Being as I was out of 38/357 boolits and the wife has taken off to the horsepistol this week and me and the dog has the run of the place, I pulled a 358429HP mould out of the cabinet and started pouring.

This was a little gem I go back a while ago from Orygun Mark that was missing the HP pin. I promptly made a .156" pin for it and since I was feeling froggy that day, I made a stepped down pin of .125" diameter for it also.

Anyhow, it casts well but has a fairly small front band on it. Now, I'm not Elmer but his designs are successful and I wanted a full diameter band for that bullet.

I proceeded to "beagle" the front band and nose portion and got the front band up to .360". Now, I don't know what this did to the nose but it looks round and concentric around the HP cavity so I'm happy.

So if you have a 358429, 358439 or 429421 that has a small front band, "beagle" the front driving band and nose portion on both halves and it will probably come up to Elmer's specs and be a lot more accurate.

If you have a 358431 or 429422 with this problem, I figure you're savy enough to fix it yourself./beagle

Y'all that migrated here from the Cast Bullet List really should fill us in on some of the terms y'all are using (and I should include a big "howdy" since you've actually gotten the Cast Bullet Forum going). While "boolit" is pretty easy to understand, "beagle" as in "beagle the front band" is not. I'm guessin' that you got a technique that your mates have dubbed "beagling" and I'd like to know what it is.

I cast, but I'm not livin' to do it like y'all. I cast to shoot, mostly pistola "boolits".

Oh, and by the way, I usually "talk" quite normally.

Hobie, thanks for the 'Big Howdy', and back atcha. 'Beagling' is a time honored ritual, not something for the unwashed heathens, only boolit people, like yourself. The process itself is appropriately named after its discoverer, our very own Beagle. It simple means opening up a mould by placement of pieces of aluminium tape on the block surfaces. In effect, what you get is a bigger boolit. You can beagle just the top of the blocks or just the bottom, and maybe get a very nicely tapered boolit, or beagle the top and bottom and enlarge the whole thing. Adding a couple thousands to a boolit diameter can mean the difference between mediocre and exceptional accuracy by being able to very precisely fit a boolit to a barrel. Hat's off the Beagle!

As an example, the RCBS 30-180-SP is a very good mould and boolit, but it's a little puny. After beagling, I get a .301 nose and .310+ driving bands, and that's shimming one side only.

The tape comes in several thicknesses, but the type sold in Wallyworld paint department is just fine. One roll is a lifetime supply.

Make sure that when you finish a session you leave the blocks parted or they may get glued together, requiring heat to separate. After removing the tape, make sure to wash the blocks in a good solvent to get all the glue off before casting again. This is a nondestructive and reversible modification that really works! sundog

[ 09-17-2003, 17:22: Message edited by: sundog ]

sundog,

Thanks for the info!

I'd noticed a reference to "beagling" in a couple of other topics. It apparently works and I see no reason why it wouldn't. Can't say that I've run into the need yet.

The boolits I cast are a Keith type for the .357/.38 Spec (one with an HP in a Lee mold), a .357 BBWC, the RCBS 180 gr. for .308/.311 cal, a .44 Keith, some muzzleloader conicals, and .350, .440, .530, .735 RBs. Think I've got some other mold as well, but, can't remember what the heck it is since I've not used it in so long. I also shoot some cast boolits I don't cast myself. Those are in .286, .310 and .378. Most of those go out one of my Contender carbine barrels.

'Course I read all about your Winnemucca (sp?) shoot. Pretty darn cool. I hope y'all are around for quite a while. Lot's of good info is posted and you seem like a good bunch of guys.

"Beagling" WORKS--period.

I was able to "fatten" Lyman #358430 x 195 grain RN to .362" and make them usable in the 38 S&W for the Webley/Enfield DAO revolver. These shoot with surprising accuracy from this old warhorse, and go where the sights point--unlike their lighter weight counterparts.

Hobie, there's alot more. sundog

http://www.castpics.net/

sundog,

Great! Thanks!!!