Thunking about a new mould - Ideas

[7br]

With Mountain moulds semi back, I am considering having a heavy .41 mould cut.
Parameters : I am thinking about 265gr, plain base with velocities about 1200fps. Will be used for deer hunting and possibly for silhouette shooting.

Now for the questions:
How many and how big of lube grooves?
Any particular angle for the grease groove?
Meplat size?
Material?
Checked or not ?

I currently have aluminum LBT moulds and iron lyman and RCBS moulds. I am thinking about trying brass as I have never had a brass mould.

[Explorer1]

SSK used to offer (might still?) a 275gr 41 mould, it was made by NEI, which was great. You might want to research that design, I had great success with it.

[7br]

Dagnabbit, What is the world coming to? I ask for opinions and I get one suggestion for a mould that is already in production?

The mould will be for a Dan Wesson with a 1 in 18.75in twist and 8" barrel. I have heard from a couple of people that Dan Wesson's won't stablize the Leadheads 280gr bullets past 175 yards. (Dan Wesson used to sell a 1 in 14 barrel, but I can't find one now)

I have used the Mountain Molds bullet designer to draw a couple of different bullets. They look good to me, but the proof is going to cost me $80 a throw.

First question: Steel, Aluminum, or Brass and why?

[45 2.1]

Dagnabbit, What is the world coming to? I ask for opinions and I get one suggestion for a mould that is already in production?

The mould will be for a Dan Wesson with a 1 in 18.75in twist and 8" barrel. I have heard from a couple of people that Dan Wesson's won't stablize the Leadheads 280gr bullets past 175 yards. (Dan Wesson used to sell a 1 in 14 barrel, but I can't find one now)

I have used the Mountain Molds bullet designer to draw a couple of different bullets. They look good to me, but the proof is going to cost me $80 a throw.

First question: Steel, Aluminum, or Brass and why?

Aluminum. The one and only MM I have is steel and Dan "thoughfully" parkerized the machined boolit cavities to prevent rust. Why anyone would etch machined cavities is a really good question, but i'm not very happy with the results. I've never had a brass mold so can only compare the two.

[Kraschenbirn]

Mark...

I shot an 8" DW 741 with cast boolits for 8 or 9 years in IHMSA competition. My favorite was a gas-checked 240 gr TC (no wadcutter shoulder) from an NEI mould (aluminum). Hard-cast and loaded over 19.5 gr IMR 4227, velocity was around 1320-40 fps and 5-shot, 100m groups (off sandbags w/iron sights) ran 3"-3 1/2". I don't recall the twist rate of those old DW barrels, but this combination was accurate enough to consistently nail 'chuck-sized "shoot-off" targets at 200m.

A plain-base version of this, lengthened and a second grease groove added, might be just about what you're looking for.

Bill

[GLynn41]

I have a MM brass 255 wfngc- .331 meplat -- anyway the mold heats up fast casts well and will get very hot very fast-- only problem it is a little haeavy

[7br]

How many and how big of lube grooves?

Any particular angle for the grease groove?

Naturally would like to know why.

[dakotashooter2]

I,ve often contemplated such a bullet in a "tumble lube" design (many small shallow grooves). Other weights of that design perform well in my guns.