Do I Need A Custom Mold ?

[Petrol & Powder]

Here's where I am:

I have a couple of wadcutter loads that I've tuned to do what I want.

One of those loads is a RCBS 38-148-WC, sized to .358", lubed with White Label 50/50 and seated to the crimp groove over 3.1 grains of Bullseye. It does everything I want it to do. Accurate, shoots to the sights, doesn't lead the bore, doesn't beat up the gun (even when used in a snubnose Airweight).

However, I have two small issues and I'm trying to decide if they are significant issues:

1. As much as I love RCBS molds and the great bullets they produce, they are two cavity molds. I've switched to 4 cavity SAECO molds for my SWC's but my WC molds are all 2 cavity types.

2. The front driving band of the RCBS 38-148-WC has a very sharp shoulder. Even when using revolvers that have chamfered chambers (charge holes in S&W parlance) those RCBS WC's occasionally hang up when using speedloaders. YES, I know that a WC is designed to cut nice clean holes in paper.
I would be willing to give up a little of that sharp forward edge in exchange for a little bit more speed-loader friendly profile IF I could retain all of the positive attributes of my current load.

What I envision is a bullet profile identical to the RCBS 38-148-WC from the flat base up to the crimp groove but a beveled profile on the front driving band like a SAECO #348 DEWC.

I could just go to a DEWC but I like the plain base of my current WC and it's working great in all other regards.

SO, is that a custom mold or does someone make a 4 cavity WC mold with that combination of features?

[Conditor22]

not 4 cavity --- Lee 6 CAVITY 358-148 WC $42.99



https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION...r=8-1-fkmrnull

[Petrol & Powder]

Thanks but that has the same profile as the RCBS

[country gent]

You could buy a second RCBS mould and cast both moulds together like a lot do. While one is setting up and cooling you cutting sprue and filling the other. Does away with the 5-7 sec wait times as your casting while the other is cooling. This will get production up but wont help with the sharp front edge

[Petrol & Powder]

This design from Accurate isn't too far off:

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...=36-148W-D.png

[mattw]

What about using one of the Lyman designs that has a slightly reduced nose diameter that sticks out of the front of the case? Lyman 358432?

[bmortell]

speculating from angles of designs I have and what the hole in paper looks like, im pretty sure that accurate design would give sharp paper holes and help with loading a bit. not really sure if you could get completely easy loading and sharp holes with a certain shape but it looks like a good compromise to me

[Petrol & Powder]

speculating from angles of designs I have and what the hole in paper looks like, im pretty sure that accurate design would give sharp paper holes and help with loading a bit. not really sure if you could get completely easy loading and sharp holes with a certain shape but it looks like a good compromise to me

I think that may be right. The RCBS design has a small button nose but the forward edge of the first driving band is 90 degrees to the side. The Accurate design has more of an angled transition from the band to the edge of that nose which eliminates that sharp "shelf".

[StrawHat]

When I competed in PPC, I used the DEWC boolit cast from two Lee 2 cavity molds. I lubed one groove and loaded so maybe .1 extended past the brass. They dropped into the cylinders of all my revolvers like lightning. I think I may have bobbled one loading a quarter but most were my fault. Like the time I dropped a speed loader while drawing it from the pouch and it rolled almost to the seven yard target.

Anyway, if the lead sticks out from the brass, they tend to load easier.

Kevin

[Outpost75]

I've tried them all and keep going back to Saeco #348

Attachment 239733

Accurate 36-148D is a close copy
Attachment 239734

[Petrol & Powder]

Outpost, how does that SAECO #348 do if you run it through a lubersizer instead of using a tumble lube ?