Ordered a Tell Tru thermometor today
NRA Life Member
learn to make your own black powder collect bp arms as there presently not recorded
smokless is a fad its fading fast, helped along by obama
Your mold might be messed up if it’s a Lee I ordered a Lee one time and it was undersized it was supposed to drop a .324 but dropped a .314
I m sure you are right will contact them Monday
NRA Life Member
learn to make your own black powder collect bp arms as there presently not recorded
smokless is a fad its fading fast, helped along by obama
I have several checkmaker dies and use a different thickness of Amerimax Aluminum to make checks depending on the mold. I cut the strips of aluminum (usually 10) grab the strips with vise grips, and dunk them in the lead pot. 15 to 20 seconds and strips are annealed, then I make checks.
I don't shoot a lot of rifle right now except .223, and that is a plain base boolit designed for powder coating. The little buggers kill tin cans. I hated making 22 gas checks so much I bought a bunch from a vendor here. I've got about 10 pounds of Lyman 225-415 cast and PCd, and about 20 pounds of the NOE 225-62 RN cast and coated.
All of my .308 W and 30-06 is loaded, and I have a stockpile of boolits cast. I also have a 7.65 x 53 Argentinian Mauser that needs testing. I already have cast and coated for that, just waiting for the opportunity. The 7.65 boolit has a fat shank so I used thinner aluminum.
Common sense Gun Safety . . .
Is taught at the Range!
We've already suggested a .313 sizing die to crimp the GC (but not further size the bullet itself)
....but have received no answer.
I have not ordered a sizeing die yet need to decide if I need a .313 or .314 die. My barrel is .3135-.314
The mold throw's .3125-.313
NRA Life Member
learn to make your own black powder collect bp arms as there presently not recorded
smokless is a fad its fading fast, helped along by obama
Got new Tru thermometor Wednesday.
NRA Life Member
learn to make your own black powder collect bp arms as there presently not recorded
smokless is a fad its fading fast, helped along by obama
OK, bore .3135-.314. mold throw's .3125-.313, you need .3145-.316
1) you could (should lap/polish your mold to increase its diameter by several thou.)
http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/Mol...umentation.pdf
you say the GC is too big so increasing the mold diameter will help that also. I'd shoot for at least .315 or take up powdercoating (which is an easy way to add .002+ in diameter
2) hotter alloy produces more shrinkage and smaller boolits (better fill out) adding more tin will also improve fill out at a lower temperature
Then you don't have a problem with the gas check. They are supposed to fit on easy, then the sizer crimps them down to size. You will need a bigger bullet though. The first thing is to follow the previous advice to make absolutely sure you are getting the best fillout possible. If that doesn't work, look up beagling a mold, which is simply adding aluminum tape to shim the mold apart. You should be able to pick up .002". I would start by sizing .316".
so i called
lee they said to apply notebook paper to mold surface useing lube as adhesive to get a bigger boolit they said the out of round would not matter. sounds crazy
should i get a 314 sizer r what youall think
i see now were you recommened a 316 sizer sorry i mised that first time
Last edited by BUFFALOW RED; 10-23-2020 at 05:59 PM.
NRA Life Member
learn to make your own black powder collect bp arms as there presently not recorded
smokless is a fad its fading fast, helped along by obama
i think ill try the lapping first.
got enough alox for life time {4 bottles} so didnt realy want to invest in shake & bake
NRA Life Member
learn to make your own black powder collect bp arms as there presently not recorded
smokless is a fad its fading fast, helped along by obama
I lapped my Lee molds to get a better fit to my bore. Worked well, even though the bullets were slightly out of round. They fit the bore and that was what made the difference.
No, do not try lapping first. It is irreversible. If you try anything, try beagling, which is 100% reversible. I'm sure they come out somewhat out of round, but you can gain .002" and still be relatively round. They will be perfect after sizing.
See the link below, post #12, a picture worth 1000 words. That is aluminum tape with adhesive on it. It works great.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-beagle-a-mold
PLEASE.... before the OP does ANYthing at this agonizing point.
- CAST the bullets at as low a temp as you can to get sharp fillout.
- BUY a cheap $19 0.314 Lee sizer
- SIZE the gas check on and lube it w/ whatever you wish....
SHOOT it.
and then tell us the results.
Ok I'll try that first
NRA Life Member
learn to make your own black powder collect bp arms as there presently not recorded
smokless is a fad its fading fast, helped along by obama
with new tru temp thermometer i cast Boolits at 650 and again at 700 degrees both came out at .313 so i gained .0005-maybe .001 in diameter.
im still .001 smaller than bore.
called Lee they said put tae in mold & cast out of round boolits.
sounds inaccurate to me. ordered a .314 sizeing die now waiting.
NRA Life Member
learn to make your own black powder collect bp arms as there presently not recorded
smokless is a fad its fading fast, helped along by obama
I never could wrap my head around where "Beagleling" (putting foil tape on the mold surface (s) to make the cavity bigger could:
1) produce round boolits
2) not have major finning
it's too easy to polish the mold to your desired size (this take a little time, go a little, warm the mold cast some boolits measure them then go more (If needed)
aluminum will polish faster than steel. I usually use Flitz polish
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 |