I bought a couple of moulds off Lee's surplus page and they have the narrowest base bands I have ever seen in my life, .040. After seeing them, I believe that Lee cut the 340 .45-70 mould too shallow and decided to assign it a new number and sell it, anyway.

You think there is any chance that these things will shoot?

I have decided to follow the "cast now and complain later" principle, but I ain't real happy.

I bet it will shoot fine, or at lead no worse than a similar bullet with a longer base band.

Veral made a few bullets with itty bitty bands, including the base bands, and they shot fine by all accounts.

I have not seen any data proving the superiority of long base bands. That may be just another one of the old wive's tales that abound in this endeavor.

I got one too and noticed the same thing. I haven't had time to cast any yet to see how they worked.

I thought about milling/surfacing the block till that band disappears. The idea being that the lube groove might make a place for a gas check. Anyone know if a gas check will adequately fit step of that groove?

-Z

[ 11-26-2003, 20:38: Message edited by: Zach ]

Zach, I'm gonna give them fair shot and if they don't work out, I'm gonna make up a .460 end cutter and take that ridge for the bottom lube groove out.

First tries don't look good.