I received a PM from another member on the site asking how I was Sizing and Gas Check Seating for the NOE 513-850G-FN Boolit. Since the last production of this mold, there does not seem to be many posts on the Boolit, so I thought I would start one.
My actual shooting with my AR-50 and this Boolit is on hold until mid Spring because the Ranges I use will not allow shooting it, and the weather is not conducive to accessing other appropriate shooting areas until the spring. In the mean time, I thought I might focus the discussions for this Boolit and thread on the Loading Bench for both those with questions and those with experience with the mold and loading the NOE 513-850G-FN Boolit in the 50BMG; or any other rifle they may be using it in.
__________________________________________________ ________________________________________
I hand seat the gas checks by placing a boolit on top of the Gas Check which is on a flat hard surface, and then pounding (tapping robustly) the nose with a Hard Wood mallet to firmly seat the check on the shank of the Boolit.
Dimensions of the boolit bands and check:
Drive Bands – Base to Nose Unsized Boolit
Gas Check on base .5127
1st .5140 to .5148 (Out of Round)
2nd .5145 to .5148 (Out of Round)
3rd .5120 to .5141 (Out of Round)
Drive Bands - Base to Nose – Sized in .514 Sizer Die from Buffalo Arms
Gas Check on base .5135
1st .5137 (Round)
2nd .5137 (Round)
3rd .5137 (Round)
Notes:
1. A slight “Nick” is seen on the Gas Check for the 3rd from the left Boolit. This occurs at times even with care when cutting checks using the Free Checks style check makers. This one was so slight I did not reject it given the mass of the Boolit.
2. The Ring at the top of the three sized boolits is caused by the opening on the Lyman 4500 Sizer Ram that normally holds the Nose Punch. The NOE 513-850G-FN boolits are too tall to fit in the Lyman 4500 sizer unless you leave a nose punch out.
a. To size a 850G-FN boolit, insert the nose into the hole where the Top/Nose Punch goes, rotate the boolit verticle, then sit the boolit base on the Sizing die. To avoid the Nose ring seen in the pic for this post, carefully place a penny over the flat portion of the boolit nose and then carefully lower the ram to avoid pinching your finger tip, then press down to size.
b. The lube grooves take a LOT of lube. I press down the first time, slightly tighten the lube tension, raise and rotate about 30 to 45 degrees and size a 2nd time, lift and rotate another 30 to 45 degrees – tighten lube tension wrench and size a 3nd time, and then lift the ram and remove the boolit.
3. I use a .513 or .514 Lubrisizer die I got form from Buffalo Arms (http://www.buffaloarms.com/) Took three four months to get these dies, so place an order as early as possible if needed as they take a while waiting in Que for production. You might also approach several of the vendors on this site to see if they will make up the same Lubrisizer dies.
4. The silver colored Gas Checks in the Picture are made from .020 Aluminum Strip I ordered through Yonky on this site (see: http://www.coilandfoil.com/) . Soft aluminum rolled strip that is easy to work with in making checks. As you can see the check measures .5137 for me when seated on the NOE 513-850G-FN boolit base and sized in a .514 sizer.
5. The Bronze and purple checks are made from an Aluminum “Hair Spry” can my wife used and I rescued from the trash. I have also done the same with some “Copper Tone” aluminum spray cans we bought at Sam's Club two years ago. Both of these measured about 0.021 thick. Cutting up the cans can be cumbersome, and you really need to wear gloves doing so. They do make some nice checks when you finally get some strips cut.
6. I use a Free Checks III style Check Maker for the NOE 513-850G-FN boolit that was custom made by Charly Darnall (http://www.freechex.net/). This is not a Check Maker he normally carries.