Ben,
This is a relatively small/ light mould, compared to some of my brass moulds. I was actually wishing there was a little more surface area on the sprue plate, nearest the handle hinge, to avoid some run off. I finally figured out it didn't need much pressure and it was a joy to cast with.
Dale,
I have a pair of the 148 WC moulds and have used them for years, in fact this is my second pair of that mould. I sold a pair to my shooting buddy when I left Germany. I looked this bullet up before I bought it and like the design. I only figure on using the lower two lube grooves. It drops at just shy of .359, but I have a lot of tin in the alloy. The wife and I did a little weekend run and we stopped at a couple "Estate Sales". I bought 30.5 lbs of near pure lead, in the form of a failed attempt to make downrigger weights, for $5.00. Stopped at a junk shop where the wife has known the owner for years. This place is an old auto parts store, metal shelving and all, completely filled with "stuff". The couple that own it keep it very well organized and clean. They have been at it for 33 years and getting tired of looking at some of the stuff. I told her I needed some pewter and she asked how much, to which I replied all of it if the price is right. She grabbed a box and we went through her pewter shelf like bagging groceries! Ended up with 27.07 pounds for $40.00. To be honest some of the pieces will be hard to melt. I appreciate some of the effort into making it. I'm sure the wife will "high grade" it also when she gets a chance to look at it. She knows folks dealing in this pewter and has feelers out for broken stuff to melt. She takes pretty good care of me at her garage sales, getting solder and traps.
When the wife got home Friday from work she just wanted to go somewhere. I buy my cigarettes at the Casino on the ND/SD border along I29 (Dakota Magic Casino), and save $50.00 a carton compared to Mn. prices. They give me a 15% discount on food, cigarettes, and lodging being a veteran. I called before we left but they were booked full with a horseshoe tournament, so we stayed in Fargo Friday night. Went to the casino Saturday morning and they had a cancellation on a suite, but it would be $147.00 with vet. discount! I'm pretty cheap so figured that was out. The wife said she wanted to gamble some and would go win enough for a room. HA-HA the clerk and I said. I went and got my cigarettes and went out to my van and dialed up this site on my Ipad. I hadn't been in the van 5 minutes and the wife called me and said she won $326.00, get the room she wanted to stay! Which I did. Picture this red neck in a suite with a hot tub in the room. I don't gamble so just took the Ipad to the room and was just getting settled in(like 25 minutes) when the wife called again. She had won another $652.00, and I needed to get dressed and come cash her ticket in, which I did. Took the winnings back to the room with me. Fired up the hot tub and was gonna get in and she calls again. She needed me to come get another $623.00! She was tired now so we went and enjoyed a nice prime rib buffet. It was outstanding too, with real good deep fried shrimp. Used the hot tub a couple hours and she wanted to go gamble a little more. LOL I gave her back $100.00 and she lost it all. LOL All said and done she ended up winning a little over $1100.00 with the room deduction. Good winnings, good food, 30 lbs of lead and a deal on pewter. Good weekend!
Lamar,
The RCBS 148 has the small lube grooves also. I've tried up to 4.0 grs of BE with it, but it was tough on bunnies and the wife didn't like the recoil. I kinda settled on my last bunch at 3.2 and they shoot well in my S&W's. I like the larger grooves on this Saeco and it should size well in my Star at .358 with one set of holes blocked off, which also works for my NOE 160 and 180 WFN moulds. I'm hoping I don't need to change the sizer for nose first sizing. I have it set up for .430 now and don't have any .38 empty brass right now anyway.