I cast some boolits from WW before I sent the mold back. I tried them today with Lee liquid alox lube. Really bad, group at 50 was 4-5/8" with the same load my hard cast and Felix shot 1-1/2". Bore full of lead again. I might have to buy some LBT's but I am broke right now and have no time to make molds either. Maybe if Lee sends the right size mold, they will shoot OK. I also have to try a lighter boolit.

The new BFR .480/.475 LB is on the way. I need a mold fast since I don't have time to make one yet so I found the Lee 400 gr. plain base. Other then a custom mold, it is the only one listed for this caliber so far. I will be using 296 and wonder if anyone has a good accurate load for this weight boolit.
I asked Lee why they didn't put a gas check on it and they gave me the sales pitch for a custom mold. Kind of disappointing that they made a plain base for a magnum caliber.

Hi BFR
This load shoots very good in my SRH 480:LEE 400gr LFNPB-
Primers-WLP
H110- 21.0gr-1131
"----22.0gr-1177
"----23.0gr-1207

Thanks, the gun came today and the dies and mold should be here monday. I can't wait!

I guess I got lucky with my mold, because they drop dead on .475" when cast from wheel weights. The alignment pins in Lee's 2 cavity mold can pick up bits of lead which prevents complete closing, and will thus cast oversize and otu of round.

What type of lube are you using?

You might want to try to cast them softer and see if that prevents the leading. Harder isn't always the cure for leading, and an air cooled wheel wheight bullet of ~BHN 11-13 can be driven 1200-1300 fps w/o leading if a good lube is used.

Hope this helps.

Hi BFR
email me with your addy,
I will send you some (75-100)400gr LFNPB sized-.476 Monday
Sean

Paul, I envy you getting a mold of the right size. I am the cleanest caster you will ever find. I can cast for days and there will never be a lead splatter inside or outside on my mold. I lube the correct spots and am extremely fussy and inspect the mold often.
This mold makes a boolit so large I would need a 6# hammer to get it through the throats. The grease grooves are small and sizing would make them smaller.
I use Felix lube and add tin and antimony to wheel weights to make them harder. I shoot the same alloy and lube from .44 mag, 45-70, .44 mag rifle and .45 Colt with NO lead at all in the bores, not a speck. I have driven them to over 1700 fps in the 45-70 without leading.
This boolit is just being destroyed in the throats and there is no lube left for the bore.
I am going to cast some from wheel weights tomorrow to see if they come out smaller.
Softer will work with an undersize boolit to bump it up to fill the bore. My problem is a boolit so large that it is squeezed almost smooth before reaching the bore.
I will say one thing about the BFR. All the lead wiped out with patches because the bore is smooth. Didn't even need a brush. I made sure all copper was removed from the factory firing before I shot it too.

Also on the Lee 476/400RF the rear driving band is VERY thick. this alone prevents bumping up and sealing the lube for the Hydraulic effect. I have one of the early proto-types. .375" ntc. Like paul said. Cast them softer and use a soft lube. Let me know if you want some samples. I have several molds for the 475/480.

Jim

Paul, which crimp groove are you using? I am using the lower one to keep pressure down, of course it takes more powder for velocity. My chambers are cut for the Linebaugh also so I have lots of room.

JML, I have the opposite problem. My Lee mold makes a boolit that is over .004" too large and they get sized down in the tight BFR throats. My groove dia is .475 and the throats are .4755. The boolits are .4794. Please, no bump up needed.
I sent back the mold today.