Reading about the testing done by Jim and Beagle on the .223 with cast Boolits got me fired me up!! I sent my hard earned cash to my favorite vendor for a new Lyman 225415 double cavity mold. Said mold arrived and I fired up the pot with visions of 10 round 1/2" groups (at 100 yards) with velocities ranging from 800 to 1800 fps in my head!!!
Well, my mold must have been the last one cut from a VERY worn Cherry cause the Boolits miked 0.2225" AT THE WIDEST using a high antimony alloy!!! To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Got to reading about Eric and the work he does so I figured I'd send it in to get the bands (3) opened up to 0.226". Read some more about Beagles testing and figured while Eric was opening up the bands I have his HP mod done on both cavities (a Cramer style mod).
Got the mold back from Eric and just had a chance to cast with it yesterday. The Boolits dropped from the pre-heated mold without difficulty and the Boolits mike 0.226" ON THE NOSE with WW alloy. Lubed and gas checked they weigh 50.1gr. Only problem I have now is the 415 punch is leaving a ring on the Boolit nose when sizing in the 4500 lube/sizer. Next is a push through die for a Star lube/sizer in 0.226" (a diameter used by Beagle with great success).
I cannot say enough about the fine job Eric did with this mold!!! I am back on track and hope to be duplicating Jim and Beagle's success with cast Boolits in the .223 soon!
More to follow............