New Accurate 46-405VG mold

[huntinlever]

Thought it deserved its own thread as I got my first casting session in with my new Accurate 465-405VG. Thanks to everyone for all your help between fabricating a smelting pot out of a purged propane tank to the mold prep suggestions. RCBS handles need some work with the mold, as Tom indicates they might, but very minor and after some early finning (and wrinkling - been awhile), I got some acceptably decent boolits today (for now). Pretty happy after a long hiatus.

Bands as-cast came out 0.461-0.461.5. Weights ranged between 397.2 to 402.4 grains. I'm hoping after getting back in my consistency will improve. 2 to 1 Pb:No. 2 WQ'ed, from Rotometals. MML (Mike's Magic Lube). Sized to 0.460 on a 0.458 bore. Can't wait to load them up.

Sorry for the pic quality.

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Thanks again all. Have a great new year.

[sukivel]

That’s a good lookin’ bullet…


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[huntinlever]

That’s a good lookin’ bullet…


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Thanks!

[PhilC]

That’s a good lookin’ bullet…

Sure is, might have to get one!

[fenderman57]

Tom has the same nose profile in several different weights,up to 540 grains. I have one in a 490 gr. version. It's a really good thumper,and accurate too.

[huntinlever]

I love this profile and really love Tom's molds. This is my third, and I know I'm nowhere near done. I'll probably go up to my old 46-425Q again, and if I'm lucky enough to come across a Ruger No. 3 at some point, plan to go much heavier with a hotter load.

Session went much more smoothly today as muscle memory is kicking in and I'm remembering what worked before. Cleaned up the cavities more thoroughly with Zippo lighter fluid and made a thin slurry of 91% isopropyl and fine powdered graphite for top of mold, sprue plate, and pins. Popped like a champ.

One thing I'm still a bit puzzled by is the amount of bullets still coming out wrinkled. With this alloy, I try to maintain about 750F and I'm cycling through the cast about every 30 seconds - about 20 seconds to let the alloy set fully, drop in the drink, and refill. That's about the same as my past SOP.

It is pretty cold today, 19F, so I guess it's possible it's just too cold to keep the mold hot enough between pours, but I used to cast in some truly brutal upper-midwest weather and don't recall this ongoing wrinkling issue. Still, plenty of good boolits, but would still like to cure the obvious too-cold as cast temps.

One paradoxical thing I wonder: I try to smelt clean ingots (starting with Rotometals, not a huge problem) and flux with beeswax in the Lee Magnum for casting. Clean and good looking alloy. I'm wondering if at 750F I'm losing too much tin to oxidation, so paradoxically fill-out is not what it could be, even with this casting temp?

Grasping at straws and I've actually not had any issues with losing tin previously at this (or even higher) temps. Just can't figure out why I'm getting the number of wrinkled boolits at this time. Thoughts?

ps: I have a hot plate but have never warmed or maintained mold warmth on anything but the rim of the casting pot. Bit paranoid about warping the mold. Maybe that's ill-founded and a hot plate is a good idea? To you guys who use one, "how" hot do you run your hot plate?

[huntinlever]

Loaded. Soundness check.

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Avg Pre-Crimp COAL: 2.542
Avg Post-Crimp COAL 2.538.
Shorter than recommended standard of 2.550, but previous load with 425 G WFNGC was avg. COAL 2.526, shot well without issue to my knowledge. Though lighter bullet, this Accurate design has a longer (0.43" for this one, the 425 Gr is 0.37").

What do you think of the crimp? Too much? Definitely sets firm with "thumb pressure in palm" test. Tried to set seating depth so crimp just rolls under top of crimp groove.

[huntinlever]

Interesting first outing at the range. I went in 0.5 grain 5744 increments.

Conditions: 32F, overcast, no wind.
Range: 50 yards
Powder: Accurate 5744
Primer: WLR
Brass: 3X fired Starline
Chrony: None.
Strings: 3 shots

Fouler string: 25.0 grains.
Increments from 26.0-30.0 in 0.5 grain increases. Estimated velocity range 1270-1450 fps.

Not sure what to think at this point. So far nothing to write home about for me - esp. when compared to my previous, admittedly hot, 425 WFNGC load with IMR 4198.

Oddly at least to me is that out of a cold barrel I shot 3 foulers at the lightest load, 25.0 grains for a very rough estimated range of 1270 fps. The fouler group, lowest load, was the best. Nothing I'd be happy with until right around 28.5 grains, then again groups opening up immediately through to 30.0.

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I do have a pound of IMR 4198, and would like to give it a go again even though with my previous boolit of 425 grains WFNGC the loads didn't tighten up acceptably for me until 39.0 up, with near max of 39.7 grains/1710 fps/ES 22/SD 12 4198 giving a great group. This photo is at 39.5 grains, 50 yards and a 5-shot group.


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I also would like to maybe play up and down by 0.2 grains at 25.0 and 28.5 grains 5744 respectively (i.e., 24.4, 24.6, 24.8, 25.2, 25.4; 25.6; 28.2, 28.4, 28.6, 28.8).


If I had a chrony, I'd try another method to conserve components. Given the range trip above, thoughts?

[Wayne Smith]

Get a hotplate, either one with a flat top or put an old saw blade on a standard one. I have aluminum molds, brass molds, and steel molds, and haven't warped a single one.

[huntinlever]

Get a hotplate, either one with a flat top or put an old saw blade on a standard one. I have aluminum molds, brass molds, and steel molds, and haven't warped a single one.

Thanks Wayne. Probably the best solution. I have a standard ring plate but hadn't thought of the steel on top of it. One concern was how hot to run the plate. Every plate is different, but how hot do you run yours? Cranked?

[huntinlever]

Pretty happy with improvements in the casting itself, though not quite there yet. I realize now that perhaps any accuracy issues may have less to do with powder or loads, and more to do with uneven casting. Out of 102 with today's session, I only rejected 6 and the tolerance is very good - average is 399.6 with highest at 400 and lowest at 298.0, with most within 0.02+/- of the average. I think I have found my rhythm again. I also increased the casting temp to 750F. Went very smoothly.

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Will shoot the 5744 range again, and I'll load up 25 rounds with IMR 4198, estimated range of mid-trapdoor to light 1895 levels, or 33.5 - 35.3 grains 4198. I'm estimating a velocity range of 1400 - 1535 fps with the 4198. The 5744 is primed with WLR and the 4198 will be primed with CCI 200.

[stubshaft]

That's a good-looking bullet and accurate to boot!

[huntinlever]

That's a good-looking bullet and accurate to boot!

Missed this, sorry. Many thanks, very pleased with this mold (as always - Tom's work is excellent in my experience)!