6.5 mm mold recommendations

[practical_man]

looking for recommendations for a 6.5mm boolit mold. I'll mostly shoot them out of a 96 waffenfabrik mauser.

thanks for your thoughts

[mtgrs737]

What does the bore slug at? Some of the 6.5mm bores run a bit big, and the normal 6.5 mm moulds don't cast big enough. Midsouth sells a lee mould that might cast large enough it the bore doesn't go over .267".

[Buckshot]

................I have 4-5 moulds for the 6.5 and the only one remaining available (of those) is the Oldfeller cruise missle at Mid South. It does well, and as the heaviest it would pack the most punch, if that's something you're looking for. It seems to me that most 6.5mm moulds will drop at least a .266" slug. As was suggested, it would be a good idea to slug the barrel so you'll know what you're starting out with.

http://www.fototime.com/8B8B8013CDC151A/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/B55472729A707A9/standard.jpg

Left Photo#1 Is the slug from an old Ideal SC/HP mould and it weighs 122grs. #2 Is a custom boolit designed by Jumptrap and made by Lee in a DC mould. It weighs 140grs. #3 Was available from Lyman for several years. They called it the "Hi-Velocity" 6.5mm. They came out with a similar design in a couple other calibers also. #4 Is the Oldfeller 170gr custom design. This one WAS in a single cavity set of blocks by Lee. I believe Lee has discontinued all their SC moulds. I don't know if that means the end of this one, or if it will be done in a DC?

Right PhotoOn the left is a GB design we did here in a 6 cavity set of blocks by Lee. There have been a couple GB's done for the 6.5, and are similar to this one. Depending upon alloy it weighs 128gr to about 135grs. The design was inspired by the #1 design in the left photo. The boolit on the right is the Oldfeller. Both loaded cartridges have their respective boolit's seated to engrave.

Personally I have not heard too much about any other available 6.5mm moulds out there and how they've done. If they meet the requirements that any cast boolit must, in order to shoot well they probably would all do fine. What you want it for will probably end up having the most to do with which of the available designs you pick to go with.

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

[NVcurmudgeon]

Any of y'all have any experience with the current Lyman Loverin 140 gr. #266469? It seems to be the only commonly available 6.5 boolit. This would be for use in a factory Remington 700 in .260 Rem. and I don't imagine a 700 would have the commodious chambers of some of the milsurps.

[Leftoverdj]

I have one of the Oldfeller 170s being offered by MidSouth. If there are any available, grab one. It won't fit in the two cavity blocks, and I look for it to be dropped.

It shoots as well as anyone could ask at very moderate velocities, but goes all snakey if you try to push it past 1600 fps.

[Calamity Jake]

I shoot the Lyman 266469 in a Carl Gus. 96 swede and get good enough groups that I use it mil bolt matches. Most of the time I can keep it under 2.5 in at 100 with vol. around 1650

Lyman also has the 266673 a 150gr bore rider, I don't have one so can't commit, but I do have the Saeco 264 a 140gr bore rider that also shoots just as good as 266469.
I also have the latest Lee 6 cav custom GB, a 129gr loverin style, I have not shot any of these yet.

[cbrick]

I've got the SAECO #264 mentioned by Calamity Jake. I can't speak of its accuracy simply because it didn't fit in the tight (and short throat) of the match chamber 6.5mm BR I intended on using it in.

Mine casts WW at .2648" - the bore rider nose section is .2566" (average, its not perfectly round but close) and if your planning on using it as a hunting boolit the meplat is .095" @ 36%.

http://www.lasc.us/DSCN0769-124.JPG

Hope this helps some.

Rick

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I have been using an RCBS specialty mold #26-140 FN that I was able to purchase a few years ago for a (then elevated) price of $48. It drops the casts at .266 using WW and weighs around 140 grains. I use a Saeco sizing die of .265 and get good grouping in an M38 Swedish Mauser with 13- 16 grains of 4227 or 15-16 grains of 4198. Even better grouping with 19 grains of 4895. Have been using gas checks as well. This mold is still available thru Midway, but the price has gone thru the roof at around $106! Its a good mold with adequate lube grooves and has worked well for me in the 1600-1700 fps range.

[castshooter-too]

I shoot the 266469 boolit with 24.5 gr h4895 in a 9 inch twist 6.5x55 swede at approx. 2200 fps. Only shot to 100yds. But getting groups that ave. 2 inches. 22 gr. imr 4198 works also.

[Hobo Of The Lake]

I am just getting started. My Lyman boolet casting book say the recipe for #2 Alloy with ww is. 9 pounds ww and 1 pound 50-50 bar solder. I found some bar solder but they want about $13.00 a pound. I bought a have a 5 gal buck of ww from my gas station. The tire shop want's $17.50 for what looks like a gallon bucket.

My booksays to harden the just ww, you size them without lube. Then take a couple of the worst ones and put them in the oven until they just start to soften. Start at 450 degrees . When they first start to soften then back off 5 to ten degrees. This is suppose to really harden them up. I don't understand if they mean you can use them then with no tin or if they mean that you have already put the 50=50 salder in. In anycase the price is sure going up, but how can you buy commercial bullets and afford to shoot a lot. Can someone comment please.

[MT Gianni]

I am just getting started. My Lyman boolet casting book say the recipe for #2 Alloy with ww is. 9 pounds ww and 1 pound 50-50 bar solder. I found some bar solder but they want about $13.00 a pound. I bought a have a 5 gal buck of ww from my gas station. The tire shop want's $17.50 for what looks like a gallon bucket.

My booksays to harden the just ww, you size them without lube. Then take a couple of the worst ones and put them in the oven until they just start to soften. Start at 450 degrees . When they first start to soften then back off 5 to ten degrees. This is suppose to really harden them up. I don't understand if they mean you can use them then with no tin or if they mean that you have already put the 50=50 salder in. In anycase the price is sure going up, but how can you buy commercial bullets and afford to shoot a lot. Can someone comment please.

Welcome to the silver stream. Most of us find that LY #2 is an ezpensive use of tin for shooting paper and critters. You can shoot air cooled wheel weights [ac ww] or water dropped by dropping them out odf the mold into a 5-6 gallon of cold water [wd ww]. You can take your cast bullets and as you have described drop them straight from the oven into cold water [oven quenched ww or oq ww]. I would advise you to shoot what you have with ac then try a few with wd. Few of us need the hardnesws from oven quenched.
Make sure that your mold is clean, read the stickies first. Tin can be added if you havve problems with fill out that can not be solved with other methods. Have fun and no one here is scared of your questions. Gianni

[sundog]

Amy, see if any of this helps.

http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

About half way down the page is some info on heat treating.