First chamber cast

[beltfed]

The BACO JIM# 405390E is designed with a 0.190" long base band,
base dia is 0.405, body is 0.395. Length 1.325" for excellent stability in 16 twist
for which it was designed.
BACO can change the base and body diameters for you,
I note that DT has suggested those diameters to specify.
I recently purchased a Baco 38 cal DDEPP mold and it is a work of art,
perfectly cut to my design dimensions. Casting is a pleasure.
beltfed/arnie
beltfed/arnie

[beltfed]

   
Here is an example of my 1.325" long DDEPP bullet in 16 twist 40-65.
This example is the same as the Jim 403380E. It has a longer base band of 0.325" than the Jim 405390E because of my 0.150' freebore. Over 74.5 gr Swiss 1.5, it clocks 1402fps from my 30" barrel.
Stabile out to 1K
beltfed/arnie

PS, No, I do not work for BACO...

[Kurt]

Arnie.
All of your posts on the DDEPP bullets has me interested. I have a BACO .40 caliber mould that is to small in diameter and at almost 1.490" long I think I will put the fly cutter in the mill and shorten that cavity up to 1.325" and put the boring bar in and open it to your .405 base. I haven't used that mould since BA has been making moulds. This is one of the first two pin moulds they made. Dave called me when they were gearing up for making moulds and asked me what I would want in a .40 caliber PP cavity. But I had it made to long and not wide enough because I wanted it for a hunting bullet so I can shoot without fouling control.
I think this will be a good project learning how to use this new mill.

[Distant Thunder]

Arnie,

I did not know BACO would adjust the diameters per request. That definitely makes that bullet a excellent choice.

If I ever get my .44-77 I will have to see if they would add your 2-diameter .44 design to their catalog.

[beltfed]

JIm,
I am now working on a 44-100/19 twist bullet for Matt Steckel .
He bought a Badger barreled rebuilt orig Rem Hep from an
'old timer, Jerry Bordson, who had shot in early days at Lodi
with Ernie S.
Well keep you in the loop on this project where I am shortening up
that .44 tentative design I had sent you.
beltfed/arnie

[Distant Thunder]

Arnie,

I remember Jerry and of course I know Matt. I will follow your efforts closely. There would be a fair amount of interest in a long range bullet for the .44 caliber 19-twist rifles. Your design should be just the ticket.

I am getting ahead of myself with molds for this 17-twist .44-77 and I know it. That's the price of waiting a long time. I will ultimately need a 2-diameter long range bullet. I have a hunting bullet worked out and a mold maker set up. So the long range bullet is the only thing I have not done much on. I'll have to call BACO and talk to them.

[Kurt]

Jim.

I just got some drill rods and I'm going to grind some D bits and with your experiences with the Machining what is the best type of wheels and grit to use? also the final lapping? I have the diamond for corse down to the Arkansas.
I don't want to invest in a Tool grinder.

[Distant Thunder]

Kurt,

What are you running your grinding wheels in. We always used a surface grinder and an index head (coffee grinder as we called it). Wheels vary a lot from make to make. The last several years I used U.S. Diamond Wheel. Before that we got them from a local manufacturer by the name of United Abrasives, but they went out of business. They made good wheels.

For our 1/2 x 8 x 1 1/4" we used 46H for roughing and square grinding. Then 60K, 80K and 100K for form grinding.

The cutter I made up recently is a 4-flute and I did all the work in the mill, finishing the flutes completely to size while soft and then just hand stoned the cutting edges after heat treating. I used A-2 tool steel because it is what I had that was 1/2 diameter. The first test it didn't cut as well as I hoped, but with a little careful stoning it did a pretty good job the second try. That one is a .44 caliber. Next I'll make a .45 caliber and learning as I go it should turn out better.

The profile could be turned in a lathe and the flutes cut in a mill. Probably still need a little hand work for the reliefs.


I'll see if I can remember to take a picture of it next week and post it here.


I've made all sorts of cutters, reamers and even taps over the years, but this is a little different. I never had much luck with "D" type cutters, but they do work.

[Kurt]

Jim I just have a bench grinder and a wet grinder. I also use a side grinder locked down I can put a rough diamond blasé in for shaping the cutter.
I have used a straight flute drill bit I reshaped the cutting shape along with first drilling a undersized hole and then going in with the straight flute. It more or less worked like a chucking reamer with a rounded nose.

[Kurt]

Really all I need is reshape a insert the shape of the ogive and modify a boring bar to hold it. I plan on using the boring bar to cut the shank then use the nose shape in the collet to finish the ogive.
I can see I will make a lot of metal ships with this new toy LOL.
I could use a old lathe parting blade to form the ogive. I have a bunch of them in the drawer.