What am I doing?

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
Usually you can get them larger a little bit just with alloy. I don't remember what lymann uses as lead I think it is #2 alloy
. 100% agreed. Why go to all the troubles of honing out a mold when all ya may need do is adjust your alloy??

Ya can always "hone it out" later if you dont get what ya need!!

CW
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
As I understand it .
Lyman =#2
RCBS = Lino type
Lee = wheel weight , lino , or pure depending on bullet intent or something , IE 35/45 pistol WW , up to 323 rifle lino then WW and anything BP is for lead .......based on dia returns 25+- moulds .
NOE , Arsenal , MP = WW +2% unless otherwise noted /requested .
Mountain , Accurate = your choice .
1935-1960 production more or less hit with WW .
Pre 1940 are about evenly split to hit numbers in other than smokless rifles with 1-20 to 1-60 tin/lead or pure . Standards were showing up so smokeless rifles were tending towards lino type but #2 and 50/50 lino pure may have been expected to be used also .

Derived from hands on and more compiled reading than I care to admit .
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
LEE and RCBS use 10-1.
Magma engineering uses 2/6/92 but seems to do just fine with ww+ a tudge of tin to make diameter.

the whole alloy thing is fidgeting .001"s
right?
we know our world is measured in .001's and we accept that but....
but how many of us are gonna run down to the post office and mail off that check to buy 5/5 certified alloy at 5$ a pound?
or are we gonna work over that 40 dollar mold a little.

we can throw some antimony/copper bumped alloy in the mold and wait 8-12 months for it to grow a smidge.
not too many are willing to wait that long, but it works.
 

Tomme boy

Well-Known Member
RCBS told me linotype. Who knows for sure. There is still a tolerance that can go one way or the other. I have only had one mold so far that did not meet what it was supposed to be. It was an Accurate mold of all things. Even Tom could not figure out what happened as to why it was small. He replaced it and it was perfect the second time.
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
My later Lyman manuals list lino for most handgun design bullets. RCBS started out with lino, then seems to have gone to something else because I've heard complaints about their late moulds not coming up to full spec'd diameter with lino, and some handgun designs being almost unusable with #2 or scrap alloys. I think Outpost 75 has made that observation too. The last I knew, SAECO specs to Taracorp Magnum alloy which I believe is the same as the later "Hardball" alloy at 2/6/92.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
I remember their load manual stating 10-1, but that was written so long ago I'm surprised the reeds have held up.
I know I have seen Lyman state lino-type for many of their rifle bullets.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
That should be near extream difference no??

I mean soft is fat and hard thin.
What ever the case. Alloy can change dia a bit. My issues seem always with LEE molds and too small. Or "small" as I powder coat so really no such thing as too small for me. Too fat IE noses IS A REAL thing for me. ;)

CW
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
harder is larger.
many don't see it because they measure after the bullets cool down or a few days later.
but if you wait the antimony will make things grow.[and it takes a little time for the BHN to settle down too]

I know a few of us have had our carefully crafted lower antimony water dropped bullets not chamber a year later because the nose gained another .001.
each alloy blend has it's own set of peculiarities.
tin only alloys will soften with age etc. so there has to be some sort of migration and growth going on in there.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Not Sn only alloys but having Sn in the alloy. The higher the percentage the faster the effect. Higher percentage of Sn (5%+) will limit the max achievable from heat treating also.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
it most definitely does, water dropping number-2 alloy is a minimal gain.
I think I went from like 15-16 to 18-19. when dropping from the mold.
not really worth the effort BHN wise but there is some other internal structural advantages.
 

Bill

Active Member
My rcbs manual says all their molds are cut using 10-1 alloy as a guide, who could afford that nowadays?

Bill
 

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
When you get slight inconsistencies in your cast bullets and wonder if it matters, ask your target. That will be the only answer that really matters. If you want my best guess, if you are consistent in your casting technique, they might be a slight difference in the mold cavities.
 

S Mac

Sept. 10, 2021 Steve left us. You are missed.
If I want to check one cavity against the other I mark the base of each while still in the mould with a sharp scratch awl, I on one, X on the other.