Lee mold modification

[xtratoy]

I am thinking about getting the Lee.476-325 grain gas check mold and powder coating the boolits but not using gas checks. Does anyone see a down side to this? Has anyone milled a Mold like this down to eliminate the gas check shank?

[Dusty Bannister]

?Milling the top of the mold to remove the portion that forms the gas check? Lighter casting.
?Reaming the mold to remove the portion of the mold that forms the gas check? Heavier casting.
?How does it shoot just powder coated and no mod to the mold so you still have options?

[xtratoy]

I haven't purchased the mold yet. I am wondering if people using powder coated Boolits that were designed to use gas checks are having any success without the gas check. Mold alteration would be a last ditch attempt.

[jugulater]

i dont powder coat but i shoot plenty of Gas check boolits without the Gas checks and it doesnt seem to hinder my accuracy.

Most of my rifle molds are gas check designs and i shoot them without the GC for 100yd plinker loads and shoot them with the GC for longer range shooting.

as long as you are not pushing the boolit too fast it should be fine, my advice is to give it a shot and see what happens.

[Moonie]

If I were you I'd get the mold and try it without gas checks, if it works well you are done however a boolit that heavy might need the check to prevent stripping in the rifling, might not. I've generally found better accuracy with higher velocity or heavy boolits but it depends on your intended use as well. I would think that hunting accuracy at longer handgun/rifle range would probably need the check.

[Petander]

I was thinking the same but ended up getting both Lee 325 GC and 400 PB in 476.

I figured it's easier to test the need for checks this way. Got very good quality molds by the way. Gator checks from NOE snap right on tight on a coated 325.

EDIT: I don't have the rifle yet so I can't comment how 325's shoot with or without a GC but usually a GC design likes a GC. Got the 400 as a backup,a whopping 16 bucks.

[Kraschenbirn]

Don't see much 'downside' either way so long as the end result meets your needs. Last mold I had reworked as you describe was milled to adjust the boolit weight. Had an old, out of production NEI mold that cast beautifully but dropped boolits just a bit too heavy for the 1-18 twist rate of my .38-55 Highwall. Did some experimenting, using an Exacto razor saw, to determine how much material needed to be removed to obtain the boolit weight I desired. As it turned out, removing the GC shank dropped the weight 8%, from 330 to 304 gr. (30-1 alloy). Bottom line: If I'm having a good day, <2 MOA at 300M using iron sights.

Bill

[Rich/WIS]

I have cut down both Lee and Lyman to remove either the gas check or bevel base and it worked fine. Used a milling machine to mill down top of the mold and then the 400 grit paper and oil on a flat surface to final finish the top. Just go slow and don't let chips get under the mill to prevent scoring, especially with the aluminum molds.

[country gent]

You could buy a reamer and ream the gas check out also. Not a big job with a hand reamer of the right size. work carefully and keep the reamer well oiled. A stop on the reamer willhelp prevent cutting to deep. If you handy you can blacken the cavities and working with an exacto knife and sharp new blade cut scrape this out also. working down to the layer of carbon . Here you need to work slow and carefully but the sharp blade will peel a fine chip from the aluminum and leave a very nice finish.