H&G 12 and 20 anyone got them

[lawboy]

I just came into a lot of reloading equipment today, some of which will end up for sale here. However, in the lot I received a H&G (san diego) No.12 4-cavity mould with handles. It is marked 12 358150 and an old reloaders digest list it as a 150gr. SWC, which it does appear to be.
I also received a H&G NO. 20 2-Cavity mould with handles. This one appears to be a 30-caliber rifle bullet with a gas check shank in the 165-180gr. weight class. I have never seen a H&G rifle bullet mould before in the flesh and I am going to spend some time tonight poring through my reference books looking for info on it. Anyone shooting either of these and have more info on them? Would love to know more about them.

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

lawboy,

Visit the Hensley & Gibbs Mould Chart Reference Page
http://hgmould.gunloads.com/casting/hgmoldchart.htm

Roger

[Texasflyboy]

I like the #20, it performs well in my 03A3, but oddly, not well at all in my Krag.

I've used it from time to time in my US Savage .303, as a lighter bullet that the normally used H&G #99.

My #20 mould as cast diameter with Lyman #2 drop at about .313, which works perfect unsized in my Savage .303.

Here is the photo of my #20:

http://hgmould.gunloads.com/molds/20_2.jpg

I have all the articles mentioned in the Hensley & Gibbs ledger entry for #20, just haven't had time to pdf them and put them on the website.

Tom in NC

[lawboy]

Gentlemen, thank you. I am just in from casting with the No. 20. It drops beautiful bullets weighing 175grs. My alloy is about 20:1 and 9-10bhn air cooled. Heat treating gets it up to 21-22bhn.
The bullets mic at .314 which is perfect! My plan is to buy a CZ 527 carbine in 7.62x39 and shoot these bullets in it. I feel very fortunate to have found this mould just now given my plans to buy the CZ 527. Now I just need to lay in a supply of 30 cal. gas checks ...

[NVcurmudgeon]

Looks like a Lyman 311413's twin brother.

[floodgate]

NV;

"Looks like a Lyman 311413's twin brother."

It is; it 's the Squibb bullet, designed in the '20's by one Sam Squibb; search on "Squibb" for a lot more info on it.

Floodgate

[quasi]

So is Sam Squibb the originator of the "squib load"?

[floodgate]

quasi:

"So is Sam Squibb the originator of the "squib load"?"

I doubt it. It is an older term from fireworks, and small, low-energy blasting-caps are also called "squibs".

floodgate