BC Mold Choice

[TomP]

I plan to buy a Lee bullet mold for my Buffalo Classic.  I want to get either a 405 gr or a 500 gr mold and I'll be casting with wheel weights.  I don't plan to size the bullets after casting.  I'll be using smokeless powder.  The groove diameter on my rifle measured .4575 about 3 inches in from the muzzle.

Will a .457 mold work or should I go for the .459 size?  There's also a hollow base 405 gr that is supposed to be .459 diameter.  Does a hollow base really help obturation when using wheel weights?  What kind of molds do you bullet casters use in your BCs?

I'm still kinda new to bullet casting but since I can get wheel weights for free I'll be casting my own from now on.

Tom P.

[quickdtoo]

Here's a good thread on the BC, hopefully Bernie will check in on this for ya..

Tim

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,95365.msg1098232832.html#msg1098232832

[cpj]

I have the 405 grain round nose flat point, NON hollow base. I also use wheel weights, and it works just fine. One word of caution though, when you cast them, be ever so careful when you drop them on to a towel (if are air cooling them) as the long bullet holds alot of heat, and if you drop them to hard they will bend in the middle.

[Smokin Joe]

Tom, either of the .459 Lee molds work. The 459-405-HB seems to work in most rifles, and the 459-500-3R works well in some. I also shoot the 457-450-F even though it's .457; I cast it hard to bump the diameter a little. I double dip all of 'em in Lee liquid alox when shooting smokeless and it seems to work all the way down that long tube. If you shoot the 450 gn, be sure to lube the bore-ride section also.

[dodd3]

tom go with the .459 moulld ,i say this because if it dose not work you can always size it down to .457 with the lee .457 sizer die, i use the lee 500r bullet with very good results and with smokless powder i add  a gascheck wich is easy to do. then you will have to size the bullet to crimp the gascheck in,but they shoot realy good with the gascheck. i use rooster red bp7 lube it has a high melt point and i get no leading with over 1600fps . heres a pic of the 500r with &with out gascheck the one on the right has the gascheck.
bernie