My first attempt at beagling

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Bfh_auto

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My Lee 170FN cast .309 bullets. I need between .310 and .311 depending on rifles.
I put 2 strips of duct tape on it. I can understand how. But it cast round bullets at .312.
It made it a pain to apply gas checks. But I managed.
I have one question. How do you get the lube off the bullet nose after sizing?
 
I've beagled a 358429 and 358446 and they work fine. I pan lube and run them through a Lee sizer, there is often lube where I don't want it. Wipe it off with a piece of paper towel.
I might wait until it's loaded ammo. My lube is very tacky.
The diameter added 2.5 grains to the bullet weight.
I need to load then up because my wife is itching to shoot her 30-30 again.
 
I want a Lee 309-200gr bullet mould but I want to shoot it through my Arisaka that slugs at .3115". So, I buy the mold, take a cast bullet of that size with something like valve grinding polish and turn it in the mold to remove aluminum. Then I have a larger diameter bullet that will fit in my Arisaka bore, ideally a .3125-200gr bullet.
 
I cut small strips of metal duct tape and stick to one size of the mould block. It is amazing how these stick on and how long they last. Go to "Cast Boolits"
forum, there is a lot of info there on Beagling. A man there named John Goins helped me get started. The newer Lyman moulds seem to be cut small a lot oftener than we would like.
 
Rag with mineral spirits or a spritz of carburetor cleaner to the rag. I worry more about cleaning the base of the bullet/gas check before loading.

I did try ("Lee" minting) on a 312 mold, I feel like the lapping compound took more from the sides than the meat of the mold, producing the same results as Beagling I suspect. A slightly out of round product. But lasting consequences. Bullets still worked fine.
 
It is the practice of adding thin strips of material (often some type of metal foil) to the face of mold blocks with the objective of increasing the as-cast diameter of lead bullets. Personally I have never done this but many have, and have reported good results in the process.

That's the definition that I always heard. I've done both to Lee's aluminum molds, add a strip of thin paper to the mold face and polished the inside with buffer wheel and polishing compound, got about the same results. My bullets from those molds were always a little egg shaped too by a couple thousands but the mold made egg shaped bullets before I polished it so I really didn't change anything.
They shot fine and I still use them.
As far as the lube goes, Alox is a sticky mess, coated bullets is a much better option. I don't powder coat or use High Tic coating yet, because I'm buying coated bullets right now instead of making them. But I will start coating my own before I start using Alox again.
The stuff never dries and I end up with Alox finger prints all over my cases before I'm done loading them. Nasty stuff.
 
. The newer Lyman moulds seem to be cut small a lot oftener than we would like.
Me too.

Molds are regulated to different alloys, by each manufacture. Lyman #2. Lee uses lead and tin. Makes a difference in bullet diameters, as bullets drop from the mold.

My Lyman 45acp mold needs linotype added to the pot to get to .452". Antimony in the linotype makes the difference.
 
A Lyman Lubrisizer will cure a bunch of ills, including slightly out-of-round bullets IF you have enough material to play with. Try the cigarette paper method. Zags work okay. Bugles are too small.
 
A Lyman Lubrisizer will cure a bunch of ills, including slightly out-of-round bullets IF you have enough material to play with. Try the cigarette paper method. Zags work okay. Bugles are too small.
I used the Aluminum duct tape for HVAC. I figured it would be more consistent.
My Lee sizer makes them round. I have not loaded them. So I can't comment on accuracy.

I'm torn on the lubri-sizer. Or continuing down the Powder coat road.
I want deformation on impact and don't know how much PC will effect it.
 
I used the Aluminum duct tape for HVAC. I figured it would be more consistent.
My Lee sizer makes them round. I have not loaded them. So I can't comment on accuracy.

I'm torn on the lubri-sizer. Or continuing down the Powder coat road.
I want deformation on impact and don't know how much PC will effect it.
You don't say what alloy you're using. PC and GC are great for 1500fps+ loads in a .30-30. I buy them now - too lazy to cast and I just don't hunt enough with a .30-30 to bother - but a good alloy will deform without shattering if it hits bone. Put a too hard bullet through the gas bags and you're following a thin blood trail. If you're using WW or 30:1 it should be soft enough but not too.

Hard wax lube like carnauba blue or beeswax and petroleum jelly will come off with a little acetone.
 
You don't say what alloy you're using. PC and GC are great for 1500fps+ loads in a .30-30. I buy them now - too lazy to cast and I just don't hunt enough with a .30-30 to bother - but a good alloy will deform without shattering if it hits bone. Put a too hard bullet through the gas bags and you're following a thin blood trail. If you're using WW or 30:1 it should be soft enough but not too.

Hard wax lube like carnauba blue or beeswax and petroleum jelly will come off with a little acetone.
I have wheel weights and plumbers lead.
Right now I'm using Wheel weights.
I'm kind of wandering off into the weeds here.
I'm glad to see folks have good results from Beagling. I may just lapp the mold though.
 
Say you need a .312 bullet but only have a. 309 mold. Beagle up to .314, then size in a .312 sizer. This will take much of the ovalness away. Not quite like swaging, but similar
My other rifle needs a .313-.314 bullet. I'm getting a bigger mold and sizer for it.
Going from .309 to .312 got me a round .311 bullet though. It's pretty awesome being able to modify existing tools though.
 
I have never understood how expanding the mold-face separation
distance -- in one direction -- doesn't result in an oval shaped bullet.
 
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