Your thoughts and opinions on a couple of 6.5 x 55 swedish mauser boolit molds

[reloaders4you]

I justed picked up two 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser molds. A Lyman #266469 double cavity and a Lee special order from Midsouth http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000066.5SWED

I just wanted to know if anyone has any thoughts on the two molds.
They will be shot out of a 96 Mauser (long version)

[mtgrs737]

If your rifle has the large groove dia. (most do) then the oversized Midsouth "Cruise Missile" mould should shoot better. You will need to have a sizer die made as the factory offerings size too small to take advantage of the oversized mould. "Buckshot" who is a member here made my Lyman/RCBS style sizer die for me and included a top punch, the dia. is .2683" as both of my rifles slug .266+" . Lathesmith can also make you a die and top punch if Buckshot is busy. I also had a set of Lee Collet dies modified at the factory for the larger boolit. I first load and fire new brass using a standard Redding die set that Redding was nice enough to send an oversized expander button for the oversized boolit then I use the Lee set so that I don't over work the expensive brass as it only works the neck of the case. Lee also worked over the seater die to handle the larger boolit. I use a Lee Factory Crimp die set to just remove the case mouth flare but not crimp. I use a Lee universal flare die to flare the case so as not to shave the boolit during seating. Right now I am working with a lovern style GB boolit that weighs 130 grs. and seems to shoot best with 11grs. of Unique. I have shot the Midshouth boolit with 10 grs. of unique. Do a search for "Cruise Missile" here and you will find much discussion and data to start you out. Peep sights will increase your ability to shoot them well if you don't scope the rifle. Those Swedish Rifles are excellent rifles, you should have many hours of enjoyment loading and shooting them! Good luck!

[reloaders4you]

Would you say the Lyman mold will not shoot well in the Mauser?

[Maven]

Would you say the Lyman mold will not shoot well in the Mauser?

reloaders4u, Lyman #266469, a Loverin design, is one of the better choices for the Swedish Mauser IF it casts large enough to fit your rifle's bore. Note that the first 3 digits, 266 indicate it will cast a .266" bullet from Lyman's standard; i.e., #2 alloy. Two of my friends have had great results with it in their 6.5 x 55's, but my Swede needs something a bit larger. In short, it is an excellent choice and should shoot well even if you have to "beagle"* the mold.


*Search the archives for this or look at the Castpics site (bottom of your screen), specifically members' articles and/or research.

[BABore]

Should you find the need for a bigger boolit, I have both the 268469 and 6.5 Kurtz designs on my website. Both will drop at 0.268+ with WW's. You can do a search for the threads on them in the Vendor Sponser sub-forum.

[geargnasher]

Heed the excellent advice above, especially the part about making modifications to your reloading dies to handle at least .268" boolits. Yours may be different, but most M96s have chamber throats that are much larger than they should be and need fatter boolits and dies that will size and expand about 3-4 thousandths over that used for J-words.

A typical Swede seems to need about a .268" boolit, and an oversized neck bushing/neck sizing area, and an oversized expander plug to get you 1.5-2 thousandths neck tension without swaging the boolit during seating. The neck sizer and expander plug dimensions will depend on exactly how big your chamber throat actually is, the boolit diameter you're using, and the thickness of the case necks. All factory expander plugs are too small to my knowledge, the Lyman M die is pretty close, but you can make one by turning down a .270 expander plug if necessary.

Oh, and if you can get the Cruise Missile to shoot without keyholing, let me know!

Gear

[reloaders4you]

Lyman #266469, a Loverin design

Stupid question....what is a Loverin design.

[462]

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=628940 and click on "Enlarge" to get a better view.

[geargnasher]

Stupid question....what is a Loverin design.

Guy Loverin is credited with the design of multiple, even, same size lands on the entire length of the boolit, leaving a minimal nose. Ideal and Lyman produced many versions in many calibers over the years. I have read that Mr. Loverin was trying to overcome issues from the poor lubes of the day with his design, issues which have largely been resolved with modern boolit lubes.

Gear

[reloaders4you]

That is the type of response I love to get on this forum. Thanks so much for the great info.........as usual

[Buckshot]

Guy Loverin is credited with the design of multiple, even, same size lands on the entire length of the boolit, leaving a minimal nose. Ideal and Lyman produced many versions in many calibers over the years. I have read that Mr. Loverin was trying to overcome issues from the poor lubes of the day with his design, issues which have largely been resolved with modern boolit lubes.

Gear

.............Yeah, and the Loverin keeps you from chasing your tail sometimes trying to get a bore rider to truly do what it's supopsed to do. With a Loverin if it fit's it'll shoot.

................Buckshot

[Bret4207]

Loverins rule. I've never had a design that fit not shoot at least as well as anything else in that caliber, usually they are easier to get to shoot. I feel it's the design filling the throat. Whatever, they shoot.

[Maven]

"...and the Loverin keeps you from chasing your tail sometimes trying to get a bore rider to truly do what it's supopsed to do. With a Loverin if it fit's it'll shoot."

Amen to Buckshot's statement! Generally speaking I too have got better fit in a variety of bores/calibers with Loverin designs rather than bore riders. However, when the bore rider actually fits and rides the bore, accuracy is indistinguishable from that obtained with a Loverin. Then too, the amount of lube a Loverin is capable of carrying is rarely and issue. The reverse is true of the bore riders, e.g., Saeco's RG-4, unless you dip their noses in Lee Liquid Alox or Lar's Xlox.

[geargnasher]

"...and the Loverin keeps you from chasing your tail sometimes trying to get a bore rider to truly do what it's supopsed to do. With a Loverin if it fit's it'll shoot."

Amen to Buckshot's statement! Generally speaking I too have got better fit in a variety of bores/calibers with Loverin designs rather than bore riders. However, when the bore rider actually fits and rides the bore, accuracy is indistinguishable from that obtained with a Loverin. Then too, the amount of lube a Loverin is capable of carrying is rarely and issue. The reverse is true of the bore riders, e.g., Saeco's RG-4, unless you dip their noses in Lee Liquid Alox or Lar's Xlox.

The issue I've had, like you, with Silhouette boolits and other bore-riders is getting a mould and alloy that drop a boolit that exactly fits the bore diameter of the particular rifle in which they are used. With a Loverin it doesn't matter as long as it fits the groove and is launched straight into the throat. I also thought I invented the Liquid Alox Nose Dip for bore riders a few years ago, but since joining this fine group I stand very much corrected!:drinks:

Gear

[reloaders4you]

Generally speaking I too have got better fit in a variety of bores/calibers with Loverin designs rather than bore riders.

Another stupid question.......what is the difference between a bore rider and a Loverin design?

[Buckshot]

Another stupid question.......what is the difference between a bore rider and a Loverin design?

http://www.fototime.com/B55472729A707A9/standard.jpg

Both these are for the 6.5mm. On the left is a Loverin and on the right is a bore rider. The smooth nose is intended to guide atop (or best, lightly engrave) the lands. The RG-4 Maven mentioned is similar to Lyman's 311299 or 311679. The RG-4 and 311679 are both of a type, being 2 drive bands seperated by one lube groove. The balance being a bore riding nose.

The Loverin is slowly loosing ground. Their last bastion was Lyman as Lyman is the oldest boolit mould maker, and they've slowly been dropping Loverins. The most recent one to be dropped was their 150gr 7mm 287405. I believe the only 2 they still make is a 6.5mm and an 8mm design. Used to be about every caliber had at least 1 or 2, and some like the 30 cals had 4-5.

http://www.fototime.com/7B5E80F99FF60E7/standard.jpg

These are representative of 'Old time' Loverins done as a group buy in Lee 6 cavity blocks as a modification of the old Lyman 311407. Old time meaning the drive bands were relatively narrow, unlike the short 6.5mm in the top photo, whose drive bands are a tad wider then the lube grooves, but still in the spirit of Saint Loverin :-)

..............Buckshot

[reloaders4you]

Thanks Buckshot..........love the pictures, they always help

[DCP]

I have a M41B Swedish Sniper Rifle

Which mold do I get lee or lyman

I was thinking Lee.
If it is to big I can size it down to what I need

I dont know the bore size yet


Thanks

[grouch]

CBE has an excellent 132gr loverin design that casts about .266. I guess i'm lucky, my 96 Mauser shoots it well.
grouch