Plain Base 31141 HP

Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
You're very welcome.
I hope that it will be a help to some that are considering saving on gas checks.

Ben

I’ve only drilled out one mold. It worked out well. I used your tutorial when I did it. Thanks, Ben!

Josh
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Well I'm in the same boat, all gas checked 30 caliber molds and no plain base. Seems to be a common malady. I'm needing to check my cheap drill press and see if it runs true. Have a couple of LEE molds and one will become a victim to try out.
Yes, thanks Ben, good tutorial as usual. I will give it a try and attempt not to embarrass my self to badly.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
John G :

If the drill bit ( 5/16 " HS drill bit ) is " running true " and it is perpendicular to the hole and you have the stop adjusted so you're only removing the gas check shank only, you should be just fine. Be careful and don't run the bit too deep.

I've drilled enough that I can feel the bit when it has gone past the gas check shank and I don't even use the stop anymore.

.
 
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Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
I pulled the belt off of my drill press and turned it by hand. It is such a small amount of soft aluminum. Once everything was clamped in place, it only took a minute to slowly cut it out with light down pressure and hand turning. I think the finish would actually be better if drilled under power, but I was scared:eek:!!!
 
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Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Can't remember if my press runs true, but, if not my friend up the hill has a mill, so might pay Dave a visit.

Joshua I was considering the hand turning. I'm heading out to the shop after some more coffee and get the fire going in the big shop. While it's warming up to the mid 40's, I will head into the small shop and do some over due powder coating. Got to check the drill press and install a heat pad on the oil pan of the diesel generator.
Been in the minus column on the thermometer for about a week or so now.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Ben,
One other trick of yours you thought me that helps with the self centering of the bit is that "talcum powder" trick!
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I pulled the belt off of my drill press and turned it by hand. It is such a small amount of soft aluminum. Once everything was clamped in place, it only took a minute to slowly cut it out with light down pressure and hand turning. I think the finish would actually be better if drilled under power, but I was scared:eek:!!!


PICS ??????????????????
 

USSR

Finger Lakes Region of NY
Funny how this is not the only site talking about converting gas check moulds to plain base moulds.:) Could it be that the "shortage" also includes gas checks? Since I am pretty much just getting into rifle moulds, all my newly acquired rifle molds are of the plain base variety. I will gladly trade velocity for not being dependent upon questionable outside sources.

Don
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Funny how this is not the only site talking about converting gas check moulds to plain base moulds.:) Could it be that the "shortage" also includes gas checks? Since I am pretty much just getting into rifle moulds, all my newly acquired rifle molds are of the plain base variety. I will gladly trade velocity for not being dependent upon questionable outside sources.

Don

Smart !!
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
I put off gas checks so long and with such enthusiasm I was learning how to not get leading with the Lee 356-124 TLTC and paper patch at the same time for a x39 with a .305×.316 barrel . I had 32Rem and 30-30 PB loads doing jacketed speeds but I got a gas rifle that had to have checks ......... It is just soooooooo much easier to get groups with checks and reach an arbitrary number value set by some goober behind a desk with them . They made such a difference I actually bought a lube sizer .

I wouldn't trade the what I learned without them for anything but there are several learning experiences I'd like to skip if I had to do it over .
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
So @Ben , what's this talcum powder trick?

The mold sits in a vise.

jfsLeLS.jpg


I've coated the drill press bed and the underside of the vise with talcum powder. The vise then " floats ", allowing the drill bit to enter the hole and center itself quickly.
 
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Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
I have told this story before. In a fit of frustration, after battling the weird tapered shank that came on the Lee 324-175 mold. I drilled out the shank, with a not so sharp drill bit. You can see in the photo that the finish isn’t that great. However I size these down to .318”. Most of the roughness on the bullet is removed during sizing.

I mentioned this the other day, in the sizing thread, that because the push rod is so tight in the Lee sizing die I don’t get any fins on the base of this bullet.

And yes the base is slightly larger then the rest of the drive bands. It’s almost like what Doctor Frankenstein would do if he modified a mold.

Also, it engraves pretty deeply into the rifling.

That mold sure has taught me a lot about what you can do, right and wrong!

Josh

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