I am trying to reload some bullets I cast. I've been loading purchased bullets for a while and have the hang of it.

However, when using my cast bullets, I was getting bulges in the cases at the base of the bullets.

I used this mold

Lee 6-Cavity Bullet Mold TL358-158-2R 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 38 Colt New Police (358 Diameter) 158 Grain Tumble Lube 2 Ogive Radius

Which I thought could be reloaded without resizing. I lubed the bullets. When I checked the size with the micrometer, it was a little bit larger than the rest of the bullet (like .360-364 vs 357-358 for the rest of the bullet. In other words, the final ring at the base of the bullet is a little larger than the rest of the bullet.

Then I thought I might have a defective mold, so I checked some 9mm I cast as well. Same type of mold, and same problem, base a little larger.

What, if anything, have I done wrong?

I bought these dies because I thought I would only need to lube the bullets, not resize them all.

Any help appreciated. RCBS dies are being used.

Thanks

I use one of those same designs for my 38/357 loads but of the two cavity version,all my bullets drop consistently at .360 dia. from both cavities. Have you checked each cavity separately to see what dia. bullets they drop?

The .360 dia. bullets shouldn't really give you any problems,I shoot that size in my Ruger all the time,the .364 dia. bullets on the other hand will give you issues loading and chambering and resizing that bullet down to .360 will pretty much remove all the lube grooves. .001 to .002 over groove dia. is what your looking for.

I've never cast with any six cavity molds so I don't know if there are any casting techniques that will cause the problems your having or not but going form a .360 dia. to a .364 dia. bullets is a pretty large jump in dia.

Only the base is too big. The rest of the bullet is the correct diameter. If I sized it, I would just shear off a little of the diameter of the base ring, and the grooves would not be affected. It's like a stack of donuts where the bottom one is slightly too large in diameter.

quote:

Originally posted by dyrwolf:
Only the base is too big. The rest of the bullet is the correct diameter. If I sized it, I would just shear off a little of the diameter of the base ring, and the grooves would not be affected. It's like a stack of donuts where the bottom one is slightly too large in diameter.

Look your mold blocks over really good for lead splatter on the faces, one of these near top of block could be the problem. On the six cavity molds you hold only the mold handles, don't hold the sprue cutter handle while pouring as it can force the blocks apart. If you have to size the TL design it works just fine, I seat the gascheck, size and lube in conventional Lubesizer for TL bullet for 357 mag, I'm sizing only about .002" though.

If the base is the only part that is oversized than you want have any problems resizing the bullet.

Also if it's only the base that is oversized as long as they chamber it shouldn't be a problem either,they will be squeezed down by the chambers throat dia. The thing to do is make a dummy rd. using one of the smaller and larger dia, cast bullets and try it in each chamber and see if it chambers and extracts easily,if not your going to need to resize them which is quiet easily done with the Lee push through sizer.

The problem with the bulged case come from the fact that your pistol die expander ball is designed to work best with jacketed bullets they don't need to be oversized like a cast bullet does so naturally the oversized cast bullet is going to expand the case out more when seated and the bulge is more noticeable.

As long as it not causing any chambering problem and squeezing the lead bullets dia. down the bulge want be an issue.

If you need a sizer Ranch Dog sell a Lee .359 push through sizer. http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.co...=2_33&products_id=62 If you need to enlarge any Lee push through sizer you can do that yourself and make your own custom sizer dia. http://www.castpics.net/subsit...20a%20Size%20Die.pdf

the only thing i see wrong is you haven't tried them.
the tumble lube designs depend on oversize to work correctly, the lead must seal as the lube has no capability to help.