Mold problem

[jcw1970]

Got a 311041 mold off ebay and in nose on the side of one of the cavities there are some punch marks. I don't know if someone used a screwdriver on it or what but the imperfections show on the boolit. Is there a way to fill them in or buff them out(they seem pretty deep) or do i now own an expensive single cavity? I'll post a pic when i get home.

[cabezaverde]

Might be somebody used the punch to be able to differentiate between the bullets that come out of the 2 cavities. This is an "old timer" trick.

[dakotashooter2]

Cast a few and see how they shoot!

[STP22]

I have an older 311290 with the same punch marks. My initial reaction was the same until I cast a short run with it. The punch marks were very small, tho` they do look alarming in the cavity. I knew by my earlier reading that that was done to segregate the casts by cavities so they could be "sorted" and tested seperately on target. As long as the punch marks are terribly deep, I wouldn`t worry too much.
Then again, it does beg the question...will one cavity produce better boolits than the other?

Look at it this way, you have 2 boolits to test, not one! :mrgreen:

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Some riflemen using cast bullets marked the mold so that the bullets could be "oriented" when seating them and then placed in the chamber with the mark(s) always in the same position. Those guys often shot very good groups/scores with what they were doing. An article covering this was written by a gentleman named Marshall and was published, If I remember correctly, in The Lyman handbook of Cast Bullets. The bullet he used was Lyman #311284 in the 30-06. LLS

[MT Gianni]

I think this is why some of the old timers preferred single cavity molds. They knew that they had the uniformity they needed for good groups. Manufacturing methods and equipment tightened tolerances but it didn't change habits. I would measure slugs from each side and if they are within a grain I would shoot them interchangeably with out any concern. In a match you might want to use only one but that would be the only time.

[jcw1970]

Here's a pic of what i'm talking about. take a look at the nose on the right. I think they're too deep just to tell the difference between the 2.

[DLCTEX]

Clean it well, spray the punched area with mold release, then spin a boolit with comet or some other mild abrasive in the cavity until smooth. If the marks are too deep, repeat until smooth.

[mooman76]

The mould even with the marks on it may not make a difference so you have two choices or three actually, try to fix, don't use or use as is. If your feeling a little froggie and want to fix you may be able to grind a punch down rounded and try tapping the metal back in place and then smoothing down. As deep as those marks are I doubt that you will be able to lap down sttel moulds to get rid of the marks and then if you did work at it long enough the mould would be distorted and you will have to different bullets unless of coarse you lapped the other too. Sounds like allot of work. You might be able to tap the metal back in plae enough that you can live with it.

[docone31]

You can always buff the dimples off before loading.
I usually handle all my castings for wings, feathers, etc. Just scratch off the high points, and not worry about the small voids.

[Maven]

Those tiny imperfections will make no difference in performance unless you want to create a self-fulfilling prophesy. However, they will allow you to segregate the CB's by cavity a bit more readily.

[stocker]

One of my 358009 moulds is marked with a single punch mark on one cavity, a double on the other. You would think that the boolits would show raised marks. They don't. They show shallow indents. I think the indents on the mould create small air locks. In any event the boolit indents are very small compared to the punch marks on the mould. Accuracy is not affected in any manner that I can determine by comparing these boolits to the ones from my second 358009 which is not marked and the accuracy is really very good with either.

[jcw1970]

did you notice the other weird thing about this mold? No gas check. and it's only 157 grains. linotype lead.

[Phil]

Looks like someone ground the gas check shank off. Oh well................

Cheers,

Phil

[runfiverun]

those ain't punch marks i am thinking someone buffed out some rust there.
i would use that one for general practice and the other for the good stuff.

[jcw1970]

Phil, I think you're right. That would explain why you can see the screw hole on each mold and it's weighing light. Damn! I got ripped. no gas check and punch marks. sad thing is that it casts really,really well. oh well, tried to save a few bucks on ebay. on the other hand the mold was attached to some B&M handles. Guess i'll just order it off Midway.

[Echo]

Yes, but how do they SHOOT??? If they shoot into the same group, and don't need those blasted expensive GC's, what's the issue?

[Phil]

Yes, they might shoot just fine at lower velocities. I wouldn't give up on it yet, shoot some of them first but keep them under 1300/1400 fps or so.

Another idea, there is a company (in Indiana) that makes sheets of lube wads. You just press the sheet on to the case mouth and cut a wad out. Keep the bullet base above the shoulder and they might work. I have some similar wads I have had since the fifties or early sixties, just saw them recently. I could send you a couple of pieces if you would like to try them. I had completely forgotten about them.

Cheers,

Phil

[jcw1970]

quick update. I finally got out and shot some of these. 15 gr of 3031. 100 yds. they tumble.

[Jon K]

15 grains 3031 is too light! Starting loads in Lyman is 21.5(311041) or 22.5(311291).
Max loads shown are 27.5 & 28.5 /3031

Add more powder and give it a chance to work...........

Jon

[jcw1970]

true. but with no gas check i didn't want to push it. next load will be 18 gr.

[Bob Krack]

true. but with no gas check i didn't want to push it. next load will be 18 gr.
Jay,
Whatcha shootin' them in? .30 carbine, .30-.30, .308, .30-06,or?

I mighta mist it, I dint see what you were loading for but there are tons of information here if the question is totally esplained.

If I DID miss it, my apoligies! I applaud your willingnes to use the plain base and hope you do not worry TOO much about what looks to me to be some rust pits in one cavity (as long as the boolits release properly!)

Bob, The Village Idjit

[wmitty]

Feller's, I got ripped on a 31141 single cavity from evilbay too. Gentleman described the mould as having the shank for the gas check removed. I asked what diameter the mould was casting and he told me .314". I should'a stopped right there but thought maybe by sizing to .311 the mould might be usable. Anyway, the first boolet I made miked .323 across the base... I realized I had been had. Well, I kept the butchered thing and by using the Lee push thru to size I wound up with a slightly longer than normal plain base 31141 which seems shoot ok at plain base velocities; the base is bound to be out of square with the longitudinal(sp?) axis but it isn't visible.

[jcw1970]

whoever cut this mold down did a good job. the base with the punch mics at .310 and the other at .311. i sized them to .309 for my win 94

[TAWILDCATT]

are you shooting 30/06 or what. try red dot 13 gr.I use that in 8mm/303/7,7
in 30/06 it cronys at 1680fps.and is accurate.:coffee: [smilie=1: