Will this mold work for .50BMG?

[emt1581]

A few months back I wanted to order a mold to cast for .50BMG but I never got around to it. Accurate wasn't able to help with guiding me to a diameter and NOE didn't answer emails and never had any molds in stock. Well I managed to find the only one NOE has for sale...

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/shop/512/513-650-lfn-ag2/513-650-lfn-ag2-1-cavity-pb-brass/

Should it work for the round?

Please share any concerns.

Thanks!

[mehavey]

0.510" Groove (the Internet is a wonderful thing, don'cha know....)

Bottom of this page
https://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=25#catalog-anchor
or this...
https://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=26#catalog-anchor

[rockrat]

The NOE boolit doesn't carry enough lube for the BMG round and is a bit light. I would go with the Accurate mould and go for .512" diameter with your alloy (I would shoot for at least 18-20 brinell or higher). If you need a bit larger boolit, go with a bit more linotype in your alloy. It will increase diameter a bit. A little copper in your alloy will do the same it seems to me, and makes for a bit tougher boolit.

[mehavey]

FWIW: Accurate/Tom lets you specify whatever diameter/alloy combo you want/
510"groove --> 511/512" bullet would be perfect.

[emt1581]

0.510" Groove (the Internet is a wonderful thing, don'cha know....)

Bottom of this page
https://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=25#catalog-anchor
or this...
https://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=26#catalog-anchor


This was the one I was going to go with. 660gr and even marked for 50BMG.

https://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=51-660BG

However, he couldn't tell me what diameter was optimal for my barrel (29" Ligamec Raptor).

Thanks

[emt1581]

The NOE boolit doesn't carry enough lube for the BMG round and is a bit light. I would go with the Accurate mould and go for .512" diameter with your alloy (I would shoot for at least 18-20 brinell or higher). If you need a bit larger boolit, go with a bit more linotype in your alloy. It will increase diameter a bit. A little copper in your alloy will do the same it seems to me, and makes for a bit tougher boolit.


Didn't know that about the lube or the copper. Honestly never heard that before about the copper. Since all the jackets float to the surface, I didn't know it was possible to get the pot hot enough to blend copper in. Or are we talking a powdered copper?

Thanks

[emt1581]

FWIW: Accurate/Tom lets you specify whatever diameter/alloy combo you want/
510"groove --> 511/512" bullet would be perfect.


The two drop-downs to figure out are diameter and then the tolerance of 1) + .002/-.000, 2) +/- .001, or 3) +.000/-.002 Those two drop downs are where I got stuck last time because I don't have the ability to properly measure my barrel and I didn't want to make the wrong choice with such a large caliber.

Thanks

[PositiveCaster]

Didn't know that about the lube or the copper. Honestly never heard that before about the copper. Since all the jackets float to the surface, I didn't know it was possible to get the pot hot enough to blend copper in. Or are we talking a powdered copper?

Powdered or not, pure copper melts at over 1900*F. I wonder how he plans to make a lead/copper alloy....




.

[mehavey]

[Accurate] couldn't tell me what diameter was optimal for my barrel (29" Ligamec Raptor).
Unless you either:

- Call Ligamec
- Slug your barrel....

No one short of another Raptor owner who HAS done one of those two things is going to be able to tell you.
Were it mine -- given as much cash as you already have in the barreled action -- I'd go w/ .511 +0.002/-000 and play with sizers if/as-req'd


postscript: I seriously doubt you will need (or even want) anything tougher than plain old Lyman#2 w/ a gas-check.
What pressures are you planning to run?

[emt1581]

Unless you either:

- Call Ligamec
- Slug your barrel....

No one short of another Raptor owner who HAS done one of those two things is going to be able to tell you.
Were it mine -- given as much cash as you already have in the barreled action -- I'd go w/ .511 +0.002/-000 and play with sizers if/as-req'd


postscript: I seriously doubt you will need (or even want) anything tougher than plain old Lyman#2 w/ a gas-check.
What pressures are you planning to run?

One last detail....I planned to powder coat the bullets as I do with all my bullets. Would you still order the same specs?

Thanks

[Goofy]

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?2192-50-BMG-Cast-Bullet

[emt1581]

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?2192-50-BMG-Cast-Bullet

Seems ok for another mold but for the one I'm looking at, doesn't help with the powder coat question.

Thanks though.

[mehavey]

FWIW: I'm running the same as-cast dimensions for my 50 BeoWoof whether AOLX'd or Powder-Coated.
Sizing them for shooting the same as well.

See Post#9 (https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?424096-Will-this-mold-work-for-50BMG&p=5176493&viewfull=1#post5176493) again for my BMG suggestions

[emt1581]

FWIW: I'm running the same as-cast dimensions for my 50 BeoWoof whether AOLX'd or Powder-Coated.
Sizing them for shooting the same as well.

See Post#9 (https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?424096-Will-this-mold-work-for-50BMG&p=5176493&viewfull=1#post5176493) again for my BMG suggestions

Pulled the trigger. Also bought the set of punches for a few bucks. Just need to grab some gas checks. I'm a little foggy but I think the name I wanted was gator checks....something like that.

Thanks

[rockrat]

I use #2 or #3 babbit (prefer #3) which has a decent copper content, to enrich my alloy. Some on this site use copper sulfate (search about this) to add copper. 0.18% copper is more than enough. 0.10% would be fine. You get to 0.25% and I have notice you will get spout freeze up often.
I would lean towards the 51-700F or the 51-720W.

[mehavey]

You do have one of these ?
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-90188-Diameter-Bullet/dp/B005KW5BCA
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1193/3/LEE-SIZE-510

Start there and w/ Lyman#2/gc'd...

[emt1581]

You do have one of these ?
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-90188-Diameter-Bullet/dp/B005KW5BCA
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1193/3/LEE-SIZE-510

Start there and w/ Lyman#2/gc'd...


I have to open my Lee .50bmg press and see if there's one in there. I would doubt it but for $25-$30 it's not a big deal to buy one.

Thanks

[rockrat]

What velocities are you planning?

[emt1581]

What velocities are you planning?

No idea really. Was just trying to get setup and this specific caliber is worlds more involved to do that for compared to say 9mm.

Thoughts?

Thanks

[emt1581]

You do have one of these ?
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-90188-Diameter-Bullet/dp/B005KW5BCA
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1193/3/LEE-SIZE-510

Start there and w/ Lyman#2/gc'd...

Ordered one of the Lee sizers. Just need gas checks and I think I'll have everything needed to get started.

EDIT: Are these what I want for gas checks? If not, what specs do I want to look for?

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/shop/gas-checks-tools/gator-checks-gas-checks/50cal-long-gc/

Thanks

[mehavey]

https://www.sagesoutdoors.com/50-lr-caliber-gator-gas-checks/

[emt1581]

https://www.sagesoutdoors.com/50-lr-caliber-gator-gas-checks/


Grabbed 1k.

Now can these just be pressed on or do I need some special tool/die for that as well?

Thanks

[mehavey]

The Lee sizing die swages them on as you push the bullet through it.

[emt1581]

Ok I think I'm good to go then. Just need to empty out some incindiary rounds so I can reload them!

Thanks for the help!