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Thread: Plain base v bevel base

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    Plain base v bevel base

    I have loaded both types of cast bullet. Other than ease of loading, any positives to the bevel base vs plain base?

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    PB easier to cull when casting.
    Whatever!

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    GARD72977's Avatar
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    Plain base is supposed to be more accurrate. I cant say I have tested it. I only buy flat base molds......

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I use both types of cast bullets I don't see any difference in accuracy if the bullets is sized to fit the barrel (.002" larger than the bore). Bullet fit is king.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    It depends on what your expected velocity is. If you are running standard loads, <=850 fps, they will likely be very similar. The bevel base makes it easier to seat a boolit without shaving lead. Above standard velocity loads the plain base will come into its own - hot loads will flame cut into the base of the boolit and the bevel base will lead the barrel to a greater degree.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Bent Ramrod's Avatar
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    As far as I can see, the main advantage is that they tend to fall more readily out of the mould after casting. And thus are better suited to high production setups like automatic casting machines and gang moulds.

    I think the sneaky switchover from square to rounded grease grooves in some mould designs was for the same reason.

    I’ve never found that either variation improved the shooting qualities of the boolit thus produced.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have tested both and can stay sometimes a flat base is better and sometimes a bevel base is better. Case in point, H&R buffalo classic, 30" barrel, I cannot get a flat base boolit to shoot worth crap. A Magma 300 bevel base will cut bullet holes at 100 yds at 1200 muzzle vel.
    38 wadcutter loads with the lee 148 bnwc flat base will shoot circles around a bevel base wadcutter. Both of these loads are light for caliber.

    I don't think you can draw a hard line on a boolits accuracy based solely on the flat vs bevel argument. Lots of other factors involved, like "ioon44" said boolit fit is a huge consideration, powder choice matched to the alloy is another.

    I'll give one more case, a friend gave me some 2000 vintage Laser cast, 45-255-swcbb. Hard, hard hard, my lee tester showed 21 brinell.
    My go to load in 45 colt is 5.4 bullseye under my flat base 255. Brinell 14ish I loaded the laser's with the same load and have to admit they shoot a little better in my Uberti break top and mine shot better in my Uberti cattleman. I can't say why. What I can say is I'm confident that I could play around with powder, primers, cases, OAL's and crimps and get either one to shoot as good as the other. So I would not let a good proven design mold get away based on its base.
    Tony

  8. #8
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    Most accurate 45 acp bullet.

    The 200 gr Lyman BB is the most accurate 45acp target load using Bullseye powder for me.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master


    Burnt Fingers's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 243winxb View Post
    The 200 gr Lyman BB is the most accurate 45acp target load using Bullseye powder for me.
    I love me some 452630 boolits.

    I picked up a 2 cavity just because I kind of collect different 45 ACP molds.

    After casting and using the boolit I was hooked. I looked around and found a good used 4 cavity. It's my "main" use 45 ACP boolit now.

    It's very similar to the RCBS 201-KT but with a bevel base.

    I have a 4 cavity H&G 68. I rarely even cast with it.
    NRA Benefactor.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Speed and ease of placing bevel based bullets perfectly upright on the case mouth were the main reasons I went that route, since I need to reload tens of thousands of rounds yearly. That was with standard case mouth flaring; now that I have an M style expander that may change.

    My application is not demanding of accuracy, so I don't know that FB vs BB makes a practical difference for me, especially since I tumble the casts, made of BHN 11-12 alloy, multiple times together in coating them, and the base edges just don't stay sharp and crisp.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    I bench shoot every week with pistol and lean in the flat base section for being accurate. If you have a good mold is a +. With some molds you can look at the base of the boolit and the bevel isn't round. Then again when the boolit leaves the barrel it is grooved up. I run my lead mostly on the hard side. I had some bevel base .430 boolits 240 grain that I didn't like and found I could fit a 41 caliber gas check with my 450 sizer and they were more accurate.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 243winxb View Post
    The 200 gr Lyman BB is the most accurate 45acp target load using Bullseye powder for me.
    Those are pretty. The one on the left and #3 are my favorite bench shooters. A lot of 45's will not function properly with #3. My best 10 shot group is the #3 style but weighs 200gr. with a H&G mold. I like a single grease groove.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Plain base may have an edge with heavy magnum and +P loads .
    I've tested 38 special , 45 acp and 9mm Luger with BB side by side with PB at the target range , shooting at NRA Bullseye Targets ,indoor , 25 yards , from a rest and really didn't see a marked difference in lighter target type loads .
    You need to be a great shot to tell a accuracy difference ... was hoping/expecting to see a day and night difference but all the groups were about the same .
    Good sights and a good trigger pull made the most difference in how a gun grouped ... BB or PB didn't seem to matter much at all .
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    I had a bb 200gr 45 mold for my 1911. It shot as well as other fb molds I have but I didn't like the bb much as my Lyman 450 filled the bb part with lube. Then I got a Star sizer and no more lube in the bb part.

  15. #15
    Boolit Mold
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    Bent ramrod
    You are quite correct. Bevel bases are for high production machines. They fall out easier than plain bases.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bkingnsmth View Post
    Bent ramrod
    You are quite correct. Bevel bases are for high production machines. They fall out easier than plain bases.

    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    Almost all my molds (aluminum 5 to 8 cavity) are BB, and most of them have a sticky cavity or two. I haven't cast the two or three FB molds I own, are you saying they always stick, or have I just had bad luck or bad technique with the BB molds?

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
    GARD72977's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kevin c View Post
    Almost all my molds (aluminum 5 to 8 cavity) are BB, and most of them have a sticky cavity or two. I haven't cast the two or three FB molds I own, are you saying they always stick, or have I just had bad luck or bad technique with the BB molds?
    PB can cast easily. The straight edges just do not release as well as a edge with a slight radius. Lube groves cause the same issues.

    I have PB molds that drop great. A good mold will usually have a sweet spot with heat where the bullets just fall out.

    Casting machines favor a bevel base because a stuck bullet causes more problems.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
    GARD72977's Avatar
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    PB is inherently more accurrate because it gives the bullet a longer bearing surface. This may mot show up in your Ruger GP 100 @ 25 yds.

    When rifles are shot for accurracy its with a PB bullet.

  19. #19
    Boolit Bub
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    Thanks for the input guys!!

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    In rifles. And higher velocity revolvers I want flat base. In standard velocity auto pistols I don't think it matters other ease of starting bevel base in some situations. As for accuracy, with standard velocity pistols, if the bullet fits and the load is good, a much bigger factor in accuracy than FB or BB is the nut behind the butt.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check