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Thread: warped sprue plate (rcbs)

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy elginrunner's Avatar
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    Feb 2013
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    warped sprue plate (rcbs)

    I recently bought a 38-158 swcgc mold second hand, and much to my dismay, It has a warped sprue plate that did not cut cleanly leaving flashing on the bottom of the bullet. My first thought was to call RCBS and just buy a new one, but they are having a power outage, and wont be open until monday morning..... For a temporary fix I borrowed one from another two cavity rcbs I had.

    I was just wondering if anyone had managed to fix a warped or damaged one in the past? It kinda looks like someone had taken a hammer to the underside of it???

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I let one of mine get a little too loose and I accidentally tapped it with my plastic hammer. By carefully tapping on it on a flat hard surface and stoning on it I was able to straighten it. I think RCBS replaced it for free after I called them.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master

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    They can be fixed, anything can be fixed but are some things worth the time and required effort?
    Start working with a flat plate and a couple thin spacers get it as close to dead flat as possible work slowly and carefully aligning as needed. The flat plate and spacers in a vise gives a controlled push to flatten. Once as close as you can get it flattened another flat plate and fairly coarse sand paper 180-200 grit and work in a figure 8 pattern a few good swirls and check pattern. work to 75-80% sanding patterns and go to 320 grit to 90% pattern then finish with 600 grit. A light oil on the wet dry paper helps keep it cutting clean. The figure 8 pattern gives a polished surface with lines crossing over for a smooth uniform surface. If you want a truly dead flat surface a little flitz or auto rubbing compound on the plate and work the sprue plate to cleaned up. This will also sharpen the sprue hole. If its a flat sprue plate top and bottom a piece of wood double face tapped to it gives a better hold on it. A mill or surface grinder is faster and easier but not as available to most people. You can do it as above and get a very flat true plate, WHat will a replacement cost from RCBS? and then what is time worth?

  4. #4
    Banned
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    You can also mess up molds by overtightening sprue plates or/and not lubing the sprue screw regularly. the sprue plate is harder than the cast mold and wears down the pivot area. Got several nice moulds cheap because of this. Had a friend save a few thou off the top of the mould and all was golden.

    back to the sprue plate. with a flat-edged peening hammer (not ball peen) and a flat metal surface you can get the plate useable but like recommended, call RCBS.

    When the sprue plate is off, make sure the top of the mold is still flat.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy elginrunner's Avatar
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    Upon closer inspection, it looks like it has been hammered and sanded on the bottom side. I’m thinking a surface grinder couldn’t help this thing.


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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check