cast bullet molds
- Thread starter harold peters
- Start date
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
I have never used "smooth shanked" slugs for PCing but have read a lot of antidotal opinions that you are right, no lube grooves needed.
But I will add that I do find the lube grooves somewhat handy for my own use. I use the lube grooves as the "tweezer gripping" site so I don't damage the coating on the riding rings of the bullet before the "cook". They also come in handy when sizing the slugs if you have a mold that throws oversized dia. for your gun, the grooves allow for the small amount of lead or coating that is moved to have a place to go rather than "smearing" the total length of the shaft in the sizer.
But I will add that I do find the lube grooves somewhat handy for my own use. I use the lube grooves as the "tweezer gripping" site so I don't damage the coating on the riding rings of the bullet before the "cook". They also come in handy when sizing the slugs if you have a mold that throws oversized dia. for your gun, the grooves allow for the small amount of lead or coating that is moved to have a place to go rather than "smearing" the total length of the shaft in the sizer.
No, actually you don't, NOE makes all sorts of bullet molds for powder coating
Just a few...
I have found that when using powders that coat efficiently (tool blue, gloss black, clear) they do such a good job of covering the entire bullet (lube grooves and all) that I'm not sure there would be any real advantage to using smooth shank bullets. Mind you I'm only coating pistol bullets which are shot at relatively short distances (25 yards or so). Might be different for rifle bullets but only field testing would give definitive results.
BattleRife
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- of No Fixed Address
As does Accurate Molds.
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
For a counterpoint.
Saw a YouTube video, where someone lubed, already powder coated bullets, with lube grooves.
Saw a YouTube video, where someone lubed, already powder coated bullets, with lube grooves.
I have about four moulds that are without lube grooves.
While I haven't done any empirical tests, I think that the powder flows a bit during cooking, and any smearing done by the pliers is moderated a bit.
When using coloured powders, I noticed that some bullets that had a noticeable scuff from the pliers before cooking, looked fuller after. That was the pigment that I saw. The clear part of the powder could be more intact.
Nowadays I only use the clear powders for rifle bullets, and all the rifle bullets I've shot in the past year have been without lube grooves.
I have had excellent results with them.
I have found that it's easier to cast good bullets in moulds that have no lube grooves.
With Accurate Molds, you can specify the diameter of the as cast bullet, with the alloy you specify. They are usually spot on.
While Accurate Molds are expensive, their bullets are accurate, and the turn around time, in my case, has been two weeks or less.
While I haven't done any empirical tests, I think that the powder flows a bit during cooking, and any smearing done by the pliers is moderated a bit.
When using coloured powders, I noticed that some bullets that had a noticeable scuff from the pliers before cooking, looked fuller after. That was the pigment that I saw. The clear part of the powder could be more intact.
Nowadays I only use the clear powders for rifle bullets, and all the rifle bullets I've shot in the past year have been without lube grooves.
I have had excellent results with them.
I have found that it's easier to cast good bullets in moulds that have no lube grooves.
With Accurate Molds, you can specify the diameter of the as cast bullet, with the alloy you specify. They are usually spot on.
While Accurate Molds are expensive, their bullets are accurate, and the turn around time, in my case, has been two weeks or less.
hatman1793
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
HP: more info needed.
Bullets for what appliction?
Molds for what caliber?
Powder coating? What is your system?
Bullets for what appliction?
Molds for what caliber?
Powder coating? What is your system?
