Lyman 525gr Slug mold

[fastfire]

Today I recieved a new Lyman 525gr slug mold.
I was casting using recycled cast boolits.The slugs weighed in @ 473gr.
Did I get the wrong mold?
The only markings on the mold are Lyman 06-12 687 12 GV 2H

[GBertolet]

It's quite possible that your recycled range bullets are of a hardened alloy, which weigh less than pure lead. Also, sometimes the cherry used to cut the mold gets worn, and cuts slightly undersized cavities, but still within their manufacturing tolerances. The manufactures try to get as much mileage as they can, out of their cutting cherries before replacement. Maybe your mold is one of these. I have some undersize molds that fall under this category also.

[fastfire]

I cast some from pure PB they 498gr. Guess the cherry used to cut the mold was a bit worn.

[longbow]

What is the as cast diameter?

I was surprised when one fellow posted that his Lyman Foster mould cast a 0.685". Mine casts at 0.705" and I have seen other reports of around 0.690". That is a huge variation. Now with a smoothbore hollowbase slug maybe they really didn't care and just kept using reamers and re-sharpening.

At 0.685" you could use those in some shotcups but at 0.705" they are too big for shotcups and too small for the bore. A very odd way to make things in my opinion. How is the fit to bore in a shotcup?

Anyway, if your sabot slugs mic out at much less than 0.685"/0.680" then they would be undersize I think. It is possible that your core pin is a little long too. That would displace lead.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Longbow

[fastfire]

Mine mesure .680
I have yet to order shotcups
I'll mesure the core pin later tonite.

What is the as cast diameter?

I was surprised when one fellow posted that his Lyman Foster mould cast a 0.685". Mine casts at 0.705" and I have seen other reports of around 0.690". That is a huge variation. Now with a smoothbore hollowbase slug maybe they really didn't care and just kept using reamers and re-sharpening.

At 0.685" you could use those in some shotcups but at 0.705" they are too big for shotcups and too small for the bore. A very odd way to make things in my opinion. How is the fit to bore in a shotcup?

Anyway, if your sabot slugs mic out at much less than 0.685"/0.680" then they would be undersize I think. It is possible that your core pin is a little long too. That would displace lead.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Longbow

[longbow]

Not positive but I think that "687" in the part number is the nominal diameter. In any case it should be around 0.685" or more to fit most shotcups.

My Lee runs 0.686" IIRC at the nose and tapers to 0.665" or so at the base. A bit much taper in my opinion ~ more than petal taper. Anyway, that 0.686" is a pretty good fit in Winchester shotcups... maybe a little tight.

Are you shooting them in smoothbore or rifled gun? If smoothbore a bit loose won't hurt but for rifled gun you need good engraving of the wad.

Longbow

[fastfire]

I will be getting a rifled barrel.Thank You

[bikerbeans]

IIRC, lyman sabot slugs have their largest OD at the top of the slug and the bottom is a bit smaller. I know their 20ga sabot slug is because I had a friend measure some the other day and there this is about .02" difference between the top and bottom of the slug. Bottom tapered to fit in a shot cup maybe?

BB

[longbow]

Yup! Same as Lee. They put a bit of taper because the petals are normally tapered thicker to the bottom.

Not sure what the bore and groove "standards" are for rifled barrels. The only one I have handled is a friend's Remington 870 that ran 0.727" groove diameter. Didn't check bore diameter.

Not sure how petals take a tight fit with the narrow nose band on the Lyman sabot slug but I know from my testing of a variety of slugs in smoothbore that petals distort badly if fit is too tight. The other side of the coin is that rifled guns need enough squeeze to to get the spin to the slug.

I also notice that the Lyman sabot slug ha a short more or less cylindrical portion at the bottom of the skirt which is good because if the slug swells at firing that spreads the load over more petal. I have had petals shear at sharp edged skirts when they swell.

Longbow

[Teddy (punchie)]

I have one that we loaded 20 years ago , 514-519 average, I recall because we had a very heavy recoil, at bench.

OD If I recall was .690 but would have to check.

Use 99.9% pure lead, bullets turn a gray color in no time.

[ovendoctor]

Today I recieved a new Lyman 525gr slug mold.
I was casting using recycled cast boolits.The slugs weighed in @ 473gr.
Did I get the wrong mold?
The only markings on the mold are Lyman 06-12 687 12 GV 2H

something also to check is to see if the slug is ''out of round''
had that problem with the 311644
I had to beagle the base to get the base to size to .311
it was .006 out of round

Doc.

[vitralist]

I have one that we loaded 20 years ago , 514-519 average, I recall because we had a very heavy recoil, at bench.

OD If I recall was .690 but would have to check.

Use 99.9% pure lead, bullets turn a gray color in no time.

Hello! what percentage Antimony and Tin and Lead would you use for hunting wild Bore in Europe?
for the 525 Lynam slug?

[jmort]

94/3/3 and heat treat it. Will be hard but not brittle.

[Reloader270]

I have made myself a sizer die for my Lyman Foster Slug from a Lee Factory crimp die. Us it to start the sizing. Thereafter I size it in a sizer die made from the Lee Prime Die with the inside diametre a little smaller.



Left to Right:
1) Lee Factory Crimp Die (body only)
2) Lee Ram Prime – Ram
3) Lee Ram Prime Body (shell holder housing cut off) and Ram milled thinner to accommodate hollow base of slug.
4) Lyman 475gr Foster Slug in shot cup (Unsized)
5) Lyman 475gr Foster Slug in shot cup (Sized)

PREPARING THE SIZERS:
Take the crimper insert out of the Lee Factory Crimp Die 1). You can polish the inside of the die and make the opening at the bottom a bit tapered to accept the slug easier.

Now cut off the top of the Lee Ram Prime Body 3) where you normally insert the shell holder. Now you need to mill the inside of the Lee Ram Prime body 3) to be in the region of 0.663”. Then polish the inside of the die body. It should now not be larger than 0.666”. Make the bottom of the body of the Lee Ram Prime 3) also a little tapered as to allow it to take the slug easier.

Then mill down the top part of the Lee Ram Prime (Ram) 2) to be 0.420” thick. The length you need to mill down is +-0.912”.

SIZING YOUR SLUGS:
Use your single stage press. Turn the Lee Factory Crimp Die (body) )1) as a starter for your sizing of the slug. Insert the Lee Ram Prime Ram (the milled down one in 3) in the Ram of the Press. Lube the slug with any good lubricant. The use the milled down primer ram in 3) to push the slug up in the die 1). Once the slug is inside the body Lee Factory Crimp Die 1), lower the Ram of the Press and then you knock the slug down the die with the Lee Ram Prime Ram 2) using a mallet . If the slug sticks to the primer ram 3), you need to mill the ram down a bit more.

After sizing the slug inside the Factory Crimp Die (body) 1), you turn the sizer 3) into the press – turn it in until it locks on the top of the press. You repeat the process of lubricating the slug and then sizing it, but this time you press it right through the sizer die 3). It should now fit perfectly inside the shot cup.