Saeco 44 mold?

[tomme boy]

Did Saeco ever make a 44 cal 245 SWC mold? If you have one, how does it work? I am trying to buy a mold the seller says is a 245 gr but I can't seem to find one that was made as a 245 gr.

[Outpost75]

Weight depends on the alloy. My most accurate .44 bullet is Saeco #441 which is a Keith style. It might weigh 245 grains in a lighter alloy, like Linotype, but I run it in 1:30 tin/lead so mine go 260 grains. I get 3" groups at 100 yards from my H&R Handi Rifle and tbe same at 50 yards from my Ruger SBH. I load 8 grains of Bullseye for 1300 fps from the rifle and 1080 from tbe revolver.

[tomme boy]

Not what it actually cast, but what the maker says it is a 245gr

[bobthenailer]

I also have the Saeco #441 a excellent boolet !
Saeco boolet weights are spec with Taracorp's Lawrence Magnum bullet alloy( 2% tin- 6% antomony-1/4% arsenic-91.75% lead) bullet dia and weight will vary considerably depending on lead casting alloy used . this variatoin can be as much as 1/2% on the diameter and 8% on weight among the most commonly used casting alloys.

Example 158 gr boolet can vary as much as .002 in dia and a 13.0 gr difference in boolet weight.

I personaly dont care what weight the boolets weigh as long as they are consistant , but i do know the BHN of my boolet casting alloy using a hardness tester.
My vintage 1970's saeco #441 will probley not throw a boolet weighing 240 gr even with linotype.
with the alloy i use its usually around 250gr's and has shot excellent out of at least 10 different 44 mag handguns.

[tomme boy]

Well I got the mold today and I casted a few to see what they are. With straight WW and water dropped they are weighing in at 261-262grs. It says #441 on the top plate but nothing on the mold. It actually looks a little different than any of the pictures I can find on it. Here is a picture of it. It looks like the base is way thicker than what I have seen????????? Let me know if the picture does not show.


112845

[cainttype]

I have several early Saecos that are different than later versions. Your base is thicker than other versions of the 441 I've seen recently, but being numbered on the sprue plate and not on the blocks is another mark of earlier blocks that I have and have seen elsewhere.
Another difference you may find on earlier blocks is a fine checkered pattern for vent lines instead of the straight lines that are found today.
Enjoy the Saeco. They are very nice.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I bought my saeco 441 from a older guy who was casting in the 1980's
they drop at 248gr with WW +1% tin

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/Moldandboolits248gr_zps2132c006.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/Moldandboolits248gr_zps2132c006.jpg.html)

[tomme boy]

This one hinges from the middle for the sprue plate and it has the normal vent lines like a Lyman. I was looking all over the mold for a # but could not find anything. I set it down and then I seen the Saeco and #441 on the plate. It looks like Lyman is not the only one that changes their designs as the cherry wears out and has to resharpen it.

It cast pretty good. It leaves a very little fin on the bottoms. And you have to tap it a little bit to get them to drop. Not beat it, just tap. I might take it apart and run it under a surface grinder on the top of the mold and the bottom of the plate to make sure it is flat. But that will only if I go to a friends shop to use it.

[tomme boy]

The only reason I bought this was the price I could not pass up. I don't even have anything in 44 anymore. I still have my sizing die in 0.430" but that is it.

[bobthenailer]

If the # is on the sprue plate then its a older mould , my mould # is also on the sprue plate , i bought mine in the mid to late 1970s when Saeco was not owned by Redding.