Hollow base bullets

[TAMU74]

I just bought a Lee .459 hollow base mold to cast bullet for my .45-70 Marlin with Microgroove rifling and was wondering if anyone has had experience with this mold. Specifically I would like information on the alloy and lube you use. Also, I have always pan-lubed my bullets how do you keep the hollow base from filling up with lube?

[stobey]

I use it in my Marlin 1895 cb as well as in my 2 Sharps. It works well in all of them. I have used 30:1, 20:1 and Lyman #2. All did well. Currently using 20:1 in them at a top velocity of 1674 fps.

I use 50:50 beeswax:Alex lube it also works OK. I use a Lyman 45 for luring and sizing.

Steve

[.22-10-45]

Hello, TAMU74. I don't have your mould..but I do cast hollow based for .38 long-colt & .44 colt, using Lyman and Rapine moulds. I pan lube for these..I find that for the most part..the trapped air in H.B. keeps most of lube out..sometimes it doesn't..and a toothpick or Q Tip pops it right out.

[grogel]

Im new to casting, and I purchased this same mould to use in my Trapdoor. One thing that I found helpful was while laying the mould on a wet rag to take some of the heat out, dont touch the steel that holds the pin for the base to the rag. I got better fill on the base, when the pin was left hot, and bad bases if I cooled it.

I did get a little flash around some of the bases but it was so thin that it came off with my thumb nail.

I pan lubed with SPG and the air did in fact keep the lube out. A Golf club shaft(Idea from the forum) worked great.
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/grogel1/IMG_20121016_082242.jpg

[TAMU74]

Thanks for the input. I casted up a 100 or so last night and I have to say that this is the easiest to use Lee mold I have, every bullet dropped out without tapping the mold and only 2 rejects. I'm headed out to the garage to lube them up; we'll see how that goes.

[Doc_Stihl]

I love the lee HB. I lube mine in a standard lube sizer with a flat nose punch and it will smooth out any imperfections in my sprue cut.
I lube the bottom 2 grooves and seat them with one empty groove out of the case on the drive band and crimp with a lee FCD in my original Marlin 1895 45/70. I shoot them in an NEF as well. 20:1 works best for me with both rifles.

[grogel]

I sent that photo to the fella who has been helping me along with casting and reloading, claimed I was to make my own brass ;)