagling would just make the larger dimension even larger. Would LeeMenting help in the other direction?

Thanks,
AJ

[Calamity Jake]

The short answer-----------Yes
depending on the alloy and what little it may grow won't help your out of round boolit.

Trying to lap it out will just make it worse.

I would send the mold back for replacement.

[AJ Peacock]

Jake,

I appreciate your response. I run them through a .339 sizing die and was hoping the short direction might 'grow' .0005" to at least match bore diameter. I recently shot these at around 1600fps and got 1.5" group at 100yds. The mold is one of the cheapy $15 closeout Lee molds. Instead of paying shipping, I'll probably just find a high quality mold and move up a bit. I'll probably heat treat these and shoot them, triggertime is always good :razz:

thanks again,
AJ

[mooman76]

They usually grow about .001 after a week of aging. I don't really know what the difference in growing would be if you compared say a 30 cal bullet to like a 45 cal. but I would think the bigger bullet would grow more. I may have to do some samples and see.

[Leftoverdj]

AJ, since you've only got $15 in it, try lapping. Drill a hole in the center of the base of a bullet, run in a machine screw for a shank, coat the bullet with fine valve grinding compound, and turn by hand while applying gently pressure to the mould handles. I use a spare drill chuck to grip the shank, but it can be done any number of ways.

A little out of round does not matter much. Either a sizer die or the barrel will make them round.

[Dale53]

Hey! If that bullet mould produces bullets that shoot in 1.5" at 100 yards in a hunting rifle, CHERISH that mould and don't measure it again. USE IT!!:drinks:

Dale53

[AJ Peacock]

Hey! If that bullet mould produces bullets that shoot in 1.5" at 100 yards in a hunting rifle, CHERISH that mould and don't measure it again. USE IT!!:drinks:

Dale53

Ever see "A Man Called Horse" ? All my rifles shoot sub 1-moa, If they don't, they will! :p


AJ

[243winxb]

What Dale53 said

[303Guy]

All my rifles shoot sub 1-moa, If they don't, they will! I like the way you think!:drinks:

[Bret4207]

Boot it with enough powder and it'll get round in the throat.

[stephen perry]

Most bullets are sized by chance. Somebody recommends a sizing diameter they go for it. I sized my 311359 bullets probably .310 some 30 years ago. Now I'll go in the garage and see if they are still .310. Cold out there might affect the measurement we'll see. I measued my 311359 getting a sized .3103 measurement. Measuring my 311284 bullets sized this year they measure .3104.
This is comparing bullets sized with the same die 30 years apart.

My hope they would swell doesn't seem to happen. I use an electronic mike measuring 1/10's. Bullets are measured on the shank. The cast material is the same for both.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR

[Bret4207]

How many other boolits have you put through that sizer? Things wear over time, even with soft lead alloys. Alloys react differently too. So unless you're using the exact same alloy from the same batch with the same die that remained untouched for those 30 years your test is flawed.

[montana_charlie]

So unless you're using the exact same alloy from the same batch with the same die that remained untouched for those 30 years your test is flawed.

While an alloy variation might make the mould produce slightly different diameters, the sizing die will give identical results if both alloys are just close enough to be 'thought of' as being the same.

Pure lead and 20-1 would both come out at the same diameter. You would have to get further apart than that to see any measurable difference caused by alloy content.

He said the 'cast material' is the same in both examples. You have to take his word for that, or accuse him of 'an inaccuracy' (PC term for 'lying').

I'd say a difference of one ten-thousandth, with the 'new' bullet being the larger dimension, pretty well proves that nothing 'grew' in thirty years.
CM

[stephen perry]

Thanks Charlie. I got in trouble trying to answer questions like Bret's on CBA the so called wrong way. My way is the crude way the way I started shooting back in the 1960's. Back then there was no Computer Cast. My wife says I have a crude way of answering questions. To me I answer the way I'm bit. Not that Bret is biting but If I try and explain I might start again. I like Cast Boolit too much than to lambaste one over one man's lack of knowledge. I liked CBA too but a certain Moderator and associated foes didn't like me they even said so. So I was banned after 400+ Posts and partly because I wouldn't join CBA.

Charlie you enjoy the same logic about cast and lead that I do. I would listen to most thoughts on same as long as some testing goes along with it. What I knew about Cast way back when is as good as today but new ideas are good too as long as the don't differ from the basic Laws of Physics that have been brought down from the beginnings of Metal technology, back to the Hittites to mention a few Groups.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR:brokenima

[243winxb]

Do Boolits change size as they age? No, but they may get harder or softer. Besides, most all cast bullets are not even round. All depends on where they are measured.

[stephen perry]

Working with a .0001 Mic is a lot different than the common .001 Mic. I make BR jacketed bullets so am well versed in measuring bullets. In cast I measure the smallest DIA. I can realizing that cast are not round.
Next.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR :brokenima