GB Ideal 454190 J.W. Cusey 6 cavity Lee results

[Mohillbilly]

looks real good for a Lee, Thank You Opentop ! 63010

[denul]

I pm'd you about this, but thanks here also. Looks good.

[Coconino]

Thanks Opentop for running this GB.

I cast about 150 using a 20:1 alloy in the Lee 4-20, they dropped easily. Better than the other Lee moulds I have. I tried the kroil treatment on this die and after about 3 pours, was getting shiny bullets. The bullets are running large though (as cast .4575-4580"), or at least too large to size with the Lathesmith .454 die. Had to punch out the two bullets that would not go through without probably bending the handle on the Star.

The 20:1 alloy is the one I use for most revolver shooting. Made 750 of the .44 Biglube bullets from the same batch and they were about the same as cast size(+/- .001) as previous batches.

Do I have to go to a softer alloy to get this mould to work?

[j20owner]

Coconino, in casting with straight clip-on wheel weight metal, mine measure about the same. I believe opentop is using a star sizer and actually sizing to .452".

[opentop]

They wrere speced to drop no smaller than .455 with WW alloy. Even at .458, they are within spec acording to LEE. Mine are droping at .455-.457. I am sizing down to .452 with a Star and am having no problems.

[Coconino]

So if the bullets are casting to the right size and the sizer measures .454" not sure why they are so stubborn going through the sizer. It took considerable force to get a bullet to go in flush with the top of the die and figured something must be wrong. Tapped it back out and it did size the upper band to .454.

Maybe I need the big plow handle folks talk about for the Star.

[j20owner]

FWIW, I'm sizing with a Lyman 45 and I don't care for how these boolits look after sizing base first. I think I'm going to size with a Lee push-through and then lube with the Lyman.

Also cast with it again today, and I still need a bigger pot. 10lb goes fast when you use a 6-cav mold.

[opentop]

So if the bullets are casting to the right size and the sizer measures .454" not sure why they are so stubborn going through the sizer. It took considerable force to get a bullet to go in flush with the top of the die and figured something must be wrong. Tapped it back out and it did size the upper band to .454.

Maybe I need the big plow handle folks talk about for the Star.

I just got a new sizing die from lathesmith today just for that bullet. I put it in the star, pulled the handle down, and ut oh, the bullet got stuck. I forced it on through the star and bent my handle. I applied some RCBS case lube (it didn’t take much, just a drop smeared around with my fingers) to the next bullet and it went right through. Once I got going, I ran a lubed bullet through about every sixth time when I started to feel it pushing hard. So I suspect once you get a good lubed bullet through it, it should start running smoother.

[opentop]

FWIW, I'm sizing with a Lyman 45 and I don't care for how these boolits look after sizing base first. I think I'm going to size with a Lee push-through and then lube with the Lyman.

Also cast with it again today, and I still need a bigger pot. 10lb goes fast when you use a 6-cav mold.

Yes, I agree, give the lee push through a try and lube with the lyman. They look so much better when nose first sized.

This mold with go through 10 Ibs in no time!

[Coconino]

Opentop, I replied to the PM. A little Dillon case lube on the first few boolits and the die works fine. Glad I did not bend my Star handle

Using the 20:1 alloy and a .454 Lathesmith die, my boolits sized to .4535 to .454". Weight about 268 gr. Looking to try in the Colt and USFA SAA with larger chamber mouths.

Of course we have a foot of new snow and 2-3 feet more expected by Friday so I won't be testing this load for a while.