I was going to load a few hundred .38 specials on the Star, for my Wife's ammo pile for Winnemucca. (I try to make sure there are at least 1k so she doesn't run out).
When Bill passed, he left a lot of containers of cast projectiles from different sources. I don't think he cast anything himself in the almost 16 years that I knew him. I know that I cast and loaded a ton for him.
Anyway, I found a box of probably 4-500 bullets, that look like they're from a 358156 mould, and they just needed sized and lubed. In preparation for that process, I mic'd a few to see what they currently measured. I'm a bit shocked at the results! Across the parting line, they measure. 362 to .363. 90 degrees from there, they measure .352 to .353 - .010 difference! Wow!!
I have never seen a mould that far out of round. I do have quite a few of Bill's moulds, so I might actually find the culprit, but I think he probably bought them off of a gunshow table at what he considered a "value price" (cheap!).
I can't think of any way to salvage these castings, so I guess they'll go into the pot, and I'll have to get casting to get Cindy's ammo stores replenished!
When Bill passed, he left a lot of containers of cast projectiles from different sources. I don't think he cast anything himself in the almost 16 years that I knew him. I know that I cast and loaded a ton for him.
Anyway, I found a box of probably 4-500 bullets, that look like they're from a 358156 mould, and they just needed sized and lubed. In preparation for that process, I mic'd a few to see what they currently measured. I'm a bit shocked at the results! Across the parting line, they measure. 362 to .363. 90 degrees from there, they measure .352 to .353 - .010 difference! Wow!!
I have never seen a mould that far out of round. I do have quite a few of Bill's moulds, so I might actually find the culprit, but I think he probably bought them off of a gunshow table at what he considered a "value price" (cheap!).
I can't think of any way to salvage these castings, so I guess they'll go into the pot, and I'll have to get casting to get Cindy's ammo stores replenished!