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View Full Version : How do I ream out grease rings in molds?



bmiller
01-02-2014, 10:30 AM
I am playing with a .40 S&W for Uspsa. A friend has a set of unused lee 6 cavity 175grain molds with the conventional grease ring. I love the way 200 grain bullets shoot. How hard would it be to ream out the grease ring, and how much weight would it add? I will be using hi-tek lube on them. I have shot at least 20000 through my 9mm and have been tickled. Grease rings are still in that mold.

Thanks
Brian

prickett
01-02-2014, 10:32 AM
Send Lee an email. They can probably do it for fairly cheap.

popper
01-03-2014, 12:05 AM
bmiller - I'm going to try the emory paper trick on my worn out Lee. I'll let you know how it works. I took out the BB ring with no trouble. Basically, taper the dowel (TC mould), tape some emory to the dowel in the right place & spin by hand. Yes, back up the base with more tape. No, I won't do that to my rifle molds.

cstrickland
01-03-2014, 11:45 PM
I am playing with a .40 S&W for Uspsa. A friend has a set of unused lee 6 cavity 175grain molds with the conventional grease ring. I love the way 200 grain bullets shoot. How hard would it be to ream out the grease ring, and how much weight would it add? I will be using hi-tek lube on them. I have shot at least 20000 through my 9mm and have been tickled. Grease rings are still in that mold.

Thanks
Brian

Brian Ok I have never actually done this so at this point it is in theory only. I have a mold I was contemplating doing this to. I was planning on clamping the mold closed with a small c-clamp , then place it in a vise on my drill press, then using a correct diameter gauge pin ( ID of grease ring) mounted in the chuck to line up the mold and drill head. After that it would be a matter of getting the exact size drill bit, and drilling out the lube rings. should be very easy to drill out the rings . I have no ideal how much weight it would add.

Oreo
01-04-2014, 01:37 AM
Contact Eric @ hollowpointmolds.com. $50/4cav. I just had this done to one of my Mihec molds.

Ausglock
01-04-2014, 05:27 AM
I tried it with a lee 6 cav 358 150gr RN.
A dremel with the round sandpaper type drums. turned a good mold into spare parts mold. I took too much out and the .358 went to .364
If I were to do it again, I'd use a ball nose end mill that was close and then hand lap with 1200 wet and dry on a stick.

popper
01-04-2014, 11:53 AM
Oreo - how did it turn out? Thinking of doing this to a 30 cal mould. Or just getting a 2x from Tom.
Bmiller - about 3 gr. and you don't need to take out the complete groove. I did a 9mm 125 gr mould with 0.010" deep groove, added 2 gr. Drive bands are the same but a much stronger boolit.

bmiller
01-04-2014, 08:27 PM
Thanks guys!

Oreo
01-05-2014, 07:47 AM
Oreo - how did it turn out? Thinking of doing this to a 30 cal mould. Or just getting a 2x from Tom.
Bmiller - about 3 gr. and you don't need to take out the complete groove. I did a 9mm 125 gr mould with 0.010" deep groove, added 2 gr. Drive bands are the same but a much stronger boolit.

Ready to start powder coating! My only concern is that these measure .404" diameter. Powder coat adds a couple thou so to end up at .402" these are going to have to be sized down four thou which is do-able but a bit much.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l109/jdecar1/20140105_005449_zpshl1h1zw4.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l109/jdecar1/20140105_005504_zpsxjck2x4e.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l109/jdecar1/20140105_033150_zpslucnrmm9.jpg

sparky45
01-05-2014, 11:38 AM
Oreo, you could run those through your sizer before coating and then again after. Two little bites instead of one big one, so to speak.

Oreo
01-05-2014, 11:52 AM
Here is sized to .4005" (micrometer)

Notice the mold parting line has not been sized out. I can feel it with my fingernail but I can't catch it with my fingernail. I'm hoping it is sufficiently covered by the powder coat so as not to be a path for gas cutting when being fired.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l109/jdecar1/guns/20140105_103923_zpsu8eybjfi.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l109/jdecar1/guns/20140105_104119_zpsgstr7oxn.jpg

Freightman
01-05-2014, 07:02 PM
keep us in the loop, as i was told that without the groves it would increase pressure.

castalott
01-05-2014, 07:50 PM
[QUOTE=Oreo;2560686]Here is sized to .4005" (micrometer)

Sorry for the thread drift... What does this mold cast like? This entire thread has my attention...

Thanks, Dale

bmiller
01-05-2014, 09:30 PM
Oreo, that looks great. What pistol are you shooting those in? How do they feed? Can't wait for your results.

Oreo
01-05-2014, 09:49 PM
They feed great in most guns from what has been posted in the group buy results thread. Too long OAL and they bind in the mag way before any feeding issues crop up.

I will be shooting these in a Glock 20 with OEM and LW 40sw conversion bbl. Haven't tried any yet though. Just now getting all the powder coat stuff.

Oreo
01-05-2014, 10:08 PM
keep us in the loop, as i was told that without the groves it would increase pressure.

Has this been established with any evidence or was it someone's wild guess? Copper jacketed bullets have WAY more resistance going down the bore then any lead boolit. I'm open to new info if someone has it but till I see the evidence I suspect there isn't any in this case.

kweidner
01-06-2014, 08:47 AM
Joe advised that you don't need to size before coating as coating will not stick well. I would do 1 coat, size and then coat again per Joe' instructions. Also a bit of one shot on a .004 over and it is not a problem.

Maximumbob54
01-06-2014, 09:19 AM
Plated has both more friction and no lube grooves and they use top end lead data or mild jacketed data so I doubt extra pressure will be an issue. But I would still work up any new load with any new bullet of any type.