The quest for a .575 ball

[45-110]

One of my earlier post(s) was about trying to get a mold that's throws a true .575 ball. That proved way harder than I ever imagined. 3 Lymans where undersized, and 2 Lee's came close at .573". I took another chance on Ebay and bought a old Ideal mold and find that it will cast one at .576. So I think i am there. Next shooting session will tell. I was never looking for a mold with out a sprue plate, so a bag mold style was not considered, and for the record a very hot pour never did arrive at .575" on the previous ones.
kw

[Maven]

You can easily "beagle" (Google it if you're unfamiliar with the concept) mould, RB or conical, to get it to drop a larger bullet or ball.  It's strictly a "cut & try" procedure, but it works well. 

[Daryl]

.002" "out" is nothing, unless you need the balls for a rifled ctg. gun.
I bought a .570" mould from a second hand mould outfit in Washington, and it throws exactly .574" x .584" which I thought was perfect.
Before that, I borrowed a 4-cavity .575" mould blocks. Saeco, I think, that threw 3 different sizes. They worked fine until I got the .570" mould
casting .574" balls for the SxS Kodiac and a .562" mould for the super tight .577 rifle that ran .574" in the bore.
Some moulds could or might be "out", if using a different alloy. Harder alloys, at least those with antimony, usually cast larger than the same mould
will cast in pure lead.

[Mike from OK]

.002" "out" is nothing, unless you need the balls for a rifled ctg. gun.
I bought a .570" mould from a second hand mould outfit in Washington, and it throws exactly .574" x .584" which I thought was perfect.
Before that, I borrowed a 4-cavity .575" mould blocks. Saeco, I think, that threw 3 different sizes. They worked fine until I got the .570" mould
casting .574" balls for the SxS Kodiac and a .562" mould for the super tight .577 rifle that ran .574" in the bore.
Some moulds could or might be "out", if using a different alloy. Harder alloys, at least those with antimony, usually cast larger than the same mould
will cast in pure lead.

How well does the .574 x .584 shoot? I have a bag mold for my .32 that throws a .313 x .330... I didn't even try them out. Just threw them all back in the pot and set the mold aside.

Mike

[45-110]

Beagleing is a option yes, but not one I prefer for this rifle with its match barrel.  Lyman has been known to run dull tooling, and many of their cavities over the years reflect it, poor q/c. Mike says .002 won't matter, and the new ideal is .003" larger. Until it is tried one will never know. Its not a 50 yd group I am looking to improve upon.....100 yd will tell if .003" matters.
kw

[Clark Badgett]

.002" "out" is nothing, unless you need the balls for a rifled ctg. gun.
I bought a .570" mould from a second hand mould outfit in Washington, and it throws exactly .574" x .584" which I thought was perfect.
Before that, I borrowed a 4-cavity .575" mould blocks. Saeco, I think, that threw 3 different sizes. They worked fine until I got the .570" mould
casting .574" balls for the SxS Kodiac and a .562" mould for the super tight .577 rifle that ran .574" in the bore.
Some moulds could or might be "out", if using a different alloy. Harder alloys, at least those with antimony, usually cast larger than the same mould
will cast in pure lead.

How well does the .574 x .584 shoot? I have a bag mold for my .32 that throws a .313 x .330... I didn't even try them out. Just threw them all back in the pot and set the mold aside.

Mike

Mike, my friend has a mold that throws oblong balls. His shoots remarkably well, in fact they shoot better than the factory swaged kind he bought.

[Notchy Bob]

Some moulds could or might be "out", if using a different alloy. Harder alloys, at least those with antimony, usually cast larger than the same mould
will cast in pure lead.

Agreed.

Notchy Bob

[Mike from OK]

Thanks Clark,

Since the larger portion of the oblong was .330 (.010 over the .320 bore size) I didn't even try them. I may try and  cast a handful and see how they load... They may swage themselves to bore size and shoot well.

Worth trying I guess. All I've got to lose is a little time and a tiny bit of lead.

Mike

[Clark Badgett]

Thanks Clark,

Since the larger portion of the oblong was .330 (.010 over the .320 bore size) I didn't even try them. I may try and  cast a handful and see how they load... They may swage themselves to bore size and shoot well.

Worth trying I guess. All I've got to lose is a little time and a tiny bit of lead.

Mike

Just load it so the smaller waist part is riding the rifling and patch. My friend marks the long axis with a marker so he loads that part up

[Daryl]

.002" "out" is nothing, unless you need the balls for a rifled ctg. gun.
I bought a .570" mould from a second hand mould outfit in Washington, and it throws exactly .574" x .584" which I thought was perfect.
Before that, I borrowed a 4-cavity .575" mould blocks. Saeco, I think, that threw 3 different sizes. They worked fine until I got the .570" mould
casting .574" balls for the SxS Kodiac and a .562" mould for the super tight .577 rifle that ran .574" in the bore.
Some moulds could or might be "out", if using a different alloy. Harder alloys, at least those with antimony, usually cast larger than the same mould
will cast in pure lead.

How well does the .574 x .584 shoot? I have a bag mold for my .32 that throws a .313 x .330... I didn't even try them out. Just threw them all back in the pot and set the mold aside.

Mike

LOL - just saw this. Must not have re-read the post before hitting "POST". LOL - it cast .574" x .574". simple typo. I did have a DC mould (bought from a fellow on this site) that cast .400x .400 in one cavity, but .394" x .400" in the other.  I gave it to a friend for the price of shipping it.  Once cavity was OK. The oblong ball produced groups over double the size of the 'perfect' balls.

[Daryl]

Beagleing is a option yes, but not one I prefer for this rifle with its match barrel.  Lyman has been known to run dull tooling, and many of their cavities over the years reflect it, poor q/c. Mike says .002 won't matter, and the new ideal is .003" larger. Until it is tried one will never know. Its not a 50 yd group I am looking to improve upon.....100 yd will tell if .003" matters.
kw

So - a .58 barrel, eh.  a .580" ball, if desiring 100yard groups might be the way to do.  Only testing will tell. My .69 has done it's best shooting with a .682" ball, but with a 12oz. denim patch. I mic those at .025", or .030" with calipers, compressed. Not a match barrel, but it has shot groups from 1" to 1 1/2" for 5 shots. Without different sighting, I would not be able to do that today.