Casting 10mm (.401) bullets

[groverdunerider]

So I want to cast some .401 bullets using a noe 434-204-SP mold. I understand it is .033 larger then I need.so I guess my question is can I resize my cast bullets to the proper size using a slandered "push though" resizer?

[McGuiver]

Casting 10mm (.401) bullets

So I want to cast some .401 bullets using a noe 434-204-SP mold. I understand it is .033 larger then I need.so I guess my question is can I resize my cast bullets to the proper size using a slandered "push though" resizer?

0.033" is a lot to size down. Your better off getting a new mold. You usually only size about 0.003" to 0.005" at a time. You would probably need to size them down about 10 times in 0.003" to 0.005" step. Your bullets will grow in length and the bases may not be flat. I don't think you will like what you get.

Also what hardness are you casting?


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[groverdunerider]

Mcguiver thank you. I haven't bought the mold yet. But I was really interested in the spear point design of the bullet ,they just look mean. Any suggestions on a good mold? As for the lead hardness I have no clue . It is form shot form some Remington shotgun shells, scrap lead, and wheel weights.

[Whiterabbit]

First, .033 is too much. The reason you can't size down is two fold. You will lose weight uniformity (which probably will not matter if you shoot at typical handgun distance), and lose nearly all your lube groove (which probably will drastically affect the bullet performance in the barrel. Unpredictably, but most probably not in a positive way).

I've gone from .460 to .452, and that .008 leaves a very noticeable effect on the lube groove. You don't have a chance.

No suggestions for a good mold, but if you want, you can always have Accurate Molds cut you a custom. tell him what you want and he draws it up for you.

Second, your alloy. Download the .xls alloy calculator, it's great. Figure your shot is pure lead or 1% tin at most. Ditto the scrap. If range scrap go to 1% by default. zero antimony to matter. Pick stick on or clip on as appropriate in the calculator and see what spits out at you.

Chances are, at 10mm velocity, it doesn't matter anyways.

[TKM]

Sizing 44 slugs (.429) to fit a 10mm seems like an interesting use of your time.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_reviews_info.php?products_id=233&reviews_id=21

[groverdunerider]

Do you think if I took the diagram off of NOE's sight and asked accurate molds to make it in a .401 instead of the .432 he could? Also what does one of there molds run?

[groverdunerider]

TKM you know now that you mention it your right. I guess I should have done some research on resizing probably would of saved every one some time.

[rsrocket1]

Get the Lee 401-175-TC six cavity mold and a bottom pour pot. That way you can cast a bunch of bullets quickly.



If you powder coat them, the alloy is less critical. I typically use reclaimed shot and get very good fill out at 700F. The powder coat gives them a surface harness of about 22 BHN (#2 pencil). This also eliminates the need for lube which results in a much less smokey shot.



You can size them and seat them conventionally or skip sizing and seat them to where the cone meets the rim.

[Whiterabbit]

Do you think if I took the diagram off of NOE's sight and asked accurate molds to make it in a .401 instead of the .432 he could? Also what does one of there molds run?

1. YES

2. Reasonable.

[groverdunerider]

Rsrocket1 in you picture your sized bullet isn't seated as deep as your unsized ,why does the unsized need to be seated further in. Also the change in powder charge I assume is to keep form getting a spike in peressure correct?

[koehn,jim]

Why would you take the dia. from NOE s site and have accurate make it, instead of just buying it from NOE. They make very good molds.

[wbunning]

Rsrocket1 in you picture your sized bullet isn't seated as deep as your unsized ,why does the unsized need to be seated further in. Also the change in powder charge I assume is to keep form getting a spike in peressure correct?

Since the bullet is too fat, it is likely to hang up in the chamber before the brass is fully seated. There’s a shoulder in there that the rom of the case headspaces against. A too-fat bullet ogive may contact there before the case mouth, so you would have to shove the bullet farther back.

You don’t really want to do that, either. Just get a mold that drops the proper size. Since you mentioned a push-through sizer, that would indicate that you are not considering a lubri-sizer. In that case, you would probably want to consider a mold that produces tumble-lube bullets rather than lube-groove type as shown by RSRocket above. Otherwise you’ll want to pan-lube or powder coat them. Lee makes that same truncated cone 175 gr bullet in a tumble-lube design. It’s a great bullet, and I cast and shoot the heck out of them. My go-to for .40/10 .

[groverdunerider]

Koehn,joe. Noe does not make the mold I want in .401 they only make it in .432

[rsrocket1]

Very good reply wbunning, couldn't have said it better myself.

The bullets tend to drop right at .401. Powder coating increases the diameter by about 2 mils. This might work in a gun with a generous throat, but my M&P40 is pretty close in tolerance and the throat is barely over 0.401" so while fat bullets sometimes work, they also could cause the slide to not close that last bit which could cause light off center primer strikes. Stuffing a fat bullet deeper into the case eliminates the fat part of the bullet from going into the throat at all.

I now size all my PC bullets. It only takes an extra hour for 500+ bullets.

[groverdunerider]

Shunning, thank you for bringing up different designs of bullets it is really good food for thought.