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Thread: HP'ing Your Own Mold without a Full Machine Shop

  1. #81
    Boolit Master


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    nice work!

  2. #82
    Boolit Master Rangefinder's Avatar
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    Did another one...

    This is a Lyman 311419 that now has a HP cavity, done for another member here. At the current depth setting on the alloy I fed it (my 50/50 pistol alloy) the HP dropped at 77gr. ave. and finishes at 80gr. with the GC on.

    Guns have only two real enemies; Rust and Politicians...

    "Praying might get you to heaven, but trespassing will expedite the journey..."

    Where might I be found when I'm not here? Try looking here:http://www.facebook.com/NSWE.Pagosa and here: www.rescueropes.org

  3. #83
    Boolit Buddy
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    I'm gonna hp my lee tc 230 grain trunicated cone. Just ordered a ten pack of t30 torx drivers for the pins. Any thoughts on that?

  4. #84
    Boolit Master Rangefinder's Avatar
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    The difficulty I'm seeing you may have is the cross-section being hex on most that I'm familiar with (on the shaft portion), then tapering down to the driver head. Meshing them tightly with a set of mold blocks is going to be tricky. One thing I do know is that trying to spin them down to a round pin below the taper is a bad idea--even the cheap chinese ones are pretty darn hard. I see the idea you're going for, something in the way of Miha penta-points? You've got some serious planning ahead for that one.
    Guns have only two real enemies; Rust and Politicians...

    "Praying might get you to heaven, but trespassing will expedite the journey..."

    Where might I be found when I'm not here? Try looking here:http://www.facebook.com/NSWE.Pagosa and here: www.rescueropes.org

  5. #85
    Boolit Master

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    If the torx drivers he's getting are actually torx screwdrivers and he's going to cut off the handles, most of those I believe do in fact have round shanks. It's the interchangeable torx bits that are hex shaped. Actually that sounds like a pretty cool idea. Come to think of it, if he can get them short enough, with short handles, he might be able to use them basically as is for the pins, maybe adding a shaft collar to regulate depth, so the HP would be adjustable for depth. If he could find a set of stubby torx screw drivers of different sizes, he could also use them to make different diameter HP's, unless the shaft diameter changes too, in which case he would have to choose which one he wants to use. This could be a very interesting experiment in making interesting HP boolits!
    - MikeS

    Want to checkout my feedback? It's here:
    http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/...d.php?t=136410

  6. #86
    Boolit Buddy Navahojoe's Avatar
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    Thanks for the write up on "hollow pointing a mold without a machine shop". Using your idea, I hollow pointed and made pins for three of my Lee 2 cavity molds today. Have not been to range yet, just poured a handful of boolits from each mold to see what they looked like. They looked great! Thanks, Rangefinder.
    NavahoJoe

  7. #87
    Boolit Master Rangefinder's Avatar
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    Have not been to range yet, just poured a handful of boolits from each mold to see what they looked like. They looked great!
    Not good enough... WE NEED PHOTOS!!!
    Guns have only two real enemies; Rust and Politicians...

    "Praying might get you to heaven, but trespassing will expedite the journey..."

    Where might I be found when I'm not here? Try looking here:http://www.facebook.com/NSWE.Pagosa and here: www.rescueropes.org

  8. #88
    Boolit Buddy Navahojoe's Avatar
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    I would post a couple of photos, but cant figure how to up load after reading the sticky! If I could email them to someone who has the knowledge?
    NavahoJoe

  9. #89
    Boolit Master Rangefinder's Avatar
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    Easiest way to upload is to first upload to something like photobucket. Then copy and paste the link in the URL pop-up. That's how I do it.
    Guns have only two real enemies; Rust and Politicians...

    "Praying might get you to heaven, but trespassing will expedite the journey..."

    Where might I be found when I'm not here? Try looking here:http://www.facebook.com/NSWE.Pagosa and here: www.rescueropes.org

  10. #90
    Boolit Bub
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    Ok guys ....i hollow pointed my lee 429230 swc mold this weekend.... needs a lil bigger pin but not bad i don't think.
    Here's the before


    Here's the after

  11. #91
    Boolit Man
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    Wow, ww! Looks like a cup point rather than a hollow point!

    What's your alloy/planned velocity for that boolit? Is it headed towards .44 Magnum?
    Molds I have:
    Lee 457-340-F (.45-70 340gn)
    Lee TL452-230-2R (.45ACP 230gn)
    Lee TL356-124-2R (9mm/357Mag/38Spl 124gn)
    Lee C309-150-F (30-30, 7.62x39 150gn FNGC)
    Lee Key Drive 12ga 1oz Slug (12ga 438gn)
    RCBS 45-255-SWC (45LC/45Colt 255gr Keith)
    Lyman 429 244 (44Mag 255gn)
    Lyman 429 215 (44Mag 215gn)
    SkiesUnlimited #4Buck/#00Buck

  12. #92
    Boolit Bub
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    Its def a hollow point, it goes down into the lube grooves. Here is another pic of the boolits it's dropping now. I didnt like my metplate to have the real thin edges so i put more of a shoulder on it and its casting better now. How deep should I have the pin set for it to shoot the most accurate?? I plan on shooting them around 1100-1200 fps with a 50:50 ww and pb.


  13. #93
    Boolit Master Rangefinder's Avatar
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    Well done!!! I push .40's about that same velocity (maybe a tad less and have the pin set just below the front band. May have to play with your alloy to keep it intact, but man--looks like a keeper to me!!
    Guns have only two real enemies; Rust and Politicians...

    "Praying might get you to heaven, but trespassing will expedite the journey..."

    Where might I be found when I'm not here? Try looking here:http://www.facebook.com/NSWE.Pagosa and here: www.rescueropes.org

  14. #94
    Boolit Buddy autopilotmp's Avatar
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    Can I get some photos or description of the items you guys are using as the bushing/guide for your drill bit? I am trading off one of my molds for a 356-120-TC mold that I already have so i can attempt to hollow point it. I would like some info on where I can pick up the items you are using to guide the bit. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

    Also, can you hollow point both cavities in a lee mold or does that mess something up? (this will be an old style mold)

  15. #95
    Boolit Master Rangefinder's Avatar
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    Autopilot---I'm short on time right this minute, but would really like to give you some details on what I've worked up over the past few months to do this as far as bushing material, etc. If I haven't made it back to this and addressed it by tomorrow afternoon, hit me with a PM to jog the memory. They say that's the 2nd thing to go... Forgot what the 1st was...
    Guns have only two real enemies; Rust and Politicians...

    "Praying might get you to heaven, but trespassing will expedite the journey..."

    Where might I be found when I'm not here? Try looking here:http://www.facebook.com/NSWE.Pagosa and here: www.rescueropes.org

  16. #96
    Boolit Buddy autopilotmp's Avatar
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    rangefinder: that would be greatly appreciated. The mold I am going to be working on won't be here for a few days. Gives me some time to get some needed items together.

  17. #97
    Boolit Mold Tucker's Avatar
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    Nice job men,thanks for all the good info

  18. #98
    Boolit Master Rangefinder's Avatar
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    Didn't forget you--just doing my best impression of a one-armed wallpaper hanger lately. Stay tuned autopilot
    Guns have only two real enemies; Rust and Politicians...

    "Praying might get you to heaven, but trespassing will expedite the journey..."

    Where might I be found when I'm not here? Try looking here:http://www.facebook.com/NSWE.Pagosa and here: www.rescueropes.org

  19. #99
    Boolit Master Rangefinder's Avatar
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    Bet you thought I forgot again, huh?

    As it turns out, I still haven't been able to get some time out in my shop lately. The only time I have in anything longer than a few minutes is at night--but temps are still in negative. SO... I'll try to give you the finer points without the series of photos for a step-by-step. You should be able to see a couple to reference anyway.

    I figured out a great bushing material not too long ago that serves a dual purpose: brass bullet weights for fishing. They look exactly like the lead ones, no mistaking them--they're cheap, too. Start by picking one just larger than the boolit diameter of the cavity you're using it in. Clamp it into your drill press vice using grooved wood blocks so you don't mar it up--you're drilling the guide hole through the middle at this point. Conveniently, it already has a pilot hole that was meant for fishing line. The guide hole should be cut with the same bit you intend to drill the mold blocks with.

    Next, lay the brass weight in the cavity of the mold. It should be too big--this is how you make it just right. Slide a small bolt through the center hole of the weight and tighten a nut on it. It needs to be a bolt long enough to chuck into your drill press. Spin down the diameter of the weight till it matches the diameter of the drive bands of a boolit cast from that cavity. Then lay the weight in the cavity to mark grooves for cutting. This doesn't need to be precise so long as the weight fits the cavity, the mold closes, and there is no slop or movement off-axis or the weight inside the cavity. I should have mentioned first--the tapered end of the weight should be forward in the nose of the cavity. Figured it would just make sense it was done that way, but just in case.

    NOW you're ready to proceed with the steps of drilling the cavity as outlined in the beginning of the thread.

    As to the dual purpose of the brass fishing weight. After everything is drilled, use the drilled weight bushing to mount your pin in. Either drill and tap it for a set screw that allows you to change the depth of a straight pin, or use a high-temp epoxy to set it in the handle of a tapered pin. Marine-Tex Gray is what I use--it wistands casting temps easily. The side effect is the brass weight makes an adequate heat-sink to help prolong the life of the wood pin handle.

    This is the adjustable style:



    And here is the set-in-place style:


    Hope this helps.
    Jim
    Guns have only two real enemies; Rust and Politicians...

    "Praying might get you to heaven, but trespassing will expedite the journey..."

    Where might I be found when I'm not here? Try looking here:http://www.facebook.com/NSWE.Pagosa and here: www.rescueropes.org

  20. #100
    Boolit Buddy autopilotmp's Avatar
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    That will help a lot, I understood all of it except this part:

    "Then lay the weight in the cavity to mark grooves for cutting."

    Think I can work with the info you have provided, maybe I can get to this project this weekend. Will take pics as I go, although it is hard telling when I will get another day to cast before spring. I cast outside so the temp has to be fairly warm.

    Thanks again for the expanded info on this I appreciate your time.

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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