So I designed a mold......

[Potsy]

Now does anyone know of any outfit that will build one to spec?
It's for my Ruger #1 .45-70. I've never found a design that suited me 100%, so after a lot of thought and research, I came up with this (pardon my amateur drafting skills).
I'm guessing the weight would be around 400-420 grains solid and the hollow point version would run 380-400 grains, more or less. Exact weight isn't all that critical and the dimensions could be fudged a bit if need be, for whatever reason.
I put a driving band up front to crimp on and made the nose a somewhat smaller diameter (.450) so the band can run right up to the rifling and the nose sticks on into the bore.
It's gas checked, as I usually run mid-level loads in that rifle.
I looked at a 355 Ranch Dog, a 405 Lee HB, a Remington 405 JSP, calipered them to death, just sorta swagged the dimensions and set everything to scale.
Cast diameter will be .462, then run through a .460 sizer.
Let me know what you think.154105

[William Yanda]

Do you have any data that shows that 5 lube grooves are necessary? Or are you going into competition with the list member who offers them here?
Serious on the first one, hope I don't tick you off with the second.
Bill

[Potsy]

Absolutely no data whatsoever that 5 lube grooves are necessary. Do you have any information that would indicate that 5 grooves would be detrimental (serious question)? The 355 Ranch Dog has 4. My design is heavier (longer), so I used 5. The size just sorta worked itself out keeping everything even. St. Elmer liked a square bottom groove, so I drew it that way. Grooves should be about .020" deep (forgot to label that dimension).

No, I'll not be offering these for sale (no offence taken). I asked if anyone knew who could build it in the very first sentence of my post.

I just thought of how I'd like a bullet designed. That's the very first bullet I've ever committed to draft paper and knew if I posted it here, I could get a very good critique. Strictly amateur hour.

[paul h]

Go to Mountain Molds website and use their online bullet design software. They don't offer hp molds, as far as I know, but it will give you some feed back on what weight you can expect given your dimensions. I've always been pleased with the molds he's made for me so it's an option for getting what you want made the way you want it.

[waco]

Tom at Accurate Molds will also build anything you want. His work is fast and second to none.

[oldblinddog]

+1 on Accurate! http://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=12

Here are some molds he has in the catalogue already:

154136
154137154139

Get in in contact with him. He will make yours or modify one of his to meet what you want.

Then get in touch with this guy and he will hollow point the mold for you.:
http://www.hollowpointmold.com/

[Tom Myers]

Let me know what you think

Just for giggles, I entered your dimensions into the Precision Cast Bullet Design software (http://www.tmtpages.com/#Advanced) to calculate the weight, volume, center of pressure and center of gravity.

If I got it right and that is what you have in mind, feel free to use the drawing as you see fit.


154143


Click image to view larger image
154144

Hope this helps

[Potsy]

Tom,
That looks awesome!
Thank you very much for taking the time to do that.
Everyone has always bragged on Accurate Molds, and I had looked at his selection, but I didn't realize he did custom jobs. I'll be getting in touch with him.

Just sort of second guessing myself here, but does anyone see any issues that I may run into with what I've laid out? Like I said, I combined attributes and measurements of a few different bullets, but this is the first one I've put on paper.

Thanks!

[bstone5]

Tom has made molds for my Master Caster that I designed.
The molds work very well.

[SSGOldfart]

Tom at Accurate Molds will also build anything you want. His work is fast and second to none.
+2 Tom already has almost the same design as well as a lot of others with that fifth lube grove you might have some troubles with sizer filling all the groves most sizer dies only have 4 lube holes ?? Just pointing it out is all once you get all the details worked out I'd jump on the bandwagon for a group buy just send me a pm when your ready to go with it:bigsmyl2:

[white eagle]

Not sure Tom will do a hp
there are vendors that will make a non hp mold a hp
like Eriks hp molds service

[waco]

Not sure Tom will do a hp
there are vendors that will make a non hp mold a hp
like Eriks hp molds service

This is true. Tom does not, as of yet, do HP molds.

[Blammer]

Just remember, you don't HAVE to fill ALL the lube grooves for it to work well.

[Potsy]

Had never really realized that 5 lube grooves may not fill up. I don't own a mold with more than 4 so it never really dawned on me. I don't suppose it'd be a big deal to re-draw with 4 grooves. I'll try to re-post something over the weekend.

Thanks for all the input!!!!

[oldblinddog]

All you have to do to fill all the grooves is to run the boolit deeper into the size die.

[Potsy]

154647
I widened out the grooves and bands out from .050" to .062". I like the wider rear band better.
I do appreciate all the input!!!
Now just to get this puppy built...........

[USSRSNPR]

I had Mountain Molds build me one for my 460 Smith and the thing turned out beautiful! Highly recommend.

[fredj338]

I would always go to Tom @ Accurate first. He is very easy to work with, builds a great mold too. NOE would be my 2nd choice, or first if you want it a HP, then MM only because he offers less choices for designs. All make nice molds.

[Deep Six]

I would go to Accurate or Mountain. Either one will require hollow pointing by a third party.

For a 2 cavity I would use Mountain as he's $10 cheaper and has, imho, the highest degree of fit and finish (he provides a sheet of dimensions he obtained casting with the actual finished product), and his sprue plate is the thickest in the industry.

Accurate also builds an extremely nice mold and would be my choice for a 3+ cavity mold or a design Mountain won't do, such as a bore rider rifle boolit. Accurate will also do cool things like put multiple designs in one set of blocks.

Your other option is to attempt a group buy through NOE or Mihec.