.443" 530 Grain Elliptical Paper Patch Bullet Mold 1-Cavity Flat Base

[GregLaROCHE]

I’m getting ready to purchase a slick sided Boolit mold. I not sure of what diameter I should get.

I am using my .45-70 Marlin I bought in the eighties as a platform to learn more about PP and black powder. I plan to buy a single shot rifle more suited for the sport in the future. I bought some .451 boolits and wet patched them with tracing paper to .457-.458. They shot ok with smokeless, but I never took the time to work up a load. I think they were a little tight, because there was a fair amount of confetti.

I am planning to buy paper from Buffalo Arms at the same time as I buy a mold. The 443" 530 Grain Elliptical Paper Patch Bullet Flat Base Mold is one I am looking at, but am not at all sure if it is the correct one to buy.

Maybe I am being unrealistic thinking that I can use the same mold for a rifle I haven’t bought yet. Is it even possible to use this mold to just start shooting in an unknown future rifle.

[Don McDowell]

Wait until you get the rifle, then decide on a mould.

[country gent]

In the marlin lever action the benefits of the bore riding bullet will be negated by the short action length they have to feed thru. From my understanding a 500 grn bullet has to be seated very deep to feed at groove dia. As Don said get your single shot slug the bore and go from there. Groove dia around 450 grn PP should work good in the marlin though. These will need to be loaded similar to grease grooved bullets with a lot more in the case. Traditionaly and in use the bore riding bullet patches to around .450 dia is only seated 1/8"-3/16" into the case, leaving the bullet and patch out to center in bore and increase powder charge.

My brooks mould drops at .4435 with 20-1 and my casting techniques. It is and adjustable mould for length and cup based. With 2 wraps of seth cole paper (.0018 thick) the paper patch is just burnished by the bore dia when loaded. For use in your marlin and single shot an adjustable mould may make both lengths you need.

Recovering patches after fired tells a lot. On my45-70 2 come put with the outer wrap confetti and the under wrap darkly engraved by the rifling with the fold over intact and clean. The one 45 barrel and my 40 barrel the whole patch is confetti with just the fold under intact. The 45 barrel is a Al story BRC barrel with choked muzzle the 40 is a CPA rifle with douglas barrel.

[GregLaROCHE]

Ok, I’ll hold of on the mold for now. I may get some smaller sizing dies for my NOE sizer, to size the .451 down a little more.

I’d like to know more about this adjustable mold. When you say adjustable does that refer to length? Can it cast from 400 to 500 + grain boolits? Who makes it? Is it a special order. Very expensive?

Thanks

[country gent]

Several make them Mine is a Steve Brooks moul and will cast from around 400 grns to just over 550 grns. There is an adjustable base plugthat is threaded and runs in or out as needed. The only draw back if it is the nose is a constant it stays the same size and length, the full dia /driving section gets longer or shorter.

Ive cast a lot of bullets with mine over the years and its a great casting mould. Brooks is a custom maker and does very good work. Cast Iron blocks and a nice thick sprue plate. $200.00 and was about 3 week wait from order to delivery. I also like the cup base as it allows the fold under to lay much flatter and squarer. My fold under leaves a small section of the bullets base visible in the center about .100-.125 dia. no tail.

[GregLaROCHE]

Does the mold fill from bottom up? The sprue plate is at the nose of the boolit ? What shape is the nose? Can I see one (boolit) online?

Thanks

[Randy Bohannon]

.40 Cal. Brooks Adj. mould nose pour bullet. I forget the nose design shoots good @340 grs.

[country gent]

It is a nose pour mould with a money style nose. Straight sided 1 diameter.

[GregLaROCHE]

Thanks for the pictures and info. More to think and dream about.