"Beagling" question

[selmerfan]

I have an NEI aluminum mold that is dropping boolits at .266", which is the size I need, but I still need to run them into the lubesizer to lube and GC them. I'd like to open this mold up a little bit, .001"-.003" to get a good even size on the boolit. Is beagling the way to do this? I picked up some aluminum tape today, do I just follow the directions in the "beagling" article and give a whirl?
Selmerfan

[NSP64]

Yes you can. I prefer to LEEment my under size LEE alum. molds.

[Ben]

selmerfan :

Try 1 thin ply placed on each side of the bullet. Be certain it is cut thin enough not to protrude from the mold when it is closed or positioned on the mold block faces such that it can come close to getting into the mold cav.

After you've cast about 25 bullets, open the mold and take a paper towel with something like Laq. thinner and wipe the excess glue that will be on the mold faces.

Check the bullets gas check shank once the mold heats up properly . Be certain that the beagling hasn't created a problem with the dia. of the gas check shank. If your g/c' s slip on the " beagled bullets " , you should be good to go.

You'll probably get about .002 - .003 increase in bullet dia. from 1 ply of metal tape if it is the same thickness as my roll.

Ben

[Wayne Smith]

If your present boolits are round and the right size, why bother? You are simply introducing an unneeded variable into the process.

[fourarmed]

I agree with Wayne on this one. If the as-cast diameter is what you want, you are not going to improve the accuracy by mucking around with it. If your sizer is making them too small, that is another matter that can be dealt with by honing out the sizer slightly.

[runfiverun]

buy a 266 sizer then, or hone one out if it's a lee sizer you don't even need any real tools.

[selmerfan]

I have a .266 sizing die in my Lyman 4500. I'm new at this, so please bear with me. I thought one of the reasons for sizing was to "perfect" the boolit in concentricity and diameter. So you're telling me that if the as-cast diameter is what I want, then lube up and go with it? I also shot these boolits for the first time on Saturday, checked, sized, and lubed. I fired off 45 rounds and just had a few flakes of lead come out on my patches before it was clean. The majority of the fouling in the barrel was carbon fouling. Depending on the powder and charge, they ran 1"- 1 1/2" at 100 yds. from my m700 .260 Remington.
Selmerfan

[fourarmed]

Don't mess with success! Unless, of course, you just have too much time on your hands and need something to do. It has always been axiomatic among bullet casters that the less sizing you do, the better. Modern sizing dies have reduced the damage done in sizing, but the principle still holds.