Oval bullets

[GoBig]

Have put in a few sessions with my Lee 312-185 two cavity mold using both range scrap and wheel weights. My bullets are coming out oval. 90 degrees from the parting line they measure .311-.312 and on the parting line they measure .313-.314. The range I attribute to my casting technique but them not being round concerns me. I've looked for burrs or lead splashes holding the blocks apart and don't see any, and I can't see daylight between the mold halves. Any ideas on how I can produce round bullets or am I out of luck?

[jhalcott]

How tight are you squeezing the handles.

[Bzcraig]

To be off .001 or 2 is not that uncommon, sizing will take care of that.

[GoBig]

How tight are you squeezing the handles.

Tight enough that they don't come apart. Not using a gorilla grip. Should I try more or less pressure?

Bzcraig, won't sizing oval bullets size them more on one side than the other? It would end up round but off balance?

[JSnover]

Tight enough that they don't come apart. Not using a gorilla grip. Should I try more or less pressure?

Bzcraig, won't sizing oval bullets size them more on one side than the other? It would end up round but off balance?

Not necessarily. Try a few.

[Larry Gibson]

Using range scrap and WWs probably means your alloy is antimony rich and tin poor. Thus the bullets do not solidify evenly. That is most often the cause of your problem. Suggest you use COWWs + 2% tin and see if bullets cast of that are more uniform.

Larry Gibson

[Alley Cat]

Try measuring a sized boolit. If the out of round condition still exists, Lee's customer service might take care of the problem. They might also tell you that it is within tolerance...Also, try shooting some, even if out of round. I've been pleasantly surprised by boolits that I didn't think would shoot well for whatever reason.

[MBTcustom]

The most common cause of the discrepancy you describe is blocks that are not lining up properly. Just .001 or so off and they will give you a wide measurment over the part line. This is nothing to worry about as long as you are not pushing warp speed. For normal shooting, just size and shoot them. My old Lyman 311466 has been used so much that when I was a kid it was casting janky bullets and its gotten no better after having dropped another 3.5 boa-zillion boolits. However, that never stopped me from hitting what I aimed at.

[GoBig]

Thanks a lot everyone. I'm not going to any speed records, looking for under 1800 in 7.62x54. Guess I'll have to hone out a lee size die. I'll size and lube these and give them a go. Next time I cast some of these up I will add some tin to mix to see if it helps. I had thought the range scrap would have some tin in it due to some of the stuff being cast bullets. Thanks again for the help, much work to do now!

[44man]

That is normal for almost any mold.
If a mold gets too hot it shrinks 90° to the parting line.

[popper]

What 44man says.

[JeffinNZ]

They'll be round when they exit the barrel.

[John Boy]

Lube the mold pins with paraffin!

[Freightman]

[QUOTE=JeffinNZ;3327751]They'll be round when they exit the barrel.[/QUOTE
absolutely

[44man]

Shoot them, good to go.

[GoBig]

Seems the consensus is that I nitpick too much. I'll seat gas checks, lube and shoot. Thanks all.

[GoodAlloy]

If they size out right out if your sizing die and do well on target. Why fuss? If you are looking for the ultimate in bench grade accuracy chances are you have the wrong mould, alloy, and cartridge for that discipline. Just my 2 cents worth.

[GoBig]

If they size out right out if your sizing die and do well on target. Why fuss? If you are looking for the ultimate in bench grade accuracy chances are you have the wrong mould, alloy, and cartridge for that discipline. Just my 2 cents worth.

You mean the 1000 yard BR shooters aren't using mosins?!

[LuckyDog]

You mean the 1000 yard BR shooters aren't using mosins?!

Not if you use that mold and alloy... (from another Mosin Shooter)

[mold maker]

Not anything we make, is perfect. Only the final results matter. I guarantee no one can make one hole hits every time. Don't expect perfection, just be happy with almost.