6.5 boolit undersized...can it work ?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I cast some Lyman 266469 (140 gr.) today.
They dropped from the mold at .2680 using an alloy of 2/3 WW and 1/3 Lino
I slugged the barrel of my Jap 38 rechambered to 257x6.5 it is .2685:sad:
I obviously won't be sizing them,
the Gas check just slips on and would fall off,
so I guess I will try shooting these without a check.
I will tumble Lube them with LLA 45-45-10

I gonna try loading these once they get a little age hardened,
but I am not expecting much success.
The rifling is fairly deep, the groove measured .259
I am hoping that will provide enough resistance
to create enough pressure to obturate the boolit.

Am I being unreasonable in thinking this will work ?
Jon

[Dean D.]

Hi Jon, I'll be interested to hear how your experiment works as I have the same mould and same problems with a 6.5 X 55 Swede. I have been toying with the idea of at least polishing out the GC area to increase the diameter a smidge. I think they might shoot if I could at least get a GC to crimp on.

[dbldblu]

I have had boolits .002" undersize work just fine with light loads. That is a small cartridge so I would try 8 gr. Unique. If you are one of those that just has to get to 2400 fps, you will probably be disappointed.

[leadman]

If you are using a RCBS or Lyman sizer you can crimp the GC without sizing the boolit. Lyman even sells a little tool for seating the GC that goes under the sizing die on the rod.

You could wrap the boolit with the teflon plumbers tape to make it a little larger.

[1Shirt]

Keep us posted.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I didn't think of this til just a few minutes ago.
I could beagle the mold, that should help both
the gascheck shank and boolit size.
then I'd just need to hone/polish out my lee type .266 size die out to .269ish

I've never tried the beagle thing,
I have read a few articles and a few threads on it.
I do have some UL rated foil tape.
now just need to find the time for another
casting session.
Jon

PS, my gator checks measured .268 OD...they will hopefully go on hard and expand a bit.
Jon

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Well, I still had the casting pot setup.
I knew it would bug me all night if I didn't
try the beagle thing tonight and not knowing when
I'll have time to cast again.
So, I beagled the mold best I could.
I worried about the adhesive burning...NOT a problem.
using the same alloy 2/3 WW with 1/3 lino.
the boolits dropped 4 gr. heavier (144 gr.)
.2680 at the seam and .2710 at 90º from the seam.
no flashing...well, very little flashing anyway.
Gator Check wouldn't snap on with just fingers,
should be fine in a Lee type sizer.

So over all, I think it's a success,
I'll know more tomorrow when I get the sizer honed/polished.
Jon

[leadman]

It isn't too difficult to lap out an iron mold with some 600grit lapping compound. Slower than doing an aluminum mold which is a good thing. I have done quite a few iron and aluminum using the leementing procedure with boolits cast in the mold and a drywall screw to turn with a cordless screwdriver.

Just go slow and cast a boolit, check, lap if needed, cast, measure, etc.

[waksupi]

I would try bumping up the nose a bit in the lubrisizer, and fill the throat. I do that with my Swede for my best accuracy.

[Bret4207]

I was going to recommend what Ric said- bump it. Nobody bumps anymore I guess. Basically you get a sizer die of the diameter you want and a top punch the fits, insert your boolit and lean on the handle when it bottoms out. You have to go slow and see what your set up will take because you can break the sizer. What happens is the pressure causes the boolit to swell to a larger size. You may need to set the stop a lot deeper than normal to avoid mashing the nose.

It's worth a try. You can control the amount of increase with a block to stop your ram or handle, whatever works best for you.

BTW- I bought a 270 mould for my 6.5x257 Arisaka.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Bumping:
I thought of that, I have a .266 lyman die, but didn't want to order another one and
honing out the .266 'H' die that far will surely require a different and properly sized 'I' post,
and I don't have that capability. then there is the breaking the lubesizer possiblity with a rifle boolet of a fairly hard alloy...and the possible inconsistancy of this rudementary swaging.

Anyway,
I had some pretty good success with the beagling, I honed/polished my Lee style sizer die this morning, and then I pressed on the gaschecks after I used my NOE gascheck shank chamfer tool. I sized the boolits, the OD of the gascheck was now .269 as well as the now round boolit, the sizing must have moved a little metal to the narrow side. I look forward to loading these in a few weeks and trying them out.
Jon

PS a 270 mold is an excellent idea...But I'm going to stick with this 266469 for now, hopfully it'll shoot straight.

[30calflash]

What size GC's would you use for the 270 bullet in a 6.5 bore? The larger would seem to get mashed or? and the 6.5's wouldn't fit the shank. Just curious.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

30calflash,
that is a good question.

one solution would be a PB boolit and a PB style gas check.
that'd mean a custom mold probably or at least a standard mold with the
gas check shank removed, and a custom PB gascheck maker.
that'd be expensive.
Jon

[Bret4207]

What size GC's would you use for the 270 bullet in a 6.5 bore? The larger would seem to get mashed or? and the 6.5's wouldn't fit the shank. Just curious.

You'd use the 270, it'll size down. Using a GC that is undersized for the bore is wasted money and effort. The GC should fit just like the main body of the boolit- at least groove size and probably +.001 or more in most cases.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Hey, I gotta wake up this thread !!!
I finally loaded some of the beagled LY266469 lubed with 45-45-10
for my custom Jap 257x6.5 robt rifle. iron sites (commercial rear peep site)

using A-xmp-5744 powder, OAL-3.020"
yesterday I shot them.
I tried 3 loads and shot two sets of 3 shot groups at 50 yds.
17.2gr first-1.5" second-2.5"
18.9gr first-2.25" second-1.5"
20.4gr first-2.25" second-1.25"

I'm quite happy with the results.
I am going out today to try a different powder,
I have some surplus H322 I hope will work,
these loads are 21.8gr, 22.8gr, & 23.6gr
these should be around the 1800 fps area plus or minus 100

I used my Pact 1 chrono yesterday for the first time,
I had problems, I plan to reread the manual and try again today.
I hope to see what speed these are really going.
Jon

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Well, I had good success with the H322 powder.
about the same results as with the 5744.

I didn't get the chrono to work.
I found a 0.2685 hole in one of the sensors :(
I ordered a new sensor today.

Also, with the success of shooting this rifle,
I also desided to go ahead and order a set of
custom collet neck sizing dies and a custom factory
crimp die for this rifle too.
the OLD set of CH dies are obviously made to
load .264 bullets, so I think they are working
the brass too much...could be why I have a
couple of cracked necks, of course I don't know
how many times the cases have been loaded...unknown history
from the previous owner/s.

[Twmaster]

Great info. I guess I need to get around to slugging the barrel on my 6.5-257 Bob Arisaka.