I bought a used Accurate 3 Cav. mould

fiver

Well-Known Member
We've seen this before, like 50-60 years ago. If they'd done it like you just wrote with the taper they could shoot it in anything just the same, no need for shenanigans with an engraving ring to try and take up slack on loose rifles. I doubt it will do any good anyway once the primer is struck....if the bullet isn't held straight by the cartridge neck to begin with it isn't going to be held straight by a little band of lead scratched by the lands. If I sound overly-critical it's because there are some things that are....superfluous? Not that it won't work, just not necessary in the effort to make a more universally fitting, bore-riding bullet.

that tapered design is what Ed Harris drew up years ago and had Walt cut, then LEE [who later changed it]
and then we got the original drawings from him to cut the final set of HM-2 molds.
I missed out on that run like an idiot because 'I had too much money spread out in other stuff at the time'.
I could have sucked it up and found the cash without too much trouble really and figured I could pick one up with a phone call and a short drive.
 

blackthorn

Active Member
I dug around in my "I'll just keep this" file and came up with this:


A "DD ring" can be described as a small band on the base of the nose ogive at or near the top of the bore riding section that engraves into the rifling and ensures that the nose of the bullet is guided and centered in the guns bore. The addition of DD rings is not necessarily limited to one ring, up to three being common.

Basically, depending on the exact dimensions and configuration of the particular cast bullet design, the use of Drive Diameter (DD) rings (one, two or three) on any bullet design with a long bore riding nose allows that design to be successfully used in a larger span of minor bore dimension variances between individual gun barrels. It usually doubles the tolerance range or more. Plain old bore riding nose rifle bullet designs without a DD ring do work very well but if and only if the diameter of the bore riding portion of the nose is just the right size for the barrel of the rifle they are being fired in. The longer the bore riding portion of the nose the more critical the fit is. Multiple, narrow width DD rings promise better, easier engagement of bullet nose to rifling. You can cut in more than one ring, if the rings are thin enough to easily engrave in the rifling.

If you are (or know) a good machinist, DD ring(s) can also be added to an existing bullet mould that did not include a DD ring in the original design to fix a bore riding section which is too small for the gun(s) for which it was intended.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
blackthorn,

Very interesting.
Thanks for taking the time to share that with all of us.

Ben
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Since I never heard of this before, I am learning by reading. The idea of an easily engraved band to
center the bullet in the bore seems reasonable, but no idea if it will work. Since the overwhelming
majority of my experience with cast is in pistols, I don't have any applicable experience to go from.
I have had good results with certain standard rifle bullet designs, and remember reading about the
bore riders tested in the American Rifleman articles from the 50s, reprinted in a Reloading Book that
I purchased in the 60s. From reading here and the other site, apparently bore riders can work, but
require precise fitting.

Learning, interesting stuff. Good luck, Ben. Thanks for the info Blackthorn.

Bill
 

quicksylver

Well-Known Member
OK so I'm now picturing a bullet with a 467 or 315 nose (tapered) and 299 drive bands ...Oh goodie...a 299467...might actually work.... .302 - 304 nose ?

I'll still wait for Ben..
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
My Accurate 3 cav. , .30 cal. bullet mould arrived today.
The bands mike .3125" with clip on WW's.
The stop ring ( D Ring ) mikes .3027 "
The nose of the bullet mikes .301"
Gas checks are nice and tight.
I cast about 200 ea. of them this morning.
I sized them to .3105" , lubed them with Carnuba Blue and rolled
them in Ben's Liquid Lube. Can't wait to try them out.

Ben

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Ben

Moderator
Staff member
The general shape of this one reminds me a bit of the
RCBS 308-165-SIL.

I'm thinking this one may have some good application in my several 308 Win. rifles.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
It does look a fair bit like the RCBS 165 SIL. I like that bullet up to 1600 fps or so.

I bet that bullet shoots well for you Ben.

And fiver, of course it is a nice casting mould. Tom doesn't make any other kind.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
nope.
I push the 165 up into the 1900 area, but I also have it fitting uber tight in my barrels, and work the alloy.

I'm sure the SR designation is for silhouette-ring.
but it looks like it would also be a great deer bullet.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
My Accurate " D Ring Mould" is a 3 cavity.
Today I took 1 of the 3 cavities and removed the g/c shank.
That still leaves me with two cavities that throw g/c bullets.
I am well pleased with the outcome today.

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Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I'll know a lot more about this one when I'm able to test it at the range.

Ben