brass rod for slugging bore?

Foo

Active Member
Where can I get a brass rod for slugging 30 cal. bores? I would like one that fits close to lands. I have searched and come up empty.
I want to cast for 30-06, 308, 30 carbine, 303 Brit, 30-40 Krag, 1911 Swede Mauser (converted to 308win.), 2 sks's and one AK47. Also
has anyone tried the Arsenal mold 266-150 RN - PC in a M96 Swedish Mauser? If so, how'd it go? Any alternatives?
TIA for your wisdom!
Foo
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I keep a 40 cal in my kit. Was given to me. So dont know where it came from.

A place like yarde metals would be my first choice to start looking.

Maybe Granger or MacMaster carr?

CW
 

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
If there is a" Do it" hardware franchise near you they will either have it or order it for you it's like 15 bucks. That is where I got mine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ian

RBHarter

West Central AR
#10 , 3/16 for 22-25 cal .
1/4" 26-31 cal .
5/16" 32/8mm - 38 cal
3/8" 40-48 cal
7/16" 48-50 cal

Caliber - .008 =N
N x .065 = x/16 in . Reduce by division of 2 of to 1/4 and 1/8" steps .

Hardware store , Lowe's , Home Depot , etc .
 
Last edited:

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
I use 1/4 & 5/16 as Ian says wrap with electric tape and pound away.. for large stuff I have a a 3/8 and a 7/16 oak dowels and add a gas check on the end to keep from mushrooms and splits
 

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
Metal Supermarket if you have one in your area. Brass rod is NOT CHEAP in the current fiscal environment.

MMC above is another choice but they tend to soak you on shipping when they kinda keep a mystery until it arrives.

Why not stainless steel? Softer than carbon steel.

When I slug, I machine a lead slug to just slide down the bore. Then I used a filled case in the chamber and with the slug resting upon it, give it a couple of whacks with a BFH to upset the slug and swage it into the bore and throat area. Remove the case and tap-tap and the slug falls out. Very easy and minimal risk to the bore.
 

Foo

Active Member
I use 1/4 & 5/16 as Ian says wrap with electric tape and pound away.. for large stuff I have a a 3/8 and a 7/16 oak dowels and add a gas check on the end to keep from mushrooms and splits
dowels are bad idea. I used one on a m1 carbine and it broke at a sharp angle with the grain. Took about 2 weeks to figure out how to get it all out. Had about 6" of wood on top of slug half way down bore. So I put in a.357 magnum ( as I knew it would fill the grooves) and fired it to blow it all out and when the smoke cleared in my basement ....lol, had ya goin' didn't I. Admit it, you all had an instant visual image of some old dumb a$$ redneck putting a 357 mag in a m1 carbine! Actually I tried to force on thru with dowel but it just packed tighter. Then used lots of oil to saturate wood and a drill bit with tape wrapped around to keep centered till I got thru wood , then steel .22 cleaning rod to shove slug out. Then larger dowel to easily push out oil soaked wood. So I learned my lesson with dowels. On to brass rod.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
Just so you know if you get a slug hung up in the throat it'll jamb up even tighter if you try from the other end then there's all sorts of baling wire engineering to get it weakened enough to get it out of your 7.7 Arisaka ...... Rod composition has very little to do with it .
 

Foo

Active Member
Welcome Foo.
Why thanks LRoss. Glad to be here. Looks like a great site. I am just starting casting so looking to learn a lot on here. I have been shooting and reloading for many years but never cast anything. Now with things getting hard to find or way too expensive I decided to give it a try. I am also retired now so time to do it. Thanks again for the welcome.
 

Foo

Active Member
Just so you know if you get a slug hung up in the throat it'll jamb up even tighter if you try from the other end then there's all sorts of baling wire engineering to get it weakened enough to get it out of your 7.7 Arisaka ...... Rod composition has very little to do with it .
Is this in response to me RB?
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
No, yes ......more a general acknowledgement that Murphy has a knack for getting to us all sometimes . I'm more smarter now ...... ;)
 

Foo

Active Member
No, yes ......more a general acknowledgement that Murphy has a knack for getting to us all sometimes . I'm more smarter now ...... ;)
no more dowels for me except maybe in large bore pistols..short fat dowel less likely to splinter. As for rifles....dowels tend to break with the grain , so if you must use dowel pick one that is cut straight with the grain. If grain angles across dowel don't use it. Also where did the Arisaka come from, I don't have one of those. Otherwise I agree with Murphy , he got me good on that one.
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Well Foo I’m sure that could happen. I’ve not had that experience - “yet”- everything 35 and smaller I use 5/16 brass with a gas check that just slides in. I have not had a problem with 3/8 - 7/16 oak dowels and gas checks “yet”.
I will keep your experience in mind though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ian

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
If you use wood dowels you have to cut them up in sections and drop them into the bore seperately! This way the can not freeze in the bore if the crack
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ian

Foo

Active Member
If you use wood dowels you have to cut them up in sections and drop them into the bore seperately! This way the can not freeze in the bore if the crack
I hate to sound like I am disagreeing with everyone but... I had 3 one foot sections of 1/4" dowel. Otherwise it flexes too much. Tapping in second section one of the ends splintered and the dowel wedged in beside other dowel. I was able to get most of 2nd dowel out but wedged part stayed in beside 1st section. Trying to tap out just made it worse until I did as stated above. All this said I slugged two SKS's and one AK47 with no problem with dowels. So as Glacier said above , "It could happen" and won't ....until it does. for me it was rifle #4. So brass is on it's way. thanks to all who replied.
 

Ian

Notorious member
Trying tobslug a .30 with wood is a bad idea, period. Not so much if using oak, larger calibers, and cutting it into short sections as has been mentioned. All I have larger than 1/4" brass is 3/8" all thread rod wrapped in tape; this is what I use for the larger calibers. The only large dowels I have access to are crappy angle-sawn birch.