GC base too small

S

sundog

Active Member
I have a SAECO #356 (35 cal, 200 gr, RF) with a too small base to crimp a GC. I've had this mold for a number of years and do not remember using it or even from whence it came. I did cast a few rather nice bullets with it a few days ago. Even after PC it is too small. The rest of the bullet seems to be of correct dimension. Neither Hornady nor Gator checks will crimp and stay on. I thought about finding a machinist to open it to correct dimension.

What would you do?

As an aside, I have several other SAECO molds and really like them - no problems of any kind with them.
 
L

LEC Guy

Active Member
I have a pair of Lachmiller .45-70 molds that are the same way. There is enough taper to eventually allow for a check to crimp on if the sides to the check were taller. I figured Lachmiller may have sold checks with taller sides back then. Maybe I'll just send the molds out and have the bases opened up. Thanks for posting this.

Bruce
 
462

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Easy fix. If you trust yourself to make it plain base, go for it. If not, it ought to be very easy for a machinist to remove the shank.

I've used a reamer and hand-turned a drill press to remove gas check shanks and bevel bases from Lee aluminum moulds, and it shouldn't be much more difficult to do the same with an iron mould.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
that Lachmiller probably was designed for the lyman slip on checks they are a tick taller than today's checks and a touch smaller in inner diameter.

i bought a few boxes of them for like 5 or 7$ a box a number of years ago and have to be pretty careful lining them up just so with many of my newer molds.
 
KeithB

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
You can get reamers in the decimal size you need from Shars.com. I looked for a .348” and they had one in HSS for less than $25. High Speed Steel is plenty good enough for cutting steel and cast iron and aluminum, the more expensive reamers are carbide or cobalt and are meant for production and their cost reflects that.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
The thing is to open it up the AMOUNT needed, not to specific dimension. In other words, if the check shank is three thousandths too small for the checks, then measure the mould and open it up three thousandths larger than is now at room temperature.
 
D

Dusty Bannister

Well-Known Member
Old timers would just invert the gas check and let the bullet seat it to the correct depth. I suppose one could also just start the check and let the seating and crimping of the bullet take care of the issue and let the check fall away after leaving the muzzle.
 
J

Jeff H

NW Ohio
Ben said:
If the mould is for a low velocity round, I'd be tempted to totally remove the g/c shank and turn the mould into a plain base mould.
Click to expand...

100% on that.

I don't HATE gas checks, but if I can do without the extra effort (I make mine), I'll go without a GC every time.
 
J

Jeff H

NW Ohio
RicinYakima said:
Dirty Harry.
Click to expand...

LOL!!

I've "felt lucky" every time I've removed a GC shank from a mould so far!

Problem is that I feel I've gotten away with it (with excellent results) enough times that Lady Luck will smack me down on the next attempt in return for me getting pompous or greedy.

NOW, I'm scared.
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I have one Saeco 245g 358 that has a small shank that no GC fits. My fix is PC. A thin coat is still small but most any Eastwood powder gives about perfect dia for gator 35 cal checks.

CW
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Why doesn’t anyone understand the right nswer?

Buy a lathe or mill, spend a hundreds more on tooling, and you too can fix the mould. Think of the money saved by not paying someone to do it for you!
 
B

beagle

Active Member
Corky, try beagling that area. Might work. Had a RCBS with a too small shank. Took a fine round stone and opened a little at a time. Remove the blue with the first pass. Then coat with a magic marker. Make another pass and a few test casts. Continue process until you get it where you want it. Did a couple like that. The dremel bits work but don’t use the dremel. Do it by hand. You can do it./‘beagle
 
JonB

JonB

Halcyon member
sundog said:
I have a SAECO #356 (35 cal, 200 gr, RF) with a too small base to crimp a GC. I've had this mold for a number of years and do not remember using it or even from whence it came. I did cast a few rather nice bullets with it a few days ago. Even after PC it is too small. The rest of the bullet seems to be of correct dimension. Neither Hornady nor Gator checks will crimp and stay on. I thought about finding a machinist to open it to correct dimension.

What would you do?

As an aside, I have several other SAECO molds and really like them - no problems of any kind with them.
Click to expand...
What would I do?
.
I would want to know what size the shank is when casting with the alloy I think is the best, using my technique and preferred temperature control for that mold. I mention that only because, you can increase or decrease GC shank size by alloy and temperature control.
The shank should measure .341" for standard commercial copper GCs.
If the shank is just .001 or .002 undersized, then I'd hone/polish the mold (shank area only) by hand.
Anything more, I'd suggest getting thicker custom made GC's or having a machinist fix it...but the machinist usually involves a price beyond the mold's $ value, but sometimes a mold's worth is beyond the current resale value. Only you (or your gun) can judge that.
That's my 2¢
.
PS:
another trick, if the shank is only a fraction of a thou undersized, where it almost crimps on, but is either looser than desired or slips off. Size the bullet first, then seat the GC and size/crimp. Sometimes, depending on alloy and size of bullet and size of sizing die, the shank will get swaged larger on it's first trip through the die.
 
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