custom mold for VZ24 7X57

[sghart3578]

I'm thinking of having a custom mold made for my VZ24 in 7X57. It has a .287" bore. Has any one here had one made? I would appreciate reviews, advice, experiences,etc.

Thanks in advance.

If you want to PM me with info that may not be so positive please go for it.

[462]

This is available in different numbers of cavities: http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=480

Mine measures .2887", and, with 100% wheel weight alloy, weighs in the low 140-grain range.

[UBER7MM]

The Lee Soup Can specs to .286". It's sold through Midsouth Shooters Supply:
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http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000067MMSOUPCAN
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Just another alternative.
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Safe shooting, reloading,

[dromia]

I use the NOE, Lee and some old Lyman designs in my Boer Mauser and they all work depending on the application, the NOE Hunter is a fine boolit. I would like a heavier boolit in the 170 gn range and would normally go to Accurate but Tom doesn't cut moulds under 30 calibre.

I have tried Mountain Moulds but have never been able to get their online mould design programme to work for me.

[sghart3578]

To Dromia,
I agree, I too would like a heavier bullet, something like 175-180gr.
To all,
Thanks for your replies. I have been trying to get my rifle to shoot cast for a few months now, you guys have been a great help. I am starting a new thread today on undersized bullets. Hopefully you guys will lend your expertise.

[Dutch4122]

Badgeredd has come up with the design below. We are hoping to run it with three different nose and band diameters to accommodate the oversized and worn out milsurps. I have sent a copy of this diagram to NOE and he seemed interested initially, but I haven't heard anything more from him about producing it.

91728

Keep in mind that the fatter versions will end up a bit heavier due to slightly more volume.

[sghart3578]

I like it. I will try to stay up on your progress, thank you.

[dromia]

I'll be in for some of these if it comes off.

[bwgdog]

There is also the saga of the 7mm THOR from BC. If the remake is made-it might be a keeper. Time will tell.

[dromia]

I'm waiting for the BC mould to be re-cut and have high hopes for the design if they get the mould right this time.

I'd still like a heavier boolit design though.

[Dutch4122]

The original idea behind the above posted 170-175 grain design was to have a better fitting boolit in the milsurps; that could be loaded to match the original military loads at 2,300 fps.

[brotherdarrell]

I had mountain molds make a mold for my chilean short rifle. For the most part it came out like I wanted though there were a couple of hickups that I did not foresee. The main one involved gas checks. My hornady checks have an outside diameter of approx .287". Makes it a little hard to crimp in a .290" sizer die. Loktite was my solution and appears to work ok.

Just something to think about.

Darrell

[Dutch4122]

I had mountain molds make a mold for my chilean short rifle. For the most part it came out like I wanted though there were a couple of hickups that I did not foresee. The main one involved gas checks. My hornady checks have an outside diameter of approx .287". Makes it a little hard to crimp in a .290" sizer die. Loktite was my solution and appears to work ok.


I'm glad to hear that Dan at Mountain Molds actually cut you a 7mm design. I tried to go that route a few years ago and he refused to cut a design I had drawn up.

And, thanks much for the info on the outside diameter of Hornady 7mm gas checks. I was not aware that they measured .287" OD.:holysheep

Anybody got some gator 7mm checks they can measure?

[Dutch4122]

Ok, I just got off the phone with 357maximum. He measured the outside diameter of his gator checks and the result is .2895"

He also tells me that the Gator checks are heavier than the Hornady checks. His box of Hornady checks is decades old so I'm not sure if their OD measurement matters here but he got .288+" on the Hornady gas checks.

For those not familiar with the 7x57 milsurps I should explain that the above gas check dimensions are not good news. Like Brother Darrell posted above, it's kinda hard to get an undersized gas check to crimp on in a sizing die made for an oversized bore.

[Nrut]

Saw Darrell's post last night and thought, PP is going to be the only way for me as both of my 7X57's have large throats..
A Ruger #1 at .292" taper to .289" and a Brno 21H with a .290" taper to a .287"..

[badgeredd]

I'd appreciate it if you guys would also post your land diameter. After slugging 6 7MM rifle I found the smaller bore diameter can vary extensively too. Dutch4122's and my idea was to possible offer the above bullet design in three paired diameters to pretty much cove the spectrum of the vast majority of 7mm, particularly in milsurps. Let's hear the land diameter with the groove diameter so we can get a good idea of the diameter that would be the most useful.

Edd

[45 2.1]

For those of you with large groove diameters and small 7mm gas checks, try a 30 caliber GC on the shank and size to see if it crimps on..........

[badgeredd]

For those of you with large groove diameters and small 7mm gas checks, try a 30 caliber GC on the shank and size to see if it crimps on..........

I was just noticing that a plain based bullet should accept a 30 caliber gas check nicely, Bob. That may be a good option for an extremely large 7mm bore diameter.

Edd

[GabbyM]

I had mountain molds make a mold for my chilean short rifle. For the most part it came out like I wanted though there were a couple of hickups that I did not foresee. The main one involved gas checks. My hornady checks have an outside diameter of approx .287". Makes it a little hard to crimp in a .290" sizer die. Loktite was my solution and appears to work ok.

Just something to think about.

Darrell

Is backwards but a 270 Win gas check is larger on ID than a 7mm gas check.
http://www.lasc.us/CheckShankSize.htm

[brotherdarrell]

For those of you with large groove diameters and small 7mm gas checks, try a 30 caliber GC on the shank and size to see if it crimps on..........

30 cal gas checked seated with Lyman 4500 using lube die from Buckshot @ .290". I had my doubts it would center properly but they were unfounded. They were not annealed. They are not tight, however. The shank mics @ .2517" and is straight not tapered. They spin freely and could probably be pried off.

92039

The boolit as cast has body bands of just under .290", the nose band is .285" and the nose is .280". I nose size the first body band to .285". When seated to an oal of 2.99" the nose band (.285") is fully engraved and the nose and first body band are just touching the rifling. Kinda tells you how large the "throat" is.:shock:

9204192042

With rifling starting where the chamber ends it does not have a proper throat, the reamer just kinda knocked the high spots off. The major diameter (groove) is .294" and the minor diameter (lands) is .289". At some point from the end of the chamber to the end of the 21" barrel it ends up at .287"/.278" but where that point is is anyone's guess.

I would also add that this Mountain Molds mold is as fine a mold as I have ever used. It is also the "roundest" mold I have seen. The parting line is virtually invisible. It also does exactly what I wanted, fills up the throat and shoots great. As far as that fat nose feeding reliably, well that is another story.[smilie=1:

[kens]

I have 3 new, in the white, M98 barrels, 7mm.
They all slugged at .289"

I was disappointed because I just got a Lee 6 cavity 7mm soupcan this past week. the lee came out at .286

[GabbyM]

Using the 30 caliber check may not make the check material thickness any thicker. Thus adding that thickness to the bullets check shank diameter will do only so much.

Whatever the working range is between sized diameter and bullet shank diameter is. There is where you need to cut the mold t get things tight. Then call it a 7.1mm or something. I've never run the numbers. But since I shoot 270 Win and 7mm I always figured the reason someone designing 270 boolits used a larger shank and check is because in there opinion the standard 7mm shanks were to small. Right now I'm thinking they tried shooting old Mauser rifles. I know when you go to Mountain molds site to design 270 or 7mm bullets the option is there to cut either sized check shank on either bullet. At one time I had a chart showing standard material thickness for checks. I believe the 7mm and 270 are the same. 6.5mm is thinner. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to make larger bullets with a 270 sized shank and checks. Or just go with a large enough shank then use the 30 caliber checks or 270 checks opened up with a swag punch. I'm not in on this buy so not inclined to spend time running the numbers. Should be a solution.

More bastardized this mold gets the more I like my idea of labeling it a 7.1mm. Which is .2795". The bullet drawing on page one has a 7.061mm nose diameter listed. Or .278”. Not like you’ll be chambering these boolits up in a 7mm-08 or any other new 7mm rifle.

If you all do use 270 checks on this bullet. That needs to be stamped right onto the mold blocks. Not a big deal with a stamp. USE 270-GC or whatever. Where’s that flame suit?
Then in addition. Glue an instruction sheet into the storage box. On the outside of the box print out a picture of the rifle you shoot this in and paste that on. Makes it so much easier for the auctioneer after you die and your estate sells off. Or for your kids to divvy up the treasure. Then if you’re fifty years old now. How you going to remember this stuff when you’re 85? Around here in my house it's just a wreck.

[kens]

+1 on Gabby M

I would tend to call it a .29 caliber.
If I was to order a single custom mold, it would end up being something like a "290-180"
That is, to drop out of the mold at .290 and be a heavy 7mm, about 180 gr WW.
All the old Mil-Surp 7mm are fast twist anyway, so you could simply use a very heavy boolit plain based.
My theory on a plain base is that the weight would limit velocity to the point that gas check is mostly not needed. You already got a fast twist by default.

[kens]

Ok, I just got off the phone with 357maximum. He measured the outside diameter of his gator checks and the result is .2895"

He also tells me that the Gator checks are heavier than the Hornady checks. His box of Hornady checks is decades old so I'm not sure if their OD measurement matters here but he got .288+" on the Hornady gas checks.

For those not familiar with the 7x57 milsurps I should explain that the above gas check dimensions are not good news. Like Brother Darrell posted above, it's kinda hard to get an undersized gas check to crimp on in a sizing die made for an oversized bore.

Well, maybe the best bet is to use the smaller size LEE 7mm mold, use soft lead, with the resulting small diameter, forego the gas check, and paper patch up to .290"