RanchDog 8mm, 170 gr.

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I found this one via the internet.
I bought this one to use in my 98' Mauser, 8 X 57 mm Scout rifle.
I got lucky, the bullets drop at .3265" . Nice and round.
My rifle likes a .325" sized cast bullet.
Again, I got lucky.:):):)
This is one of the old style Lee double cav. moulds.
I disassembled the mould, cleaned up the jagged edges off of the sprue plate.
Drilled and tapped the mould for a sprue bolt set screw.
Lubed everything lightly with 2-cycle oil and reassembled the mould.

For $25 shipped, I'm a happy camper !
This bullet , with the large meplat, should be a killer on white-tail deer.

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With my alloy, the bullets lubed, sized, with g/c ready to load
weight 185 grs.

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The blunt nose on the Ranch Dog has the potential to cause feeding problems in a staggered column magazine like a 98' Mauser. So, I use a single shot follower. I've loaded 10 rounds, they all feed and chamber smooth as silk.

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Spindrift

Well-Known Member
Nice bullet, mold and rifle!
The unasuming little Lee 2-cavity molds sure can make some nice bullets. And very wrist-friendly! The set-screw is a very clever upgrade, guess I shoold make a similar arrangement on mine.
Thank you for an interesting post, with beautiful photos!
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Nice bullet, mold and rifle!
The unasuming little Lee 2-cavity molds sure can make some nice bullets. And very wrist-friendly! The set-screw is a very clever upgrade, guess I shoold make a similar arrangement on mine.
Thank you for an interesting post, with beautiful photos!

Thanks !
I wish Lee would ship their moulds with the set screw.
I guess my wishing isn't going to cause them to change their manufacturing process.

Every one of my 2 cav. and 6 cav. Lee moulds have the set screw.

Thanks again,
Ben
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
A rather nice find, Ben.

Those single-shot gizmos are quite the trick, too, and have one installed on the Swede, but I haven't been able to find one for the 03A3.

By the way, you mentioned in an older post of installing a set screw on a new style Lee mould, with the left-handed sprue cutter screw. I asked if you thought it necessary, and you replied something to the effect of being prepared, or some such. Anyway, I recently had one of Lee's left-handed screws back out, and I subsequently installed a set screw. Despite being left-handed and torqued to 3-zillion foot-pounds, they are still apt to back out, when closing the cutter.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I subscribe to the thought...." If I put one of my set screws in a Lee mould, the sprue bolt isn't moving, LH or RH thread".

Lee aluminum mould blocks are super soft. If the sprue plate has a " saw tooth " edge , as so many Lee Moulds have , and the sprue plate is torqued down hard and tight against the mould blocks, you have a great set up for galled mould blocks. A Lee mould in this condition that cast only 200 - 300 bullets can be damaged badly.

I have Lee moulds that are 25 yrs. old and have the proper amount of pressure on the sprue plate. The tops of the blocks, after thousands of bullets cast with the mould , is undamaged. I lube the underside of the sprue plate with some 2 cycle oil ( a tiny drop spread out on the under-side of the sprue plate is more than enough ) . It is so very important NOT TO have the sprue plate super tight on a Lee mould.

Why Lee would ship a bullet mould with the sprue plate so tight that it is near impossible to even move the sprue plate is beyond me ? ? ?:headscratch:

Ben
 
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CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
That set screw is a CONSIDERABLE upgrade to any Lee bullet mould.

The 8 x 57 has been one of my better cast bullet rifle calibers. The Lee mass-produced 8mm bullet has shot very well for me with an uncomplicated loading--size at .325", 16.0 grains of 2400, WLR primer in W-W brass. If I did my part, this load would keep up with and sometimes whup that Buckshot character in our now-departed Burrito Shoots.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Interesting you'd bring up Rick's name.
He and I exchanged long PM's a few days ago.
He isn't doing any machine work for the public anymore, but he certainly seems like his old self. Seems he is enjoying life.

Ben
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Rick is a great guy. He is also one of the best offhand rifle shots I have ever shared a range or varmint field with. He had to have a profoundly BAD day at the same time I was having an unnaturally-good day of shooting in order for me to win the "pot" ($1 per shooter, just huge stakes.....) on a day we both showed up for burritos. The company and the burritos were the principal attractant for those hard-fought contests, for me at least.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I doubt that I'd beat anyone shooting, but I could definitely eat the burritos.

Ben
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Ben - I have a drill press and taps. Care to share (pm) your specs for the set screw? I have a BUNCH of Lee molds. Thanx!

PS: was considering bring you a bunch, but now just too dang many to afford doing that! AND have a stock I want you to fit for me. Too danged many projects and not enough $$$!!!
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I use 10-24 allen head screws.
I use two taps.
I start with a conventional 10-24 tap. I'll cut the hole about 50% of the way.
Then I switch over to a 10-24 bottoming tap to finish the job.
Works great for me !
I get my 10-24 Allen Head screws at Ace Hardware.
 
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CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I doubt that I'd beat anyone shooting, but I could definitely eat the burritos.

Ben

The place we got those burritos--Rosa Maria's--has an outlet about 1/2 mile from my house. It is a matter of some argument among Marie and I and our kids over WHICH old-line Mexican restaurant in our town--Rosa Maria's or El Burrito--has the best Mexican food. I think RM's has the best chile relleno burritos on Earth, with El B coming in a close 2nd place. Marie's view is the exact opposite, the kids are split. I patronize both frequently, and my waistline bears that out.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Don't know that yet ? ?
I shot 10 rounds on Saturday in my 8mm Scout Rifle.
The load was 12.4 grs. of Alliant Unique.
One ragged hole at 50 yards.
I may very well test the bullet at higher speeds.

Ben
 
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Ben

Moderator
Staff member
It is a real shooter.
The more I shoot the rifle, the better I like it.

Ben