Help with lube and sizing cast bullets
 

I have a White UM and I was wanting to experiment with casting my own bullets I would like to harvest a deer with my own. I have a couple of questions that if anyone could help me answer would be great.
1. I can not find a lube and sizer die for .504 cal. or anything closer than a .501, I am wondering if anyone knows where to find a sizing die for .504 or if the .501 will work in my white?

2. I would also like to resize my great plains bullets in .504 or a size that will work in my white. My question is will I need to relube the bullets?

3. What is a good web source for dies that ar simmilar to the bullets made by bullshop or no excuse? Or are these dies not available to me?

4. A good web site to learn about casting tips, I obviosly know little about it. I can find little info on google search any help would be well helpfull.

Thanks SS.

RE: Help with lube and sizing cast bullets
 

Sorry forgot to add that part of my confusion towards this for me is the LEE dies for the .500 minie and modern minie will these work in my white or would they be way loose?

RE: Help with lube and sizing cast bullets
 

Savagescout .. I was told by one of the DWB inmates that the R.E.A.L. conicals will shoot fine out of the White. I would guess the 320 grain might be the way to go with 70 grains of powder. One of these days I am going to to cast a bunch of them. They will not load as easy as the other conicals but they should go down the barrel. I see no reason why a well placed on of them would not harvest a deer.

The minnie ball I would forget about. I have a .50 caliber minnie mold and have yet to find a rifle of mine they will shoot hunting quality well out of.

As for casting tips, have you tried LEE Molds website. They used to have some information there.

A lot of the guys were getting their molds from Mountain Man mold I believe it was. He was building a new shop if I remember right, and not taking orders. I was thinking of getting a mold as well and cast some 500 grain .504 diameter conicals.

RE: Help with lube and sizing cast bullets
 

Thanks cayugad. So I guess there is not a place right now that I can get molds simmilar to the bullshop or no excuse? Thanks fro your help I will try some of the real bullets.

RE: Help with lube and sizing cast bullets
 

There might be.. I just do not know of them. I was thinking of the Bullshop 500 grain which has to be one of the best shooting bullets out of my UM. I'd like to cast my own.

RE: Help with lube and sizing cast bullets
 

You should not have a problem finding a dozen people who will make a mold for you. Normally you just send them the design of what you want, and they will make it for you. I like the RCBS adustable mold, I cast a 525 grain bullet out of mine, and I shoot it without any lube. You can adjust it to make a lighter or a heavier bullet.

Have you slugged your barrel yet? What is the groove, and lands diameter? If you want to truly go custom, that will be the first thing a mold maker will ask you.

I am a member of the Cast Bullet Association. Go to the CBA forum, or go to the CastBoolit forum. There are alot of people there who will overwhelm you with their knowledge. There are alot of great links there. Tom.

RE: Help with lube and sizing cast bullets
 

One more question can I size a pure lead cast bullet from .515 to .504 or is that too much of a size difference? Thanks for your help cayugadand Head0001.

RE: Help with lube and sizing cast bullets
 

I've never sized a bullet, so I can't help you here. I buy the mold to the dimensions that I need, cast them and shoot them that way.

RE: Help with lube and sizing cast bullets
 

The largestI have sized down has been about .003, from a .455 t0 .452. That went smooth, I don't know about that big a difference(.515-.504), though if it's pure lead, it should be pretty soft.
I'd do it and see. But that's the kind of live on the edge guy I am.:D

RE: Help with lube and sizing cast bullets
 

You can get a custom sizing die from Lee for about $30 delivered. http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1173395810.5340=/html/catalog/custom.html#CUSTOMLUBESIZE

Stillwell Tool & Die can make you one up but it will probably be higher priced. OR, you can hone out a Lee .501 like I did.... WOW! Takes a while... but it works.

Sizing in pure from .515 to .504 should be done in two steps. Get a .510 sizer in addition to your .504. Lube then size to .510, check to make sure the lube grooves are still full, then take it on down. Dan at BullShop does that with the 560 grain RCBS bullet. Looks a bit slick-sided but it shoots good. I think I know what mould you might be looking at - the LEE 515-500-F would probably work if those lube grooves are deep enough.

Plenty of moulds can be used to make good .451 conicals but the .50X are another story. I've tried to get Lee to make up some moulds for us and add them to their regular lineup - but no luck. Bug 'em. ;)