first casting

[Kadmos]

Well my first casting went fairly well.

Got a lee .380 RB mold for my 51 navy.

Couldn't find .380 RB anywhere locally, so decided to go this route.

Cast 120, with 20 not being so great and 5 of those being really miserable. That's a good enough success rate to make me happy.

Although one little problem, .380 still isn't large enough to cut a lead ring loading. It's certainly better than .375 was..but still not quite there.

Is there any way to fairly easily enlarge the mold? probably only need another .002 or .003.

The balls are measuring .380 btw.

I'm kinda thinking jewelers rouge on a dremel bit :idunno:

 

[Tom Compton]

The balls are measuring .380 btw.

Exactly what does the cast ball mic? .380 or a couple of thousandths either way? What is the ID of each cylinder chamber?

 

[Kadmos]

Chambers mic out between .377-.380

Balls are .379-380

 

[paulvallandigham]

What does the throat of the barrel measure? If its larger than the mouth of each chamber, you are not going to get much accuracy, no matter what ball diameter you shoot. All those chambers need to have the SAME diameter, and the throat needs to be the same diameter, polished, and align with each chamber, or, rather, each chamber needs to align with the barrel. The Gap needs to be set with a feeler gauge, so that it does not exceed .003". You do need some gap to allow for expansion of the barrel and cylinder due to the heat generated by firing the gun, and for some crud that will stick to the face of the cylinder.

Most of the cylinders on these replicas DON'T align the chambers with the barrel, and the balls are shaved as they enter the throat of the barrel, splattering lead out the barrel/cylinder gap, and creating an inaccurate projectile, made worse because the damage caused at the throat allows gases to blow by and Cut the round ball.

 

[ohio ramrod]

If the mold has two seperate parts that can be removed from the handles easily you can lap the cavities. If you have access to a metal lathe send me a p.m. and I can desdcribe how to make some lapping discs. Or I could make some for you.

 

[Kadmos]

Got a chance to shoot them today. Actually did really well, no more jumping forward on recoil.

I'll probably just leave good enough alone for now

Thanks though!

 

[arcticap]

That's good news. Then they must be getting swagged into the chambers pretty good.