Lube Groove Design

[john.k]

How many lube grooves does a bullet actually need? I was planning to oversize a Lee 459HB mold up to .470+by making the body cylindrical,eliminating all but the front lube groove. The theory being that lube from the front groove will flow over the rest of the plain bullet ....Is this worth trying? I have read of cast revolver bullets without any lube grooves,but the idea doesnt seem to have caught on.

[Yodogsandman]

Do you think there will be any difference in the lube needs between a few inches of revolver barrel and a rifle barrel?

[17nut]

Mind you that thing was designed for 45-70 Black Powder and that fuel needs lots of lube.
You dont need much lube at all, think of Lee mule snot.
When you go to no grooves at all you need some surface coating Hitek or PC or else you risk lead rubbing of the bullet.

What gun will you use?

[john.k]

The bullet will be fired in a 33" martini barrel ,using smokeless........I have been using Lee 475/400FN bullets with just a paint on of moly grease GR2....this bullet has minimal lube grooves anyway.....Ive fired hundreds with no leading in several guns....but i want a bullet with a more "pointy " nose for 500m steel.

[JSnover]

Dick Dastardly markets molds with one HUGE groove.
https://www.biglube.com
What if you tried only two or three wide grooves? That would allow a longer "pointier" boolit without gaining too much weight, though you might have to seat them deeper.

[john.k]

I must say I much prefer R. Lees prices to D. Dastardlys .......anyhoo,Im boring out a Lee mold,no fancy CNC,just basic cylinder,hence only one groove.I could bore it out all the way to the ogive ,and have no grooves,which I have done to produce PP molds.......I might add I would never pay a 3 figure sum for any ally mold...Cast iron,not steel ,for that kind of money.