Over sizing ❓

[Mandoair]

I have been planning and studying and getting ready to cast my first boolit. Seem like a good place to start was to slug my barrels of intended use. So using the idea I found somewhere of pouring soft lead sinkers into spent brass and using that plug for slugging the barrel. Seems to work really good learned a few things along the way, like they come out pretty close to the size of the boar so I squeezed him in the vise just a tiny bit to get them up about 10,000s over. Now that I have the size of the three pistols I intend to use for lead someday I’m thinking that I need to go at least one probably 2000s over. My 10 mm being .401 and.4015 I’m thinking I need to go to .402 and.403 and wondering how I’m gonna find a mold and size to that diameter. If you have suggestions please pm or link me to a thread thanks.

And hay. Merry Christmas ��

[Harter66]

My TLTC 401-175 runs .4025 .
NOE makes theirs to run towards .403 .
Accurate will cut it any size you want .

[megasupermagnum]

Most molds will cast .402". Many are bigger than that. For a time proven style 10mm bullet, try the Arsenal 403-200-TC. If hollow points or WFN interests you, try the NOE 403-198-WFN.

Since you did what is called a pound cast presumably, what is more important is the throats of each barrel. It's possible they don't have throats at all, which is not a particularly good thing. If they do have at least have some freebore, what does that measure?

[oley55]

From the sounds of your slugging process you were actually doing pound casts of your throat/barrel and that's fine.

Besides the way you are asking for help, another angle would be to zero in on the mold/bullet design you want and then post a thread asking folks what size that mold drops bullets at (also the comment areas on some of the popular "on line" retail sites will usually include a customer comment stating their as cast size).

As I understand the secret mysteries of bullet casting, alloy type and casting temps can account for a couple thous plus or minus. Also are you planning to lube or powder coat (PC) your bullets? PCing can add up to two thous to the as cast size.

For me finding the right sized sizing die is the challenge (assuming a cooler casting temp and/or PCing will will get you up the the diameter you want/need). NOE has a great push through sizing die system (although difficult to finger out what you want and need from their not overly descriptive website). With the appropriate sizing die/s, one mold will cover your needs as presented.

On a side note, what time is it getting dark up there in your parts this time of year? I did the first Hoka Hey motorcycle ride from Key West to Homer in 2010 and got fairly confused with it still being daylight in Fairbanks at 23:00 on July 2nd. But I was suffering from sleep depravation at the time, LOL.

[GregLaROCHE]

NOE has a great sizing system that really pays off when you want to experiment with different diameters and calibers. I bought mine before the current version of their website and agree that today, it’s not as easy to figure out what exactly you need to purchase in the beginning. There is at least one thread on here, with members explaining what you need to purchase to start.

[Mandoair]

Most molds will cast .402". Many are bigger than that. For a time proven style 10mm bullet, try the Arsenal 403-200-TC. If hollow points or WFN interests you, try the NOE 403-198-WFN.

Since you did what is called a pound cast presumably, what is more important is the throats of each barrel. It's possible they don't have throats at all, which is not a particularly good thing. If they do have at least have some freebore, what does that measure?

On the only one almost the same 1/2 th larger. I’ve got plugs I’ll try again

[Mandoair]

Thanks. All. More research needed

[Mandoair]

Dec 23 up 9.11. Down 3.59. The other side. And thanks

[mdi]

I have successfully used the "spent case slugs" many many times, and most gave me slightly tapered slugs .005"+ over groove diameter. If I wanted .402"+ bullets, I would get a Lee 401" sizing kit and hone the ID (BTDT on several Lee dies, removing up to .006" quite easily. The Lee and NOE sizing dies go from .401" to .410" w/nuttin' in between). Many molds will drop bullets slightly over stated diameter, mainly depending on alloy and casting temps, or at least 12/13 out of the 16 I own. You will need to find our what the mold of your choice produced from a given alloy at "normal" casting temps/methods. The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbooks have a chart of the sizes +/-", of bullet diameter from the same mold with various alloys. Very informative.

BYW; "A Pound Cast" is a totally different process and there is a sticky for it by geargnasher...

[Mandoair]

I was wondering about that this morning if I could scrape the sizing die out a little bit. I figured most mold s drop bullets oversize so as to leave room to be squeezed down. I ordered one of those Lyman cast hand books an old one it’s a reprint of 1980 something should be here next week.
Thanks to all for your help I need it. Merry Christmas

[Mandoair]

Most molds will cast .402". Many are bigger than that. For a time proven style 10mm bullet, try the Arsenal 403-200-TC. If hollow points or WFN interests you, try the NOE 403-198-WFN.

Since you did what is called a pound cast presumably, what is more important is the throats of each barrel. It's possible they don't have throats at all, which is not a particularly good thing. If they do have at least have some freebore, what does that measure?

I’m not sure I call it a throat or not. Right at the step .4025 within .333 to .401 then where The rifling begins. .401. Bore diameter is. .390
What do you make of that❓

[megasupermagnum]

In that case, I'd size .402". Really you'd probably be fine with .401" too. I'm not sure I'd bother to try .403".

What are you planning for lube? If tumble lube or coating, get the Lee breechlock sizers. The sizing bushings are cheap, and you can get them in every size. They have .401" and .402" in stock. You do need the breechlock adapter bushing to use them, but it is cheap.

[Mandoair]

Thank you. My plan is to make some Molly lube with beeswax.