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Thread: HI everyone, lurker introduction

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    May 2020
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    HI everyone, lurker introduction

    Been lurking this forum for a while, mostly because any question I ever had was already answered! I started casting around 5 years ago when I had finished my first flintlock build in .40 cal and realized purchasing factree .390 and .395 round balls was not sustainable. This led to a crude casting setup and I was satisfied for the time. Then after playing with that for a while I realized that loading for the muzzleloader was near the same as loading up a cartridge. Then I found this place and realized how common it was to cast and reload in general and of course my caliber of choice is 357 mag in revolver and rifle for general shooting... so no brainer it was something i had to get into. I first melted some lead around age 8, taking some old lead pipe and making some crude ingots- naturally fascinating, and realizing almost 20 years later that I can make my very own boolits for cartridge guns. Who knew i'd be digging the back stops out for the sweet 70's alloy hehe

    My setup is still quite elementary compared to a few years ago and most other dedicated casters but for what I want to do it just works fine.

    Just wanted to post and say hello. The ol trusty Lyman 450 has been putting in quite the work recently because i picked up a few new lee molds to play around with. Getting gas check molds i needed some gas checks, I had never used them before.. $30-40 for 1000? what is that? Only bought one bag of hornady checks before I looked up how to make my own checks, foung the plans from Dima Prok i believe and commissioned some time in the machine shop at school. That was only a few weeks ago, still experimenting with different material for checks and fine tuning things. No noticeable accuracy difference between hornady checks and my home made ones on the 200 gr lee 358 in the Henry single shot .357 1-16 twist and Rossi 92 1-30". 1750 fps avg from the Henry. They're pretty much top end loads and the boolit is so long it doesn't fit in the revolvers so that's probably good. I'll stick to the 158's for the revolvers. Recovered checks show the same patterns

    Copper check is a Hornady and alumunim are the roll your own

    Have a good one!




  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy Tazlaw's Avatar
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    Dec 2019
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    Welcome aboard. How hard was it to make the gas check tool?
    Just knowing enough to do it, is not enough to do it right! -Taz

  3. #3
    Moderator


    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Welcome aboard.
    That sizer should be almost broken in by now.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  4. #4
    Moderator


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    Welcome to the forum. Nice looking boolits!

  5. #5
    Boolit Master elmacgyver0's Avatar
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    Welcome!
    Nice job on the check maker.
    I was just looking over plans to make one and looking at yours it is starting to make sense to me, as the plans confused me a bit.

  6. #6
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tazlaw View Post
    Welcome aboard. How hard was it to make the gas check tool?

    Not awful for my extremely mediocre machine skills. The biggest part I think was having the right tooling and materials. The right drill sizes, equivalent reamers, countersink tool, taps/dies, lathe tooling etc. The basic pdf plans are pretty straightforward, I just watched a few videos of it in use to get an idea of the working principle and just kind of dove in and hope it all worked. It does what it needs to for now..

  7. #7
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by elmacgyver0 View Post
    Welcome!
    Nice job on the check maker.
    I was just looking over plans to make one and looking at yours it is starting to make sense to me, as the plans confused me a bit.

    If you decide to go that route I can disassemble mine and take some more detailed pictures

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    StuBach's Avatar
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    Welcome to the madness! If your already making your own check maker tools you’ll fit right in.

  9. #9
    Banned

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    Welcome from Texas.......are you using SPG lube?

  10. #10
    Moderator Emeritus


    MrWolf's Avatar
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    Welcome. Nice job on the check maker.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

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    Welcome aboard looks like you are well into the rabbit hole. I have not made or bought a check maker but good job on that one you made.
    I buy checks from Sage outdoors their prices are reasonable.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master

    pworley1's Avatar
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    Welcome! It looks like you are off to a good start.
    NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle

  13. #13
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

    waksupi's Avatar
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    Welcome aboard! Did you check the bore on that .40? No way would I be able to get balls that size in mine.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  14. #14
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by smithnframe View Post
    Welcome from Texas.......are you using SPG lube?
    I currently am lubing all my boolits with White label 2500. I haven't had any problems shooting it, I really like the smell both unfired and at the range, and it works well in my loading room without a block heater.

    Quote Originally Posted by waksupi View Post
    Welcome aboard! Did you check the bore on that .40? No way would I be able to get balls that size in mine.
    I have not mic'd the bore of the .40. It is a 42" green mountain barrel with a 1-38 twist i believe, iirc. What is the best method of really checking the bore, casting a slug? no real way to cold slug it save for chancing it with a ball puller.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master

    jonp's Avatar
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    Welcome Aboard! You found out as I did that about anything I was going to try someone on this board had been there and done that already and was always willing to share advice.
    I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled

    Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Welcome to the forum. You can slug the bore by dropping a 6" length of brass rod in your bore. The larger the better, drive your slug in and then invert the barrel to let the rod drop on the slug. After a few times it'll pop out.

  17. #17
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

    waksupi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chickenpot View Post
    I currently am lubing all my boolits with White label 2500. I haven't had any problems shooting it, I really like the smell both unfired and at the range, and it works well in my loading room without a block heater.



    I have not mic'd the bore of the .40. It is a 42" green mountain barrel with a 1-38 twist i believe, iirc. What is the best method of really checking the bore, casting a slug? no real way to cold slug it save for chancing it with a ball puller.
    You can use calipers to get a good enough measurement to start in. I'm using .375 balls with pillow ticking. Easy loading, good accuracy.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


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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