I have moulds that drop a round bullet and one that I like a lot that doesn't. Out of the mould it is off quite a ways, after a trip through the push-through sizer is off .0005. I size .357 and just to the side of the center line the bullet will measure .3565 after sizing. Darn things seem to shoot OK or I'm not good enough shot to know the difference. I kinda figure that a kick in the pants with a good powder charge and a trip down the barrel took care of the slight irregularity. What is your thoughts and opinions?
Out of Round bullets
- Thread starter Rex
- Start date
F
freebullet
Guest
I just go try them. Tiltawhirl bullets dont usually do great at high velo. Have a plain base where it didn't seem to matter. Low velocity let's us get away with more.
Ian
Notorious member
Sounds like a Lyman mould that was cut with their worn-out double acting vise. Look at the top of the mould with the sprue plate open, if the block half to the left is "away" from the block on the right, like the clockwise-turning cherry torqued the left away from the handles and the right back toward the handles, this is what happened. I've fixed a few of them by shifting the alignment holes (peening metal on one side of the hole and needle-filing it away from the other side) and lapping, others just lapping trues it up well enough. The problem with lapping is getting each cavity exactly the same, which is just about impossible and takes a few attempts just to get close. Like FB said, it's not critical on low-velocity bullets, so as long as the bullets seal the bore and don't lead, easiest thing is just to live with it and use them as-is. If it bothers you, maybe try to correct it, but it isn't difficult to ruin the mould trying to fix it. Only you can determine what your time is worth. For me, it's a better option to order a new mould from Accurate that's round and the size I want rather than waste hours and hours trying to fix a defective one.
CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
Lower-velocity shooting activities are becoming more prevalent in my world. Gas checks appear far less frequently than in the past. It was "Gas check shanks being catty-whompus" due to misalignments that was my biggest annoyance when this problem cropped up. Most of the time the problem was resolved by tapping out the alignment pins just a taste. Did the bullets shoot better after this treatment? Maybe--I felt better about things, which is what really mattered.
It took some years, but I eventually arrived at a place in life where I no longer needed to have my fillings loosened by rifle recoil in order to feel good about my shooting efforts. When you think about all of the stresses a cast bullet endures--esp. from a revolver--it is a wonder that the systems work as well as they do. Some of them REALLY shoot well, too. A couple of mine amaze me--the S&Ws Model 617 x 6" and Model 16-4 x 6". Both deserve an owner that can see better and be more disciplined on target, but they make me happy--and that's enough for me.
It took some years, but I eventually arrived at a place in life where I no longer needed to have my fillings loosened by rifle recoil in order to feel good about my shooting efforts. When you think about all of the stresses a cast bullet endures--esp. from a revolver--it is a wonder that the systems work as well as they do. Some of them REALLY shoot well, too. A couple of mine amaze me--the S&Ws Model 617 x 6" and Model 16-4 x 6". Both deserve an owner that can see better and be more disciplined on target, but they make me happy--and that's enough for me.
Dusty Bannister
Well-Known Member
One of the things I seldom see discussed is how to determine if the mold is out of round or the blocks are just out of alignment. I would suggest that you pick out a few visually perfect bullets and look at them base on and measure at three points on the same driving band to see what you really have. With the mold seam at 12 and 6, take a reading at 9 and 3, 11 and 5 and 7 and 1. If the cavities are cut shallow, the measurement from 9 and 3 will be smaller than the other two. If the measurements of 11 and 5 does not equal the measurement of 7 and 1 then the blocks might be adjusted to bring them into correct position.
This will not require any lapping unless the bullets cast are undersized for your needs. Perhaps one only needs adjust the alloy and temperature to get the desired result.
This will not require any lapping unless the bullets cast are undersized for your needs. Perhaps one only needs adjust the alloy and temperature to get the desired result.
JonB
Halcyon member
If I get a mold that drops a bullet that is out-of-round by more than .001 (especially if it's a rifle bullet mold)
It goes down the road, whether back to the manufacturer or just resell it (if it was a Lee or a used mold).
I'm in this hobby to make the best bullets I can, and to me, it just ain't worth my time to have a mold that produces something that is that flawed.
That's my 2¢
It goes down the road, whether back to the manufacturer or just resell it (if it was a Lee or a used mold).
I'm in this hobby to make the best bullets I can, and to me, it just ain't worth my time to have a mold that produces something that is that flawed.
That's my 2¢
Ian
Notorious member
I have several Lyman moulds that are both out of alignment AND cut shallow, as if they didn't clear the chips sufficiently near the end of the pass. The misaligned cavities will only show on the cavities, not the outside of the blocks or the alignment pins.
Here's a drawing I made showing the various misalignments:
Here's a drawing I made showing the various misalignments:
Maven
Well-Known Member
Darn things seem to shoot OK or I'm not good enough shot to know the difference. I kinda figure that a kick in the pants with a good powder charge and a trip down the barrel took care of the slight irregularity. What is your thoughts and opinions?...Rex
If the above is true, I wouldn't worry about it at all...unless you want a project; i.e., modifying that mould. In this instance It also helps to remember that old saying,"the perfect is the enemy of the good."
If the above is true, I wouldn't worry about it at all...unless you want a project; i.e., modifying that mould. In this instance It also helps to remember that old saying,"the perfect is the enemy of the good."
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RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
I will stick my two cents in here, FWIW. I have won several matches with a Lyman # 308284 that cast bullets off center from a worn mill vice. However, I shoot 30/06 with 16.0 grains of 2400 at 1425 f/s. By gas checking and lubing in a .313" die and then trued up in an old Pacific push through die in .311" . This works because it is a perfect fit in a two groove barrel if the nose split is oriented into the grooves and the right angle is on those big lands. If the bullet fits and is straight in the barrel, it will be straight at 200 yards.
Dusty Bannister
Well-Known Member
In the post by Ian (#9) the illustration clearly shows what I was talking about. Persons new to casting do not have the "eye" or experience to determine if that little bump on the mold seam is from alignment, or overly aggressive cleaning which wipes the sharp edge of the mold away. Measurement as described will clearly show the issues for the inexperienced caster. It also eliminates any question about a worn sizing die as part of the issue for out of round bullets. And I will agree that perfectly round bullets may not be necessary, but it still might be a good idea to weed out the possible issues while looking for reasons a rifle does not shoot as well as one expects. Or at least do not ignore that possibility.
