Mold modification

[bikerbeans]

I have a two cavity aluminum 265g 44 cal mold from Accurate. Both cavities are gas checked. I want to have the molds modified to plain base and the lube and crimp grooves removed. I plan to go the PC route with these boolits.

I am looking for recommendations for what firm to hire for this work. If the price is too steep for the modifications I may just sell the mold and order what I want from Accurate.

BB

[StuBach]

Check with Eric at http://www.hollowpointmold.com/ to see if he can do that for you but I would just recommend selling and ordering new. Someone out there would have to want that mold.

Personally I just PC standard groove boolits. Does no harm and allows me to switch to standard lube if application demands.

[pastera]

I've done it with my 7x lathe on 2 cavity Lee molds - What you are describing is a very simple operation: indicate the cavity and then a straight bore to the depth of the last lube groove.

Looks like the mold is $89 - not sure if paying to have it modded is worth it. Even at 1hr of shop time the price is going to be more than a new mold minus selling the old one.

[Dragonheart]

Not the same thing, but several years ago it was $50 a cavity to do a hollow point, so you will never get your money back on the mold. I would suggest selling and buying what you want, as you may find a useful used mold. Regardless, lube grooves are not going to hurt if you are going to PC.

[Mal Paso]

Lube grooves help control base distortion by absorbing some of the alloy displaced by the rifling lands. I don't understand why some are quick to remove them.

[Winger Ed.]

You need to buy another mold.

As we all know, whoever dies with the most toys---wins.

[KYCaster]

Lube grooves help control base distortion by absorbing some of the alloy displaced by the rifling lands. I don't understand why some are quick to remove them.



YES!!
What he said.

Thank you Mal Paso, I finally found somebody who gets it.

Just like Barnes solid copper bullets; they added the grooves because the metal displaced by the rifling needs somewhere to go.

Just my humble opinion. (and Mal Paso's too, it seems)
Jerry

[JWFilips]

Check With BEN! He has thought a lot of folks to plain base with just a drill press...His method works!

[Elkins45]

IMO the only good thing about the smooth sided bullets is that they drop out if the mold easier. They raise pressures over an equivalent groove design because the rifling has to displace more metal as it engraves the bullet. I bought a couple of smooth sided molds on sale and I’ve not found them to shoot any better than coated conventional bullets.

Sell your mold and get a plain base version. I’ve never heard a bad word about Accurate so I suspect it would sell quickly here.

[gwpercle]

Rule #1 : Never sell or trade a mould, keep what you got...buy another .
If things don't work out like you think they will...and they usually don't ... you still have your conventional mould ... sometimes gas checks are the answer to a problem. Smooth sided , plain based and powdered coated may not be the answer to your problems...don't limit yourself to one way . Leave a place for displaced metal on a boolit if not...base distortion occurs .
I've never had a boolit shoot worse groups when a gas check was installed ... always improved accuracy .

[Dragonheart]

Lube grooves help control base distortion by absorbing some of the alloy displaced by the rifling lands. I don't understand why some are quick to remove them.

Absolutely true. When metal is moved it has to go somewhere and on the base of the bullet is the worse place as far as accuracy is concerned.

[popper]

Biker - the points mentioned above are valid, probably easier and cost effective to just get Tom to cut what you want.
All my rifle (30cal) are effectively grooveless and shoot very well. Very small collector groove for displaces metal.Pistol moulds are normal design, not worth the cost to change them.
Large LGs weaken the boolit, verified by twisting them till fail and they always fail at the groove.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

You can do it yourself, just buy a HSS Straight Shank/Flute Chucking Reamer, Decimal Size .432 for $29.
https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/metalworking-tools/reamer/chucking-reamers/straight-shank-straight-flute-tmx-chucking-reamer-decimal-size-432-8-flute

[cwlongshot]

I see two options

Sell this buy what ya want.

I can see wanting to omit the GC. I’m doing same. No need for a GC in a Pistol bullet if ya PC.

But grease groves don’t seem to hurt anything and as mentioned give the metal a place to go. I kinda subscribe to DONT fix what ain’t broke.

Those 350 Bullets we got haven’t proven very accurate for me. I don’t think it’s anything but design. They have no grooves. My Saexo 180 is shoot
I got great!

Good luck

CW