40 Cal Saeco cast bullet sizes

[32ideal]

Need some help with either of the Saeco 40 Caliber moulds, the #640 370gr tapered bullet or the #740 410gr tapered bullet, if anyone casts these bullets what diameter do the bands actually cast, I have looked and cannot seem to find that info anywhere, everything says to size to .408 - .410" I'd like the diameters from nose band down preferably.

Thank you for your help, 32ideal

[L Ross]

Saeco #740 two cavity mould index mark one punch mark for top cavity, two punch marks for bottom cavity, cast from 1/20 alloy measured with Lyman digital micrometer, not caliper. Front band coming down from the nose .407" top cavity bottom cavity .407" strong but less than .4075". Then a grease groove. Next band the same on both, .407" .4075", another grease groove .408", another groove, then .408", groove .409", a groove then lastly the base band at about .4095" not quite .410".
I pan lube these because of the taper, oh heck I pan lube all of my BPCR bullets and shoot them unsized. The Saeco #740 will hold 2 moa in an 18 twist badger barrel out to 400 yards that I've tested, and 1.50 moa in a 16 twist Badger but I have not had a chance to shoot it beyond 350.

Duke

[32ideal]

Duke thank you so much that is just what I wanted to know before purchasing one, it is to large on the first band for what I want to use it for, you saved me a chunk of $$ and I certainly appreciate it. I need about .401-.402" on the first band cast from 25:1 or 30:1.
I pan lube almost everything I shoot now, with the right equipment and lube it is pretty fast and it gets me off my loading stool for lube sizing at least...
Mike


Saeco #740 two cavity mould index mark one punch mark for top cavity, two punch marks for bottom cavity, cast from 1/20 alloy measured with Lyman digital micrometer, not caliper. Front band coming down from the nose .407" top cavity bottom cavity .407" strong but less than .4075". Then a grease groove. Next band the same on both, .407" .4075", another grease groove .408", another groove, then .408", groove .409", a groove then lastly the base band at about .4095" not quite .410".
I pan lube these because of the taper, oh heck I pan lube all of my BPCR bullets and shoot them unsized. The Saeco #740 will hold 2 moa in an 18 twist badger barrel out to 400 yards that I've tested, and 1.50 moa in a 16 twist Badger but I have not had a chance to shoot it beyond 350.

Duke

[41wyom]

If you contact Paul Jones, he'll make you a mould with driving bands of the diameter that you need. Mine (.40 cal. 415-gr. 16:1) has the front two bands smaller that the rest, IIRC similar to your desired diameters. This lets the bullet get farther up into the chamber, touching the rifling so there is more room in the case for powder. Also have a 400-gr. Brooks mould of the same driving band diameter variation. I don't size (they drop out at 0.410", the bottom bands)
but I use a 0.413" sizing die to apply lube. I'm glad I didn't ask for 0.408" dia. bottom bands; I experimented with both diameters and my 16:1 Badger barrel likes the "fatter" bullets.

But if I had to use a commercial mould it would be the Saeco # 740.

Tom

[32ideal]

Tom thank you for the suggestion but as I exlain below it is a matter of being in a hurry!

I will get a PJ mould when I get my CPA BPTR rifle built on one of my actions. The reason I want a tapered mould is fix a problem with my old 40-65W Rem rolling block, needed for a midrange match that is the last weekend of this month, it needs at least a .411" base band with the first band needing to be about .401 - .402" as of now the case only holds about 45grs of powder drop tubed and compressed.
I'm going to load up 10 more and take them out back in the morning if it does not rain and see if I can wreck another Chrony to get an idea of what velocity they are moving.
I'm using the Lyman 400gr Postel bullet mould I had on hand for the RB, it casts the bullets at 416gr out of 25:1 alloy and the size is perfect, but I have to seat them very deep so that picky RB action closes without choking.

Cannot wait to get my my action off to CPA and get a 32" to 34" + Douglas 1:14 twist barrel installed and chambered for 40-70SS, I'm going to experiment with breech seating a 415 to 430gr tapered Jones bullet to maximize the case capacity for the 1000yd matches.

I already shoot a 32/40 breech seated with BP and it shoots with little fouling, good velocity & excellent 200yd accuracy.

Thanks again for both your help, Mike




If you contact Paul Jones, he'll make you a mould with driving bands of the diameter that you need. Mine (.40 cal. 415-gr. 16:1) has the front two bands smaller that the rest, IIRC similar to your desired diameters. This lets the bullet get farther up into the chamber, touching the rifling so there is more room in the case for powder. Also have a 400-gr. Brooks mould of the same driving band diameter variation. I don't size (they drop out at 0.410", the bottom bands)
but I use a 0.413" sizing die to apply lube. I'm glad I didn't ask for 0.408" dia. bottom bands; I experimented with both diameters and my 16:1 Badger barrel likes the "fatter" bullets.

But if I had to use a commercial mould it would be the Saeco # 740.

Tom

[41wyom]

Mike,

My rifle is a 74 Sharps in .40-70 SS. I have the Lyman 410663 (Postell or Snover?).

How many bullets do you need for the match?

Tom

[32ideal]

Tom I have plenty of the 416gr bullets cast up ready to go, I was looking for and trying to find a commercial tapered mould that would work with my RB.

But thank you for the very kind offer, Mike

:cbpour:




Mike,

My rifle is a 74 Sharps in .40-70 SS. I have the Lyman 410663 (Postell or Snover?).

How many bullets do you need for the match?

Tom

[41wyom]

Mike,

I have some of the Brooks, Saecos and Paul Jones made. If you'd like a few of each to take some measurements from just let me know.

Tom

[Don McDowell]

Maybe one of these would work?
http://www.buffaloarms.com/.36-.41_Caliber_Grease_groove_bullet_moulds_pr-4156.aspx?CAT=4156

[Boz330]

Tom thank you for the suggestion but as I exlain below it is a matter of being in a hurry!

I will get a PJ mould when I get my CPA BPTR rifle built on one of my actions. The reason I want a tapered mould is fix a problem with my old 40-65W Rem rolling block, needed for a midrange match that is the last weekend of this month, it needs at least a .411" base band with the first band needing to be about .401 - .402" as of now the case only holds about 45grs of powder drop tubed and compressed.
I'm going to load up 10 more and take them out back in the morning if it does not rain and see if I can wreck another Chrony to get an idea of what velocity they are moving.
I'm using the Lyman 400gr Postel bullet mould I had on hand for the RB, it casts the bullets at 416gr out of 25:1 alloy and the size is perfect, but I have to seat them very deep so that picky RB action closes without choking.

Cannot wait to get my my action off to CPA and get a 32" to 34" + Douglas 1:14 twist barrel installed and chambered for 40-70SS, I'm going to experiment with breech seating a 415 to 430gr tapered Jones bullet to maximize the case capacity for the 1000yd matches.

I already shoot a 32/40 breech seated with BP and it shoots with little fouling, good velocity & excellent 200yd accuracy.

Thanks again for both your help, Mike

I have a Brooks 405gr mold that only has about .250 in the case and I can comfortably get 73gr of 2F Swiss in the case (Starline), although 65gr shoots best. In WW brass you can get 79gr but it didn't work out well for me when I tried it.

Bob