An interesting bunch of questions, which at first I thought you should have asked in a personal email. They are excellent for the forum readers! I'll number each answer to match your numbered questions.
Uncrimped brass is fine for measuring the cylinders capacity for nose length, as long as you can get your calipers to hit the edge. I recommend turning in the crimp for only this reason.
1. Wheel weights casts the smallest bullets of any alloy. The fattest will be with linotype, and averages about .001 larger. Order for WW and size the tiny .001 down if you ever switch to a richer alloy.
2. Temerature of the alloy has no effect on bullet diameter, because solidification temperature doesn't vary. Mold temperature has an extremely small effect on diameter, with hotter mold casting slightly larger, but such a small amount that most can't measure it.
3. Shooting a few jacketed will have no effect on bore condition, while shooting lead with LBT lube. LBT lube residue will prevent jacket fouling from sticking for at least 20 shots in handguns. One customer told me quite a few years ago that he shot a couple LBT lubed lead between every 20 or so jacketed for the express purpose of preventing jacket fouling!
4. Sizer diameter will be determined by your guns internal measurements. Select a size that lets your loaded ammo just chamber easily.
5. You never have to clean the bore because there will me no fouling build up of any kind. Keep in mind that when I made that statement I said once you get a load working without leading. You can get leading if you run extreme pressure and velocities, especially in rifles. It is hard to get handguns running that fast with safe pressures. The bore never needs any protective oil for storage, because a film of lube remains in the bore. I have several guns which haven't been fired for I believe 10 years, with perfectly clean bores. There only protection, the film of LBT lube left from shooting. If during load development you get leading, just back the charge down till it quits leading, and your bullets will wipe the lead out. If you lead the bore by shooting rapid fire until the bore gets extremely hot, wait till it cools, and if the load is one that doesn't lead at normal bore temps, the leading will shoot out in a few shots. Very few shots if the bullets are gas checked.
6. Many of my customers run two and more molds at once, especially if bullet weight is 300 grains or more. With lighter bullets, it may be difficult to cast fast enough to keep two molds hot. LBT molds are larger than most molds, the primary reason being to provide maximum heat dissapation surface, but also to maintain optimum precison. Yet the massive blocks are not heavy, being made of aluminum. Hard aircraft grade, which give a long service life, not soft like Lee molds.
7, For 30-30 I recommend a 160 gr LFN if you want to keep recoil down a bit, and a 170 gr LCFN if you want max power and retained energy at longer ranges. Very few 30-30 lever guns will chamber a 170 gr LFN with the gas check contained inside the case neck. A 150 gr gives up some accuracy and considerable power, especially at longer ranges. Better to use a 160 gr loaded a little slower than choose the 150 gr to keep recoil down.
8. I put crimp grooves in all revolver bullets, but only put them in rifle bullets on the M bullet for 45-70's. Normally 30-30's will not give problems with uncrimped ammo. To be sure bullets don't get driven into the case while slamming down through the magazine of lever guns, I find a powder which can be used with compressed loads. In 30-30 there are quite a few suitable powders. The other option is to crimp with a Lee factory crimp die, which is what I recommend for all rifle loads where crimps are desired. The reason I don't cut crimps in rifle bullets is because throat erosion is fairly rapid, which changes optimum seat depth. The Factory Crimp dies solves this problem. (The throat erosion is caused by hot powder gas, not bullet wear, and is about the same with either lead or jacketed when running at high rifle pressures.)
9. No. The punchs are made to fit each individual bullet, especially with different calibers, or with nose form changes.
10. Only problem is how difficult you made it! Using push through slugs on a cleaning rod as they are designed to be, lets them align perfectly and keeps them straight. Driving them through backwards could allow them to lean pretty bad while starting them. If they have a good imprint of the bore they will work fine though.
Your appoligy for all the question is not needed. I like thinkers, and am one, which is why Lead Bullet Technology (LBT) exists! Our names means carefully thought out, technical and scientific answers to all problems! You'll get performance at break neck speed compared to what the oldtimers had to go through before LBT was born!
