Author Topic: The quest for a .575 ball  (Read 2176 times)

Offline 45-110

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 553
The quest for a .575 ball
« on: December 07, 2019, 09:52:13 PM »
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

Offline Maven

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 660
Re: The quest for a .575 ball
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2019, 02:11:39 AM »
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. 
Paul W. Brasky

Offline Daryl

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15867
Re: The quest for a .575 ball
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2019, 02:52:24 AM »
.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.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Mike from OK

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1084
Re: The quest for a .575 ball
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2019, 07:01:05 AM »
.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

Offline 45-110

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 553
Re: The quest for a .575 ball
« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2019, 04:06:03 PM »
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

Offline Clark Badgett

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2264
  • Oklahoma
Re: The quest for a .575 ball
« Reply #5 on: December 08, 2019, 06:09:55 PM »
.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.

« Last Edit: December 08, 2019, 07:04:45 PM by Clark B »
Psalms 144

Offline Notchy Bob

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 252
Re: The quest for a .575 ball
« Reply #6 on: December 08, 2019, 06:38:28 PM »
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
"Should have kept the old ways just as much as I could, and the tradition that guarded us.  Should have rode horses.  Kept dogs."

from The Antelope Wife

Offline Mike from OK

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1084
Re: The quest for a .575 ball
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2019, 06:42:39 PM »
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

Offline Clark Badgett

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2264
  • Oklahoma
Re: The quest for a .575 ball
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2019, 07:08:28 PM »
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
Psalms 144

Offline Daryl

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15867
Re: The quest for a .575 ball
« Reply #9 on: December 08, 2019, 08:51:03 PM »
.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

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Daryl

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15867
Re: The quest for a .575 ball
« Reply #10 on: December 08, 2019, 08:56:25 PM »
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.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V