Odd Saeco 315

[JohnnieDavis]

Good evening all, I picked this up on eBay assuming it was a Saeco 311 315. When I received it I noticed the box said 296315. I've never heard of one nor could I find any info online about it. The mold is a standard Saeco and stamped 315.

Now onto the cavities-The nose section is more or less the same, but the bullet itself is longer with a longer than normal gas check shank. My friend has a Saeco 315 mold and we compared the bullets, noting the difference. I cast some up this evening and took a photo for comparison. Out of soft lead they weigh 183 grains and measure 303 at the nose and 310 at the base. The bullet on the left is the one in question. The normal 315 is on the right.

Any help in figuring out what this mold is would be very helpful. Is it some kind of custom job by Saeco?

Thanks
JD

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f287/johnniedavis/20150512_214819_zpsovqtcloj_edit_1431483157781_zps bvxn42zz.jpg (http://s49.photobucket.com/user/johnniedavis/media/20150512_214819_zpsovqtcloj_edit_1431483157781_zps bvxn42zz.jpg.html)

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f287/johnniedavis/20150512_214901_zpsgrsm0zzl.jpg (http://s49.photobucket.com/user/johnniedavis/media/20150512_214901_zpsgrsm0zzl.jpg.html)

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f287/johnniedavis/20150512_214754_zpsekax0qfg.jpg (http://s49.photobucket.com/user/johnniedavis/media/20150512_214754_zpsekax0qfg.jpg.html)

[Ben]

To me , the one on the left looks more like some of the photos that I've seen of Eagan style bullets ? ?

Ben

[JohnnieDavis]

Thanks Ben I agree the styles are similar. My question now is how did that end up in an actual saeco marked mold?

[texassako]

Saeco seems to be a mystery mold maker. There is not a whole lot of info on them and they seemed to change a design occasionally while keeping the designation the same. You should be glad it drops at a useable size. I have a couple of variations of their 301 that just barely cast big enough for .30 caliber rifles(.308-9/.300) if I use #2 or linotype.

[Ben]

I just HATE a mould that drops undersized bullets !

[bhn22]

The OPs mould looks like it evolved a bit over the years. Just from the pics, I'm guessing the long gascheck step may have posed an issue, so the grease grooves were moved upwards, and the step was shortened over the years. This mould seems fully dimensioned, it should run a bit over .311 as cast once he gets a harder alloy involved, plus it appears to be a cold cast as well. I imagine this was probably the original design for this mould, and that it has simply been updated a bit over the decades. SAECO has changed hands a couple of times since the Carpenteria days.

[skeettx]

Looks like this one made special for the 7.35 Carcano !!!!
Like the Lyman 300136.

Best thing to do is call Redding

http://www.redding-reloading.com/online-catalog/88-bullet-moulds-charts


(http://www.redding-reloading.com/online-catalog/88-bullet-moulds-charts)

[bhn22]

The 315 is a tapered bullet, and the OP cast his sample with soft lead. This would make it a bit on the small side. SAECOs current mould number for the 315 is 62315, so it's not the same design offered today.