Lee 38-55 mould

[Steelbanger]

I'm a newer member here and may have missed something about this so I'm sorry if this a repeat question.

These Lee 38-55 bullets are accurate enough but that doggone bevel base collects a ring of lube when run through my sizer. I always wipe the bases anyway but find that bevel very annoying. Has anyone removed the bevel base from the Lee 38-55 mould and did it affect the accuracy? I don't mean milling the blocks to make a lighter bullet but rather removing the bevel by cutting it away. The bullet would gain a few grains in weight but it should be an insignificant gain.

I would probably go for a custom run of a 6 cavity for the 38-55 if the base were square rather than beveled, or has this been done already?

[JohnH]

Try putting a gas check in the die and see if that don't solve the problem

[Steelbanger]

JohnH,

Thanks. I'll give that a try next time I'm sizing.

[Buckshot]

............Steelbanger, nope no special run of the Lee 375-250 :D Don't give'em any ideas they're running too hot on the customs now anyway! I do what John suggested with a BB 9mm Lyman mould. If you wanted to delete the BB on the Lee mould a 3/8" drill bit or reamer used with judicious care should rid you of most of it. Then by scraping one of the flutes around the base should take care of the balance. All work done by hand.

..............Buckshot

[Dutch4122]

"........no special run of the Lee 375-250:) don't give'em any ideas..........."

Hmm, just might have to consider that one some time this winter, maybe ;)

I like the idea of this one without the bevel base. Maybe a gascheck version too?

[bdoyle]

No bevel base is a step in the right direction IMHO. Gascheck maybe, maybe not. But I would like this bullet to drop at least .380. This might be pushing the limits of the 6 cavity mould.

Brian

[Willbird]

I have a 375 H&H so the gas check version would interest me greatly, I would also look at a non gas check version twice. Lee gives the limits to what they will build in six cavity, John Ross said a .500 would fit.


Bill

[cabezaverde]

Brian,

What is yours running at ? IIRC, mine drops about .383 (WW), and I am sizing to .379.

[bdoyle]

cabezaverde,
I don't remember exactly. I think it was .378-.379 @20:1. The alloy might be the issue, I haven't tried anything harder. My 94BB has a bore of .377 but the throat is .380. Anything smaller than .380 does not work well.

Brian

[Buckshot]

............Steelbanger, ya see I toll ya so! You mention a custom deal for an interesting boolit and here they are all piling on trying to design one, or make changes to an existing one :D Sheesh!

.............Buckshot