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My new 9.3mm 250 gr LFN mold was sitting on my front porch when I got home. What's your favorite breaking method for his aluminum molds?

Alan

Last edited by GSSP; 11/29/14.
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A ten second dunk in up to temp alloy, a few casts until the heat evens out.

No mould prep or smoke......ever.

If bullets don't just fall with a tap or less, its a temp issue.

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Awesome.

Now, I just need to file the living crap out of my RCBS mold handles to get the 4 cavity mould to fit.

Alan

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GSSP, READ AND FOLLOW all directions that came w/the mold otherwise the warranty IS void. I have about 10 of them and the only thing I ever did was hose em good w/Brakcleen let dry and follow the directions then hose them (when cold) w/Amsoil MP. Best easiest casting molds made. Got an Elk w/mine in 260 gr LFN .338. Muddy

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Thanks Muddy.

Cast some up this morning. Beautiful? And I don't typically cast pretty rifle boolits. 252-254 gr as cast.

[Linked Image]

255-257 gr with Gator Checks.

[Linked Image]

Is this seated too deep? Trying to cover up the middle lube groove. As I understand it, one does not want any lead exposed.

[Linked Image]

They all measure .371" before sizing and .367" after sizing with a .366" size die. When tested for hardness with the LBT BHN Hardness Tester, within an 1-2 hrs of casting, they come up 12-13 BHN. I'm sure they will hardened up a bit more which Veral says is hard enough to not shatter when hitting bear/moose/elk bone.

I use the RCBS Luber/Sizer. The boolit is long enough that I have to slip "bullet ejection plate" out of the way of the "threaded rod" so I can get the boolit in and out of the sizer die mouth. Is this typical?

Alan

Last edited by GSSP; 11/29/14.
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Alan, seated a scratch too deep just need to have the front of the check seal the inside of the case neck. As far as sizing goes you need to readjust the ejection rod/plate. Muddy

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Got it. What about lube in the middle and front lube groove....ok to expose the lube to the elements?

Alan

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Yep, I use LBT Blue and have had no problems. Generally keep rounds in a box except those I'm actually hunting with and if they get gunk in the grooves I switch em out. You can always dig out the old and smear some new in. Muddy

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Look great!

The I'd seat out a skosh further, if possible.

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I tool use LBT Blue. Just need to get my Echols Legend stock back, install it and start my winter project.

Thanks,

Alan

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seat where it shoots, loads and ejects loaded rounds nicely.

I'd not worry about the GC below the neck.

I shoot several loads that have the GC below the neck, it won't hurt anything.

I prefer to have no lube exposed out of the case, as it just collects dust and dirt and stuff.

try various amounts of lube on the groves, you may find less lube is more accurate. smile

Last edited by blammer; 12/01/14.

Whatever you are willing to put up with, is exactly what you will have.

When your ship comes in. ... make sure you are willing to unload it.

PAYPAL, sucks and I will never use them again. I recommend you do the same.
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The new mold from Veral Smith. 250 gr LFN, casts to 252-254 gr with WW. Unsized = .371". With Gator Checks and BuffaloArms Lyman sizer cut to .366", I'm getting .3675" to .368". Took a throating reamer to my chamber and am still having an issue getting loaded dummy round to chamber fully. I don't want to take too much out of the throat. I'm thinking that the .3675" to .368" diameter is having an issue getting past the leade to the throat. I am able to fully chamber the cartridge but I'm seeing marks on the bullet a full .19" of the bearing surface. Wondering if I buy a Lyman .363" size die and invert the bullet to size down to the first lube groove.

Opinions?

Alan

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I'd look at getting a push through sizer i.e. lee style in .367" and running the bullets trhough there to see if that helps. The thing with lyman sizers is they don't always size the nose of the bullet sufficiently.

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Originally Posted by GSSP
The new mold from Veral Smith. 250 gr LFN, casts to 252-254 gr with WW. Unsized = .371". With Gator Checks and BuffaloArms Lyman sizer cut to .366", I'm getting .3675" to .368". Took a throating reamer to my chamber and am still having an issue getting loaded dummy round to chamber fully. I don't want to take too much out of the throat. I'm thinking that the .3675" to .368" diameter is having an issue getting past the leade to the throat. I am able to fully chamber the cartridge but I'm seeing marks on the bullet a full .19" of the bearing surface. Wondering if I buy a Lyman .363" size die and invert the bullet to size down to the first lube groove.

Opinions?

Alan


That is worth a try. Take a mic to the base/gas check and then the front driving band. Bet the band is fatter...because the sizing die is tapered and the tightest diameter will be at the bottom of the die.

Size nose first, then the base.

I took the bottom guts off one LAM and use flat and cupped punches to size nose first bullets lubed and checked in a larger die in another LAM used just for lubing.

One should also note the bullet will spring back somewhat after sizing.

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Originally Posted by 458 Lott
I'd look at getting a push through sizer i.e. lee style in .367" and running the bullets trhough there to see if that helps. The thing with lyman sizers is they don't always size the nose of the bullet sufficiently.


Exactly. You don't want to size more than needed. Find the tightest diameter that will chamber. That's the benefit of an LBT bullet. It fills the throat.

Select a powder that takes up at least 50% of case volume. You can use dacron in between. Having a lube groove exposed in the above fashion, even two, won't really have an effect. You'll be beating the boys who fool with their fast burning pistol powders and are very careful to make sure that a lube groove is not exposed. Yeah, they need to worry about it. They also need to worry about a double charge.

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Those are pretty! I was going to suggest what Hawk1 said about sizing nose-first first. Hope you get the kinks ironed out quickly and get them shooting! Keep us updated!


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This is a custom die by Buffalo Arms where they use the Lyman die as the donor die.

I did try and size a few nose first but the results were the same; .3675" to .368". I did order a Lyman, .363" from Buffalo Arms, to size just the front driving band.

Today, I took 10 loaded rounds where the bullet was seated so the front lube groove was exposed. This puts the base about 1/2 down the shoulder, exposing the sides, just above the GC. To chamber the round I had to smartly run the bolt home to get the round to chamber. Unseated one, pulled the bullet, fortunately throwing most of the 52 gr charge of Varget, clear of the action. Glad I had the Sinclair Reloading short brass rods set with me to get the bullet out of the throat.

Gave 2263 fps with a 170 ES from a 24" #3 PacNor. Zero leading after 9 rounds. Accuracy sucked. I shot this mostly to zero the scope @ 50 yds.

Alan

Last edited by GSSP; 12/13/14.
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So, you got rid of the front driving band due to chambering issues. You had the right idea in getting a .0005" smaller die. Will you now just size the front band slightly? LBT bullets work great if you don't change the design.

Last edited by Frank1; 12/14/14.
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Yes, invert the bullet and size just the front driving band with the Lyman .373" size die. I'm doing this at Veral's suggestion. This should give enough clearance to fit into the leade, not the throat where the lands start.

Alan

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The Lyman .363" sizer die arrived today. Sure enough, inverting the bullet and being careful to size only the front driving band, I was able to seat the bullet where the GC was at the base of the neck/shoulder junction. The dummy cartridge was then seated fully and extracted perfectly. Can't wait for this weekend to try some more.

Alan

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