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Thread: Mould Enlargement “beagling”

  1. #41
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Valhalla (georgia)
    Posts
    659
    I'm about to try something with my Lee 6 cavity 429-200-rf. It gives me bullets with a dia. of .425 along the mold part line and up to .435 across. I really would like it to drop a nice .431, but I will take a nice .430. I'm under the impression that beagling the mold would only be helpful if the part line was closer to spec. I'm worried I'll just make the bullet even more egg shaped if I use the tape method. I thought about sending the mold back, but I'm worried I'll just trade one problem for another by doing so.
    I've got a tube of valve grind compound. If the weather cooperates, I'll try lapping this mold on Wednesday. This seems like the logical step, but I may be wrong. I've read up on the Leementing articles and feel like I've got a pretty good idea of what has to go on. My plan,
    1. Get mold/alloy to temp by casting until I get nice bullets
    2. Lay my hex nuts over each cavity (without the spruce closed)
    3. Pour my alloy
    4. While the alloy is cooling, probably engrave 1,2,3 and so on on top of each bullet spruce before opening the mold (quickly)
    5. Open mold and drop casting into water.
    6. Coat the lands in the cavities with compound
    7. Install one bullet, rotate with wrench until it rotates with very little resistance.
    8. Complete the rest of the cavities in the same manner
    9. Begin casting and measure new bullets.

    Sound like a good plan?

  2. #42
    Boolit Grand Master

    mold maker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Piedmont (Conover) NC
    Posts
    5,429
    That's how I've successfully done it. It enlarges the smaller of the 2 dimensions first. Continued with second set of boolits will increase the over all, more round, size. It can enlarge and round the lube grooves edges slightly depending on the mould material.
    The old adage of "do a little and check a lot," is in order here.

  3. #43
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Valhalla (georgia)
    Posts
    659
    Very good. I felt like I was on the right track. I just wanted to hear it from someone who has tried it. I didn't think much about how it would effect the lube grooves. I suppose this shouldn't be an issue though because I like to tumble with LLA. If I decide to try a pan lube, I wouldn't be surprised if the enlargement of the lube grooves helps. Lee isn't known for generous lube groove size.
    If this doesn't work out, I might just try one of those fancy NOE, Accurate or Hardline molds. Thanks

  4. #44
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Valhalla (georgia)
    Posts
    659
    I managed to open the cavities enough to bring my low spots to a .430. They are sizing concentrically now. I suppose the next step is to load them and shoot them. Hopefully the leading stops.

  5. #45
    Boolit Bub Jlw6636's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    South Carolina- Midlands
    Posts
    35
    Will be attempting with my .356 Lee mold
    Thanks

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check