Bullet fit

[perry owens]

Spent some time cutting down 100 50-70 cases to form 56-50 Spencer rounds so I can spend some range time if the ground ever dries out enough to get up the road to it. It's tricky to measure the bore size of a 3-groove bore but as far as I can tell the bullet mould I have throws them out at about bore diameter, at 0.515in. I like to have bullets that are 0.001 or 0.002 over bore size so I am a bit concerned that these might tumble and I have wasted my time loading them.
Here is one I drove through the bore with a wooden rod

The rifling has engraved it ok so if black powder bumps it up a bit It might take a spin. With Spencer moulds at $125 each I don't want to buy any more. Any opinions guys?

Perry Owens

[Nath]

Can you lap the mold Perry?

Is it soft lead, the bullet?

Nath.

[TedH]

You could beagle the mold. Get some thin aluminum tape and place a couple small strips between mold blocks when you cast. There is a lot more info on this practice over at the cast boolits forum.

[perry owens]

Can you lap the mold Perry?

Is it soft lead, the bullet?

It's 20:1 alloy. If I go any softer the lip of the breechblock gouges the ogive of the bullet when it pushes it back into the magazine.
Perry Owens

[Pisgah]

My friend, I have to say this :

"Worry is always worthwhile, and I know it for a fact. The things I worry about never happen!"

Heck, it's all fun -- go out, shoot them, and see what happens. Odds are probably at least even that they'll do fine. If not -- well, all of life is a leaning curve.

[Gun Smith]

Looks to me like you got a pretty good "bite" on the bullet. As others said, load a few rounds and try it.

[76/444]

Looks like you may get some leading from gas cutting through the grooves, where they don't seal.


jomo