Help using Precision Cast Bullet Design and Evaluation Software

[jdgabbard]

To be clear on what I am referring to, it is this software: https://secure.tmtpages.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=78&zenid=8ed6633ac4e327039fc2a1b5a54a54bb

I purchased this software, as it seems to be about the only software most people have used to come up with designs. However, I have found an issue that I just cannot overcome - at least in my understanding of the proper use.

So while re-designing a boolit I had made many years ago, I have decided to omit grease grooves in favor of a HiTek design. The problem is, the software doesn't appear to want to let you omit all of the grease grooves. It appears that you MUST have at least one grease groove. Even when manually setting it to '0', it still reverts back to '1'.

For those of you who have used this software, is there any way to set this up as I would like? I hate to think I just spent $80 on software that is essentially useless to me, assuming I cannot change it - as I have more or less completely moved away from traditionally lubed boolits at this point. Any pointers???

[475AR]

The software will do groove less bullets, Tom the man behind the software hopefully will chime in on how to do it, but I will pull his email to me on the subject from a few years ago and pm it to you when I get home tonight.

[jdgabbard]

The software will do groove less bullets, Tom the man behind the software hopefully will chime in on how to do it, but I will pull his email to me on the subject from a few years ago and pm it to you when I get home tonight.

Awesome. Thanks, 475AR.

I had sent him a message via the website, but I haven't gotten a response yet. Though it's only been a few hours. The best I've been able to do so far is to give the diameter of the grease groove a diameter matching the driving bands. And that approximates the design, but leaves a messy technical drawing. I guess I could draw this up in CAD, but the two design suits I have are not very friendly when it comes to 2D drawings. I could always draft it up in Inkscape, but I'd rather use a purpose driven software package, which is what I view this software as. I like it so far, but figuring out this groove issue is annoying...

[jdgabbard]

Ok, Tom did respond to me. His suggestions were as follows, in case anyone in the future needs this advice:



The trick to a grooveless bullet is to first set the base band length to the in-case length.
Then set the Groove Band ratio to 1.000
Then set the Body Band Count to 0
Then set the Grease Groove Count to 0
Then set the Groove Bottom Diameter to the same diameter as the Band Diameter
Then set the Groove Side-Angle to 89 degrees
You can then vary your bullet weight by editing only the Bullet Length while keeping the in-case length the same.


Doing so, did result in the desired shape, but with a messy technical drawing. I then changed the Top Band length to 0.000", and the Base Band Length to the same value as the Gas-Check Shank Length. This resulted in a the same profile, but a cleaner technical drawing.

So if anyone has this problem in the future, this appears to be a decent solution.

[475AR]

Ok, Tom did respond to me. His suggestions were as follows, in case anyone in the future needs this advice:



Doing so, did result in the desired shape, but with a messy technical drawing. I then changed the Top Band length to 0.000", and the Base Band Length to the same value as the Gas-Check Shank Length. This resulted in a the same profile, but a cleaner technical drawing.

So if anyone has this problem in the future, this appears to be a decent solution.

Glad Tom got back with you, I got tied up with personal issues and wasn't able to dig up the info. Tom has always responded within a day or so when I emailed him with questions.
Please post a pic of your drawing as I bet others would like to see it. Now to get it cut into a mold and have fun casting with it.

[jdgabbard]

Glad Tom got back with you, I got tied up with personal issues and wasn't able to dig up the info. Tom has always responded within a day or so when I emailed him with questions.
Please post a pic of your drawing as I bet others would like to see it. Now to get it cut into a mold and have fun casting with it.

I posted a thread here: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?462552-REDESIGN-7-62x25-Boolit

[475AR]

I just saw that thread, good looking bullet.

[jdgabbard]

I just saw that thread, good looking bullet.

Thanks. Still tossing around the one suggestion I got on it, but I think it might be an even better boolit than the first one I designed.


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