Resize Lee tumble lube bullets?
I've reloaded for years but only with jacketed bullets. Now I have a
10mm EAA Witness and decided to try cast bullets, used a Lee mold, .401 tumble lube, 175 grain. I water quenched the hot bullets right out of the mold and made about 400 the first run. I have a couple of questions about the resulting bullets.
1. micrometer says they are .404 to .405 size and weigh 186 to 192 grains. I used 1 part linotype lead to 4 parts pure soft lead and water quenched. Is this a 'normal' size and weight?
2. I think the bullets need to be resized, am I right?
3. why the heavier weight than advertised? wrong mix lead to lino? Opinions please![:I][?]
10mm EAA Witness and decided to try cast bullets, used a Lee mold, .401 tumble lube, 175 grain. I water quenched the hot bullets right out of the mold and made about 400 the first run. I have a couple of questions about the resulting bullets.
1. micrometer says they are .404 to .405 size and weigh 186 to 192 grains. I used 1 part linotype lead to 4 parts pure soft lead and water quenched. Is this a 'normal' size and weight?
2. I think the bullets need to be resized, am I right?
3. why the heavier weight than advertised? wrong mix lead to lino? Opinions please![:I][?]
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Slug the bore of the pistol. Size the bullets .001 larger then groove diameter. I wouldn't worry to much about the weight. Long as you work up accurate loads with them thats all that matters. I wouldn't try to load them to hot though, even if you quenched them out of the mold. Lead handgun bullets without gas checks should be loaded no faster then 1000 fps, IMHO. 0 -
Normally Pure 100% Lead will cast a smaller but heavier bullet then one mixed with Linotype in the same mold . Unless you buy a mold made by someone like LEE, most molds are made to use a LUBER-SIZER. With that said I would try your bullets in loaded cases about 10 or so . The KEY to lead bullets in a semi auto pistol is to have the bullet at least .001 OVER GROOVE NOT bore diameter . too small a bullet will both strip as well as foul /lead the bore . the too large bullet because in a straight sided case will not chamber. So bottom line if the 10 rounds you load chamber then they are good to go if proper powder charge.even pure lead will not foul the bore ifover size and proper lube.if your bullets are heavier then what the spec calls for reduce the powder charge to the amount used for the book load of next heavier factory bullet 0 -
Thanx for the info, experience is priceless and I appreciate it.
I pushed a soft lead bullet through the barrel and mic'ed its largest diameter...was between.402 and .4015, smallest was .398 to .400 measured in the groove left by the rifling. This barrel I just got
from EAA in Florida and was supposed to be new but was received with a huge amount of fouling and residue full length inside and quite a bit around the chamber area outside. After I contacted the shop at EAA and I was told I was wrong, they don't sell used barrels and I was making false statements I decided to check with people here who actually know what they're talking about. BTW, I wore out one bronze brush and used 92 cotton patches getting the fouling out of the barrel so I really suspect the barrel was actually 'used' as opposed to 'new' which I actually expected and paid for.
I think I'll get a sizer for a .40 and have it polished oversize to match the barrel, seems like the best way to go now.
I've reloaded before but always with factory jacketed bullets. This is my first with a semi auto pistol and cast bullets so I'm eager to start working up some loads. BTW I've got a TC Pro Hunter 6.5-284 as my long gun,(with Bellm parts and springs), a TC Contender 45 LC 10 inch with a scope for shorter ranges and a repro Hawken .58 for making smoke signals. That doesn't count the 10/22's, S&W 617 10 shot and various .17 and .22's for spares.
Thanks again for the info, I'll try to put it to good use.
Toploader0 -
GET yourself some KROIL this if left to soak 24 hours with inside of barrel wet cork or other plug in each end and just shake it every few hours will let ALL fouling be removed with just a few passes with a brush and then one dry patch. TRY IT YOU WILL LIKE IT. I get 100,000 rounds through my match barrels shooting lead loads and only change barrels because of slide stop pin wear or lower locking lugs and hood to slide clearance. 0
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