well damn my luck! - Page 3

Doc Hoy · June 23, 2013, 10:06 AM

I just have to brag about my spring loaded mold handles.

I came up with this idea about two years ago because I was surprised by the variation in ball diameter. I was pretty careful about lead, temperature, cooling and such so I rationalized that I was not consistently holding the molds tight. I made a concerted effort to do that and got better roundballs. (Less variation in diameter)

But my hands got so tired that I couldn't mold a lot of bullets at a time.

So I started using the spring loaded handles which I cobbled together in my shop. Consistency of diameter was so good I was beating Hornady purchased round balls.

I just made up some .375s and these balls have a standard deviation in diameter which is down below .0002. In terms of there weight, the variation is too small to measure with the scale I use.

I don't know if this converts to better shooting but it certainly can't hurt.

Bill Akins · June 23, 2013, 10:16 AM

Could you please post some pics of how you spring loaded them Doc?

.

Doc Hoy · June 23, 2013, 11:25 AM

Here is the first one.

Doc Hoy · June 23, 2013, 11:27 AM

thebser · June 23, 2013, 11:39 AM

thats a great idea! seems like it would work well!

Doc Hoy · June 23, 2013, 01:00 PM

Some one suggested (a coupla posts back) that you might want to be thinking about casting your own bullets.

They are absolutely correct. The more stuff you can do for yourself, the more you isolate yourself from the problems with the supply chain.

If you have a source of wheel weights (Which, apparently you do) you can have bullets essentially for free. Buy them and they are about 10 to 15 cents each round.

thebser · June 23, 2013, 01:05 PM

ill hafta do some research and maybe buy a press! i like the idea of making my own ammo! To bad I cant make my own BP too lol them in an apocolypse id be set

Hawg · June 23, 2013, 02:26 PM

Quote:

To bad I cant make my own BP too lol them in an apocolypse id be set

You can. You can even make your own caps if you can find an old tapocap.

thebser · June 23, 2013, 02:56 PM

Ive been looking up "tap o caps" and i have to say its pretty cool! i think it would be great to make our own supplys! The way the gun laws and legislations are going it wouldnt hurt to know we could make what we need! this BP intrest of mine has turned into a obsession! I want it all! lol more importantly I MUST HAVE MORE BP GUNS!!! Rifles,revolvers,single shots,flintlocks,blunderbuss! CANNON!!!! maybe im crazy but i really think this is great!

thebser · June 23, 2013, 05:57 PM

http://www.possibleshop.com/pistol-c...arms-kits.html

Bill Akins · June 26, 2013, 01:58 PM

Great job on those homemade spring handles Doc. I like the results you got by them having consistent closed pressure.

.

Doc Hoy · June 27, 2013, 06:08 AM

My thought was to try to reduce just one more variable.

maillemaker · June 27, 2013, 07:58 AM

Are the springs forcing the mold closed or open?

Steve

Hawg · June 27, 2013, 08:27 AM

It holds them closed. Look at the pics.

Doc Hoy · June 27, 2013, 10:07 PM

The handles had to be designed in reverse.

North East Redneck · June 28, 2013, 06:12 PM

All around a great thread.
It was mentioned earlier about greasing the nipple threads, I've always used gorilla grease made by TC for nipples and breech plugs. Works very well. What do you guys use?

Beagle333 · June 28, 2013, 07:45 PM

A teeny pinhead of a dollup of that stinky blue axle grease, applied to the nipple threads with a toothpick.

Actually, I do have a small tube labeled "Breech Plug Grease", sold by Knight, that touts having DuPont Teflon in it, and is also blue and stinky..... hmmmmmm

For breech plugs, I've started using a couple of wraps of teflon tape. It is waaaay cleaner when it's time to scrub down, than the stinky grease.

Sure Shot Mc Gee · June 29, 2013, 08:45 AM

Electrical contact grease. More sticky like honey than greasy to the touch. Use to use anti seize the silvery looking stuff used on spark plugs threads. But that stuff ends up all over the place. Worst-case scenario at the time. My glass's.__

Noz · June 29, 2013, 11:15 PM

Spark plug grease from the Auto Parts store. Very cheap and effective.

I Have over 40 pounds of round balls that are too large for my guns.

Aluminum molds with brass mounted steel alignment pins swaged in. The brass backed out of the aluminum enough to give a little ridge. That little ridge made my 454 round balls measure in the vicinity of 460. I get to melt them all down and start over. I done some quantity of casting and never had a size problem before. I have to learn the hard way so I'll check my size throughout the c asting run from now on.

Hellgate · June 30, 2013, 08:38 AM

Noz,
Are they dead soft? I've used .457 on occasion in all my C&Bs and they are not that much harder to ram. You could use the .460s for monthly matches in Remingtons and save the correct sized ones for shoots that count. Whenever I do a casting I sort the bullets/balls into grades A, B, & C. The "Cs" are wrinkly and get shot up in monthlies right away. The Bs are tumbled a bit (10-20 min) and look like "factory" except for the rounded sprue. I hate to see you go through unnecessary work.

indy1919 · June 30, 2013, 03:22 PM

Doc the bullet mold springs are FLIPPING GENIUS...Simple and smart

&

thebser Where abouts in Indiana Do you Reside????????

Doc Hoy · June 30, 2013, 04:56 PM

See the title.

thebser · June 30, 2013, 07:32 PM

i live right on the border of KY in a lil town called rockport! its a nice lil town

indy1919 · July 1, 2013, 08:28 AM

Hello thebser

Asked because I am from Central Indiana and was going to invite you to my range and Help if we where closer, where as not as smart as most here... But I do know what end of the tube the rounds come out of...

My gosh you almost live next door to Whitakers gun store In Owenboro...

Maybe one of the best gun shops in the Midwest

thebser · July 1, 2013, 07:20 PM

I work in owensboro and have been there alot! im going there this weekend to pick up a few things....

June 23, 2013, 10:06 AM	#51
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	THis is prolly a good ways away from the OP's topic but... I just have to brag about my spring loaded mold handles. I came up with this idea about two years ago because I was surprised by the variation in ball diameter. I was pretty careful about lead, temperature, cooling and such so I rationalized that I was not consistently holding the molds tight. I made a concerted effort to do that and got better roundballs. (Less variation in diameter) But my hands got so tired that I couldn't mold a lot of bullets at a time. So I started using the spring loaded handles which I cobbled together in my shop. Consistency of diameter was so good I was beating Hornady purchased round balls. I just made up some .375s and these balls have a standard deviation in diameter which is down below .0002. In terms of there weight, the variation is too small to measure with the scale I use. I don't know if this converts to better shooting but it certainly can't hurt. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

June 23, 2013, 10:16 AM	#52
Bill Akins Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2007 Location: Hudson, Florida Posts: 1,135	Could you please post some pics of how you spring loaded them Doc? . __________________ "This is my Remy and this is my Colt. Remy loads easy and topstrap strong, Colt balances better and never feels wrong. A repro black powder revolver gun, they smoke and shoot lead and give me much fun. I can't figure out which one I like better, they're both fine revolvers that fit in my leather". "To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target".

June 23, 2013, 11:25 AM	#53
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Two differnt styles Here is the first one. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

June 23, 2013, 11:27 AM	#54
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	And here is the second one __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

June 23, 2013, 11:39 AM	#55
thebser Member Join Date: June 18, 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 95	great idea thats a great idea! seems like it would work well!

June 23, 2013, 01:00 PM	#56
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Thebser Some one suggested (a coupla posts back) that you might want to be thinking about casting your own bullets. They are absolutely correct. The more stuff you can do for yourself, the more you isolate yourself from the problems with the supply chain. If you have a source of wheel weights (Which, apparently you do) you can have bullets essentially for free. Buy them and they are about 10 to 15 cents each round. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

June 23, 2013, 01:05 PM	#57
thebser Member Join Date: June 18, 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 95	ill hafta do some research and maybe buy a press! i like the idea of making my own ammo! To bad I cant make my own BP too lol them in an apocolypse id be set

June 23, 2013, 02:56 PM	#59
thebser Member Join Date: June 18, 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 95	Holy mackrel Ive been looking up "tap o caps" and i have to say its pretty cool! i think it would be great to make our own supplys! The way the gun laws and legislations are going it wouldnt hurt to know we could make what we need! this BP intrest of mine has turned into a obsession! I want it all! lol more importantly I MUST HAVE MORE BP GUNS!!! Rifles,revolvers,single shots,flintlocks,blunderbuss! CANNON!!!! maybe im crazy but i really think this is great!

June 23, 2013, 05:57 PM	#60
thebser Member Join Date: June 18, 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 95	Great site http://www.possibleshop.com/pistol-c...arms-kits.html

June 26, 2013, 01:58 PM	#61
Bill Akins Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2007 Location: Hudson, Florida Posts: 1,135	Great job on those homemade spring handles Doc. I like the results you got by them having consistent closed pressure. . __________________ "This is my Remy and this is my Colt. Remy loads easy and topstrap strong, Colt balances better and never feels wrong. A repro black powder revolver gun, they smoke and shoot lead and give me much fun. I can't figure out which one I like better, they're both fine revolvers that fit in my leather". "To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target".

June 27, 2013, 06:08 AM	#62
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Thanks Bill My thought was to try to reduce just one more variable. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

June 27, 2013, 07:58 AM	#63
maillemaker Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2010 Posts: 1,635	Are the springs forcing the mold closed or open? Steve

June 27, 2013, 08:27 AM	#64
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	It holds them closed. Look at the pics.

June 27, 2013, 10:07 PM	#65
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Yep, The springs hold them closed The handles had to be designed in reverse. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

June 28, 2013, 06:12 PM	#66
North East Redneck Senior Member Join Date: June 6, 2012 Location: Berkshire Hills Posts: 741	All around a great thread. It was mentioned earlier about greasing the nipple threads, I've always used gorilla grease made by TC for nipples and breech plugs. Works very well. What do you guys use? __________________ NRA Patron Member SAF Life Member GOAL Member

June 28, 2013, 07:45 PM	#67
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	A teeny pinhead of a dollup of that stinky blue axle grease, applied to the nipple threads with a toothpick. Actually, I do have a small tube labeled "Breech Plug Grease", sold by Knight, that touts having DuPont Teflon in it, and is also blue and stinky..... hmmmmmm For breech plugs, I've started using a couple of wraps of teflon tape. It is waaaay cleaner when it's time to scrub down, than the stinky grease. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile. Last edited by Beagle333; June 28, 2013 at 07:52 PM.

June 29, 2013, 08:45 AM	#68
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	Electrical contact grease. More sticky like honey than greasy to the touch. Use to use anti seize the silvery looking stuff used on spark plugs threads. But that stuff ends up all over the place. Worst-case scenario at the time. My glass's.__

June 29, 2013, 11:15 PM	#69
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	Spark plug grease from the Auto Parts store. Very cheap and effective. I Have over 40 pounds of round balls that are too large for my guns. Aluminum molds with brass mounted steel alignment pins swaged in. The brass backed out of the aluminum enough to give a little ridge. That little ridge made my 454 round balls measure in the vicinity of 460. I get to melt them all down and start over. I done some quantity of casting and never had a size problem before. I have to learn the hard way so I'll check my size throughout the c asting run from now on.

June 30, 2013, 08:38 AM	#70
Hellgate Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Location: Orygun Posts: 869	Noz, Are they dead soft? I've used .457 on occasion in all my C&Bs and they are not that much harder to ram. You could use the .460s for monthly matches in Remingtons and save the correct sized ones for shoots that count. Whenever I do a casting I sort the bullets/balls into grades A, B, & C. The "Cs" are wrinkly and get shot up in monthlies right away. The Bs are tumbled a bit (10-20 min) and look like "factory" except for the rounded sprue. I hate to see you go through unnecessary work. __________________ With over 15 perCUSSIN' revolvers, I've been called the Imelda Marcos of cap & ball. SASS#3302 (Life), SASS Regulator, NRA (Life), Dirty Gamey Bastards #129 Wolverton Mtn. Peacekeepers (WA), former Orygun Cowboy (Ranger, Posse from Hell)

June 30, 2013, 03:22 PM	#71
indy1919 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2011 Posts: 277	Doc the bullet mold springs are FLIPPING GENIUS...Simple and smart & thebser Where abouts in Indiana Do you Reside????????

June 30, 2013, 04:56 PM	#72
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Thanks Indy See the title. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

June 30, 2013, 07:32 PM	#73
thebser Member Join Date: June 18, 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 95	Indy i live right on the border of KY in a lil town called rockport! its a nice lil town

July 1, 2013, 08:28 AM	#74
indy1919 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2011 Posts: 277	Hello thebser Asked because I am from Central Indiana and was going to invite you to my range and Help if we where closer, where as not as smart as most here... But I do know what end of the tube the rounds come out of... My gosh you almost live next door to Whitakers gun store In Owenboro... Maybe one of the best gun shops in the Midwest

July 1, 2013, 07:20 PM	#75
thebser Member Join Date: June 18, 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 95	OMG I work in owensboro and have been there alot! im going there this weekend to pick up a few things....

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