"Beagle-ing" process on steroids

I've heard about using abrasives to open up a mould a bit to make it drop a couple/few thousandths larger. What about taking it up a caliber? Say suitable for a 10mm to being suitable for a .41 magnum?

I've got a Lee custom mold that's a 10mm 225gr SWC that drops IIRC at .4025 using WW+2. I've come to terms listing my 10mm commander for sale and all my associated stuff, but this is the last hold out I haven't listed. It's an OK bullet in the 10mm. Bit long and OAL needs to be 1.275 and chamber properly throated to fit, but it's fun to shoot.

I'm wondering if it's possible to open up (by reasonable means) the dimensions to add about .010" to the diameter. Thinking of casting a couple bullets, adding some abrasive compound to it and spin them in the cavities for a while and slowly open it up that way. Growing that much will take some time. Try a compound and open it up that much, clean, cast some more, apply abrasive compound to those, rinse/repeat. Yes anything is possible with time and money. As many of you know I'm fairly young but have two kids and am in the "working poor" class.

As an alternative, does anyone know of someone that can work some mold voodoo on such a mold to help me out? Basically keep the same ratios, but "blow" it up to suit a .41 Magnum bullet to drop a WW+2 alloy at .4130".

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...mm225grSWC.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...to10807008.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps2a3cad1b.jpg

Good solid advice offered by excess650 !

Would the Lee 90330 not be suitable?

If ya play with fire (in this case), you will probably be burned! Listen to excess!
1Shirt!

Youd be better off selling it and putting the money towards a proper mold.

A couple years ago I attempted to open up a Lee 9MM mold to work in a 9MM Makarov. What I got were two pathetically looking out of round cavities. Possibly had I been more patient, did it very slowly or by hand. I may have been successful. I used an easy-out on a variable speed electric drill using automotive rubbing compound as an abrasive. After robbing the wood handles the mold went into the garbage.

If you do attempt it, have plenty of castings handy with the hole for the easy-out pre-drilled. The abrasive wears down the lead casting considerably faster than the aluminum mold cavity. I whole heartedly agree with the previous recommendations, sell it and buy what you need.

Sell the mold and buy a 41 cal mold. PM sent

Slughammer's method:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...%29&highlight=

I have lapped several moulds to open them up by fromm 0.001" to over 0.003". While I have been successful, going more than a couple thou is trick and work. I do not think 0.010" is doable by lapping and having a usable mould in the end.

If you have the skills, the Slughammer method as mentioned by imashooter2 above might work (0.010" is a lot to take out on multiple bands) or if you want to spend the money Erik at HollowPoint Molds should be able to open it up. It would cost more than a new mould to do it though.

Sell it and buy a purpose made mould.

Longbow

By the way - you DO know that "beagling" has NOTHING to do with abrasive lapping,
right?

Bill

Sounds like you've sold the 10mm to which that mold would go?

Sell the 10mm mold. Buy the .41 mold of your choice. This would be a far better process than destroying a 10mm mold in experimentation and being left with NO trade goods whatsoever.

With some of the out right ridicules prices some molds go for on Ebay, sell it.

I would think that someone who has a S&W 610 would jump at the chance to buy that mold. If I had one, I would certainly like to try it.

Robert

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MtGun44

By the way - you DO know that "beagling" has NOTHING to do with abrasive lapping,
right?

Bill

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Don't know why, guess curiosity got the best of me after reading your post. I right clicked "Beagling. Apparently there are no "Boolit" casters or fond followers of our board's Beagle at Wickipedia!! My guess Wikipedia's definition is likely British. So for today's English lesson.

Beagling
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Beagling is the hunting mainly of hares, but also rabbits, and occasionally foxes with beagles by scent. A beagle pack (20-40 hounds) is usually followed on foot, and in some limited examples, mounted. Beagling is often enjoyed by 'retired' fox hunters who have either sustained too many injuries or lost the agility to ride horseback, or who enjoy the outdoors and the camaraderie of the hunt. It is also traditionally a way for young men to learn how to handle hounds on a smaller scale before they go on to hunt with foxhounds.

I prefer the official Cast Boolit definition, besides the good folks at Wickipedia don't have the foggiest idea of the difference between Boolit or bullet. As for the correct and proper use of the phrase "Beagle-ing process on steroids". I defer to our board's celebrity Beagle, to properly define the phase.

Just in case anybody is taking me seriously, please don't. I thought a bit of leg pulling "on steroids" might be appropriate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bigslug

Sounds like you've sold the 10mm to which that mold would go?

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In the process of it. There a "waiting list" of sorts of forum members on various forums that wanted to be in line if I ever thought of selling it. I'm going down the list and then I'll put it up on Gunbroker if it isn't taken, once I pay up my balance there.

It sucks to sell. I built it from the ground up into my idea of the perfect dual purpose carry gun and hunting gun 1911 Commander. Basically comes down to selling the gun that I would never sell.

Quote:

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Sell the 10mm mold. Buy the .41 mold of your choice. This would be a far better process than destroying a 10mm mold in experimentation and being left with NO trade goods whatsoever.

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Most of the time I'd get that advice and ignore it, but this time I will heed it. I've finally matured some in the past couple years.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jim

Would the Lee 90330 not be suitable?

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I was hoping by lapping my mold it would get closer to 240-250gr, since it starts at 10mm 225gr as is. I plan on getting a 240-250gr WFN-GC similar to the .358 180gr in my avatar. I just about sold enough stuff on eBay to get a Blackhawk .41 Magnum. Just need to work on the boolit situation next.