MiHec 30 Sil brass four cavity solid

[Phil]

JonB,

I'll try that on mine. Thanks for reporting your results.

 

[Rick]

Well, if it works it works I guess. Just color me chicken, don't think I could bring myself to do it to such a mold. Maybe I'm just lucky cause I've never had to consider any such thing with an MP mold.

 

[Phil]

Well, if it works it works I guess. Just color me chicken, don't think I could bring myself to do it to such a mold. Maybe I'm just lucky cause I've never had to consider any such thing with an MP mold.

I have 3 other MP molds and never had an issue with them. This 30 SIL on the other hand...

I have no hesitation to spin some bullets with rouge in the cavities.

 

[Ian]

Well, if it works it works I guess. Just color me chicken, don't think I could bring myself to do it to such a mold. Maybe I'm just lucky cause I've never had to consider any such thing with an MP mold.

You might consider it if that's what it took to make the infernal contraption usable. Only the 30 Sil to my knowledge has been like this, but I haven't cast with the other two similar MP moulds (the Heavy and the HP) to know.

 

[JonB]

I have cast with 4 other brass MP molds, 429640 and 358640HP and a couple others that I've since sold 434xxxHP and 434xxx, They all worked fine out of the box.

Phil, it's real easy, just take your time. I think a soft alloy is better than a harder alloy...and I use bullets with a wrinkly flaw or two, I think they act like a lube groove.

 

[Kevin Stenberg]

Brad could you post the measurements for the GC expander? Perty please!

 

[Brad]

I simply turn a piece at a 15 degree taper. I then remove some from the small end slowly until a check is a bit sung. Then it is trial and error with lots of polishing.

I will see if I can get a quick photo.

 

[Brad]

The business end of the tool. This was one of my first lathe projects so it is a bit crude. I need to make another one from O1 and heat treat it after a good polish.


This is after a check is expanded. The check simply falls off or can easily be picked off with a finger.


Top bullet is non expanded check, bottom is expanded check. Yo can easily see the slight flair. The bottom check will easily bottom out before crimping, the top one may never go totally square. Bottom one is also a far easier check to install, the bullet base simply slips in, no fear of shaving even with a slightly large check shank.

Top check is as received, bottom is flaired. Hard to tell a difference from this photo.

 

[Kevin Stenberg]

Thank you sir!

 

[Rick]

Kevin, what I do for check punches is use center punches, they are hardened steel and are tapered. Using a grinding wheel grind off the point and shorten the punch until the diameter of the end is the correct diameter for the check size. Being tapered of course the shorter you make the punch the larger the diameter of the end. I then also grind a bit of a bevel on the end to get the correct flair on the check. They work great and only cost a few bucks for the punch.

On the other hand if I had a lathe I would make them as Brad does.

I have a few different types of check punches I've made & used over the years such as this one made from Lyman's "M" die body & expander spud to be used in the Rock Chucker. The anvil on the left in the picture is an RCBS extended shell holder (they don't have a hole in the middle) that of course slips right into the press's ram.

 

[Ian]

Aww Brad, why'd you use my bullet design to demo the check expander? The rebated check shank is custom-made for Hornady checks, right out of the box. Minimal lead displacement when sizing as small as .308". Now that pesky 30 SIL, it needs some serious help getting a check on. It's like trying to put on a shoe that's two full sizes too small. I wanna see how yours come out with the check crimped. Mine push up a huge ring of metal that virtually fills the space between check and rear band.

 

[Winelover]

I have no issues installing checks on the 30 SIL, most of the time they go on with thumb pressure, sometimes they require a tap from a plastic mallet. I'm using Gator checks. Getting the bullet to drop from the mold is the PITA.

 

[Ian]

I have no issues installing checks on the 30 SIL, most of the time they go on with thumb pressure, sometimes they require a tap from a plastic mallet. I'm using Gator checks. Getting the bullet to drop from the mold is the PITA.

But we've had it explained to us how the bullets sticking in the mould is all a result of our inferior casting techniques.

 

[Brad]

These are gator checks. And yes Ian, that is a 190x. I grabbed the closest unsized 30 cal I could find.
I can usually get a check on my 30 sil with thumb pressure but my thumb got sore. This is easier for me, I use a 16 oz fiberglass handled thumb to open the checks and then the bullet sits right where it should.

 

[Brad]

Making a set up like Rick uses would be quite simple. Making the base is easy enough too.

 

[Brad]

But we've had it explained to us how the bullets sticking in the mould is all a result of our inferior casting techniques.

I just ignore all that. Heard too much talk, got no real help. If I wanted to hear about how much smarter others are I would have kept my 30 xcb.

 

[JonB]

Well, I bought another NEW mold that seems to need to have bullets (coated with automotive rubbing compound)spun in the cavities (leemented). I've cast with it some, and each session, all four cavities are stubbornly sticky and the GC shank is undersized at .245

Luckily, I got some 6.5 GC samples from Josh a while ago and one was a thick .017" alum. and those samples fit this bullet just right when sized to .270 ...and all the other dimensions of the bullets are right on, and should fit the chanber of my custom Type 38 custom just right (257Rx6.5) with a groove dia of .2685
I think tomorrow will be the day to spin the bullets. btw, the lube grooves look more squarish than this drawing.
wish me luck