I'm not a newbie to casting. I've had a lot of experience with handgun calibers, and rifles....30 cal. up to .458. That said...I'm just starting a development project for my Sav 99, and hoping someone here has already worked through this one and will share what they already know. The rifle is a 1941 manuf. all original Mod 99. The mold is Lyman 257464 hollow point, 90gn. Loverin, gas check style. Lyman .257 H & I sizer die. At this point some may wish to ask...how come all these variables have already been established..??
To answer...I inherited these items from my Dad. This is the one rifle/mould set I have not yet done anything with. To give you some idea of the vintage of it's last use...the sizer ( H&I) die was still packed full of the very old Lyman black..tar-like bullet lube Dad used many many years ago. First casting session with the Lyman mould went very well. My alloy for larger calibers has been 50/50 Pb/WW, air cooled. With that...the boolits are dropping out 91 gns. When attempting to run them through the .257 sizer with NRA/Alox lube...they are coming out with the entire length of the boolit "wiped"... the metal in the lube grooves is "smeared", holding little if any lube. Not a good result...Nothing like what I get with other boolits I produce. It appears the .257 is too small for the slugs coming out of that Lyman mold.
Sooooo....What is my best course at this point...I really want to keep as much of Dad's stuff in use as possible for sentimental reasons as much as anything. My goal here is to develop a mild 50-100 yd.(max.) plinking load that will allow me to enjoy this fine rifle with cast boolits like I did when I was a kid. For the record..reading some of his old cartridge boxes...I believe Dad's load was done with Hi-Vel 2 powder. I'm looking for other powder recomendations also if anyone has them to share.
Thanks Guys...
Don