SAECO # 353

[Ben]

Saeco 353 hp


I had Buckshot ( many years ago ) HP a .35 cal., double cav. SAECO # 353 bullet mold. The mold cavity that was not HP'd cast a solid at 180 grs. My HP version cast at 168 grs. with a generous HP cavity. I've shot this bullet into wet sand at 38 Spec. velocities and found perfectly mushroomed bullets .700 " in diameter.

My HP pin goes all the way down to the crimp ring on this bullet.

Extremely accurate from my 38 Spec. Marlin 1894 CBC and shoots real good from my 358 Win. I'll include a target ( below ) shot with my 358 Win. , range was 50 yards , 5 shots, with the HP version of the bullet, load was 10.8 grs. of Russian Unique.

Considering the increased cost of g/c's , this bullet has a lot of potential in both full power pistol and reduced .35 cal. rifle loads .

5 rounds at 50 yards from one of my 358 Win. rifles :

I've never fired this bullet ( 168 grs. in HP ), 180 grs. as a solid out of any rifle or pistol in which it was not super accurate.

The solids out of the mould at 180 grs. are deadly !

 

[Ian]

Ben, would you mind checking the diameter of that bullet on both sides of the crimp groove? Maybe give an indication of any taper say, .100" forward of the crimp groove vs. right at the crimp groove? I've been wanting to draw one of those up for Accurate to use in both .357 Magnum and .35 Remington.

 

[Ben]

Ian,

Measurements taken 90 degrees of the mold seam line.

The 1st photo is directly in front of the crimp groove.



The next photo is the drive band located directly behind the crimp groove.



.010 forward of the crimp groove, the nose measures .3568 "

 

[Ben]

Ian,

Is that what you wanted ?

Ben

 

[Ian]

Yes! Thank you, I can extrapolate the rest. Our friend Beagle gave me a baggie of bullets to try out in my .35 Remington a few years ago, they had beer can checks made with the Patmarlin plain-base check tool and shot the kind of groups at 50 yards that even with a 4X El Paso Weaver make you believe you missed the paper with every shot but the first. They shot circles around the RCBS 35-200 with my rifle and combination of components. I still have a dozen of so of them and they have a nose profile almost exactly like the one in your picture...though they have two radiused lube grooves, neither of which falls in a place where I can crimp for my rifle. Needless to say I've been wanting to semi-copy that bullet design. Between those bullets and yours I can come up with something and still be able to use it in my revolters.

 

[Ben]

Ian,

That all sounds interesting !
Keep us posted with your progress.

Ben

 

[35 shooter]

HHHHMMMM another good looking 35 cal. bullet. I'm fast becoming a fan of bullets with no front nose band and a slow taper to the nose like that!

Nice shooting Ben!

 

[Brad]

HHHHMMMM another good looking 35 cal. bullet. I'm fast becoming a fan of bullets with no front nose band and a slow taper to the nose like that!

Nice shooting Ben!

I agree. I like the bullet shape, the nose in particular.

 

[Ben]

HHHHMMMM another good looking 35 cal. bullet. I'm fast becoming a fan of bullets with no front nose band and a slow taper to the nose like that!

Nice shooting Ben!

This one is a real NAIL DRIVER ! !
My only complaint about the bullet
( and it is a very minor one ) , is
the large lube groove.

It is a lube eater. Modern lubes
do such a good job that a deep lube
groove like this one just isn't necessary.
Ummmm, Did I just make Elmer roll
over in his grave with that statement ?

Ben

 

[Ian]

I don't care if it looks like a rubber dog turd as long as it shoots straight. Sometimes weird looking bullets like the 311644 shoot better than what we might think "looks" like it will.

 

[Ian]

This one is a real NAIL DRIVER ! !
My only complaint about the bullet
( and it is a very minor one ) , is
the large lube groove.

It is a lube eater.

Ben

Lube is cheap, and you need more of it the faster you go, but not so much for lubricating the bore as for other things, like making across the end of the chamber, but that's different subject.

So, nail-driver, eh? I have no doubt. I submit that as the answer to your own questions about two-diameter vs. properly-designed, tapered bullet noses. That little Lee 100 grainer we both like so much has a similar nose profile at the point that the 'rubber meets the road'.....

 

[Ben]

Ian,

What is that old saying, " It either works or it doesn't ". As far as I'm concerned , you can forget how sexy or politically correct the 2 designs are. They both just flat out work for me, I like both ! I won't be selling either one.

Ben

 

[Ben]

My old gunsmith ( who has been dead for 25 years ) always told me.

" Boy, you can't tell a D*** thing about a cast bullet based on what it looks like."

" You have got to shoot it before you can draw any conclusions about the bullet."

 

[KHornet]

Good thread Ben, nice pics, looks like a great HP.

 

[Ian]

Still haven't found time to draw up a design, I'll get it done though. Casting more Blackout bullets took priority tonight!

 

[Ben]

Good thread Ben, nice pics, looks like a great HP.

Thanks,
Ben