Milling Lee 310g 44 mold

[mattd]

What do you guys think about milling the GC off this mold for a PB that's about 260-270g?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/511...ProductDescrip

[dualsport]

Should be great but so you know it will work without the gc as is.

[44man]

No. It is better to open the GC area to a PB.

[imashooter2]

It would have a nice strong base band either way. I like a nice strong base band...

[Calamity Jake]

No. It is better to open the GC area to a PB.

What he said!!!

[mattd]

No. It is better to open the GC area to a PB.

Not looking to lose the GC necessarily. Just some weight. For me its the best shaped bullet from Lee in 44. Just wish it was a little smaller.

[Highgravity]

I did just what you are suggesting. I had a tool maker at work mill .100 off the top. Had to shorten the sprue plate screw little. It drops them from 265gr. to 275gr. depending on alloy. They shoot great.

[Shuz]

I did just what you are suggesting. I had a tool maker at work mill .100 off the top. Had to shorten the sprue plate screw little. It drops them from 265gr. to 275gr. depending on alloy. They shoot great.

I "inheirited" a Lee 310 that has been milled down to remove the gas check. It's weight is 267g from ww+1% tin. It shoots great in all my 44 mag revolvers. I also have a Lee 310 mould that just had the gas check shank reamed out. It does not perform as well as the aforementioned 267 grainer. IMHO the resultant boolits from that modification don't hold enuf lube.

[historicfirearms]

I've wanted to do the same thing. I like the RF shape, but think it would be too heavy in my S&W 629 in stock form. Glad to know the weight when .100 is milled off, thanks Highgravity.

[wmitty]

Shuz

Were you having a problem with leading or did the boolet not perform accuracy wise?

[44man]

Not really. If you looked at my .475 and .500 boolits that shoot the best, they have thin base bands.
What is forgotten is a PB needs to be a harder alloy and the 310 gr still needs shot fast enough for stability.
If you want a lighter boolit it is OK to mill but if you still want a 310 a PB will work as long as you toughen the alloy. I like the 310 so much for deer I would not make it lighter and just go to the 265 RD instead. Another wonderful boolit.
I have gotten away from GC's in revolvers and even my .500 JRH uses a PB, soon to be tested in a .500 S&W. I HATE to pay for the things!

[Bullwolf]

Lee C430-310-RF with Gas Check (GC) and converted to Plain Base (PB)



With GC shank weight 306 grains cast from 50% pure lead - 50% hardball alloy.
With GC shank weight 282 grains cast using my mix of mostly Mono/Linotype.
PB no GC shank weight 265 grains cast from 50% pure lead - 50% hardball.

I wanted to use the GC version for rifle, and PB version in my 629.


- Bullwolf

[Shuz]

Shuz

Were you having a problem with leading or did the boolet not perform accuracy wise?

I was having a problem with leading and accuracy. My records show that my alloy was only Saeco 4 and that may be part of the problem. I have a few other 300 g nominal 44 moulds and haven't bothered to sort out the 310M any further.

[historicfirearms]

Bullwolf, have you had a chance to try them in your 629 plain based yet? That's exactly what I've been wanting to try in my 629. Thanks for the nice pic!

[Bullwolf]

I haven't managed to load or shoot any just yet. They are on my long list of things to do when I get some free time.

- Bullwolf

[Fishman]

Beautiful boolits bullwolf!

[mattd]

Well I got mine milled off sometime ago and have been struggling since. Even at the lowest temps, I get frosting. COWW and 2%+ tin. Also, the bullets were not concentric and casting on the small size. I lapped one of the cavities, and after many attempts got something that will touch all sides of a 432 sizer. Haven't gotten a chance to shoot those yet, but have had leading every other time. Cyl throats are 431 so hopefully these will do the trick, but still be frosted.

[Southern Shooter]

Bullwolf,

Do you have anything to report on the C430-310-RF that you had milled and converted to a plain-base?

Thanks

[Bullwolf]

Bullwolf,

Do you have anything to report on the C430-310-RF that you had milled and converted to a plain-base?

Thanks

I'm sorry but I have not loaded or fired any of the 44 Lee plain-base boolits without the gas check shank yet.

It is still on my to do list, but other things keep coming up.

I seem to have misplaced much of my 44 Magnum brass. I probably put it someplace "special" and have forgotten just where that special place is. Hopefully it will feel like Christmas when I manage to re-discover it.

I'm not seeing a lot of 44 Magnum brass available locally, nor am I willing to pay the price for brass or factory cartridges to just turn it into brass with all the price gouging going on, and the lack of pistol ammunition on shelves. I guess I need to cycle through some of my existing stock of 44 Magnum, as I don't really want to load that boolit in either 44 Special, or 445 Supermag brass.

I will give a range report on the boolit, load & powder, along with the revolver or carbine that it gets used in (likely my Smith 629) when I manage to get all my ducks in a row here.


- Bullwolf

[War Eagle]

Just wanting to bring this to the top and see if anyone has done much shooting with this altered bullet. it has my interest up.