sizing mold

[oldbro]

Sizing mold
Communicated with Tom at Accurate Molds. I'm shooting .475 jacketed bullets now and he recommends going .001-.002 oversize with a mold. RCBS makes a .476 sizing die so should I go with a .478 aluminum mold? In the past I have just bought off the shelf RCBS bullet molds and have always sized them.

Anyone here shoot a 480 Ruger? I am conflicted on whether to cast a mid 300 gr or low 400 gr bullet, have read that the heavier bullet shoot more accurately out of the SRH.

Its not easy finding CBs in these sizes/cal so buying and testing is difficult, but not impossible.

[lbaize3]

I shoot the 480 Ruger. Use a commercially cast 412 grain lead WFN boolit. Without looking, I think I am pushing it with a very healthy dose of Accurate Number 9. I am shooting a Raging Bull. The SRH tends to beat my old hands a bit too much.

[lar45]

Here is a 412 from Hunters Supply
http://hunters-supply.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=198&osCsid=079gtlebc06ak81kf068a05hq1

I think the .001-.002" oversize is in relation to your groove diameter, and maybe try to fit your throat diameter.
So if you slugged your barrel and came up with .475", and slugged your throats and there were .476", then maybe go with a .477" mold just to be safe as there can be some variances with how a mold casts. It does seem that Accurate gets them pretty close to what you wanted. I ordered a .501" mold and the bullets cast from WW dropped at .501".

[RobS]

Choosing boolit diameter has to do what your firearm needs. As been mentioned typically .001-.002 over the groove diameter of the barrel is a good place to start for the correct size cast boolit. However in a revolver the cylinder throats play into this as well and it's best if they are .001-.002 over the barrel groove diameter and this is why lar45 stated what he did above.

For best results, you should check two things, the barrel groove diameter (largest diameter measured with a micrometer) and then the cylinder throat diameters. Others here shoot a SRH 480 Ruger so there maybe a consensus as to what most of them are regards to these dimensions should you not be able to measure things.

[oldbro]

So, I can mic the muzzle dimension and cylinder throat. My .475 jacketed boolits slide in the throat and obviously don't go through muzzle end. Do I need to slug the barrel full length?

I'm shooting 375 gr Cast Performance but not a stable source. Hornady and Speer Jacketed.

[bigboredad]

I shoot the srh in .480 and the bfr in .475 I've always sized to .476 and it has worked well for me

[RobS]

So, I can mic the muzzle dimension and cylinder throat. My .475 jacketed boolits slide in the throat and obviously don't go through muzzle end. Do I need to slug the barrel full length?

I'm shooting 375 gr Cast Performance but not a stable source. Hornady and Speer Jacketed.

I normally slug the barrel throat first by placing a pure lead slug nearly the barrel diameter (in your situation .480"ish would work) into the forcing cone/barrel and then I place the barrel muzzle on a folded up towel on a study table. Then I find something to push the slug into the barrel throat. Typically I use a tapped up the handle of a crescent wrench to keep metal on metal contact from happening and put it through the frame perpendicular to the barrel to push the slug downward into the throat/bore. Simply use a wooden dowel to push the slug back out and measure. I then run a slug the full length of the barrel as well to check the entire bore's diameter and to see if there are any notable constrictions in the barrel. Make sure to oil the barrel and the slug before you make a go at things. Once you slug the barrel if this will go through the cylinder throats (clean and all 6 of them) then you know the cylinder throats are large enough.

[dmize]

I shoot it in a SRH a BFR and did have a 480 Raging Bull. I sized them .476 and never had a problem.
FWIW I would recommend going with a bullet in the 400 to 425 range.
I played with a 325 grain and really wasn't impressed.
My best accuracy has been with a 400 grain MiHec,it can also be downloaded and is very comfortable and very accurate.
One other note on the above if using XTP's I stay away from the 400 grain bullets,I think they work fine in a 475 LB but I don't think the 480 has enough umph to make them work reliably.