Question about sluging

[grubbylabs]

Hope this is the right place to ask


I put a slug through each end of my barrel on my springer XD 45 auto. both slugs read .449 so what size die and mold am I supposed to get? And what about the Lee sizing dies that go in your regular press?

Thanks

[462]

That seems too skinny by .002".

[grubbylabs]

Just measured again and you are right they are .451 at the muzzle and .450 at the chamber end.
Thanks

[stainless1911]

I thought a barrel was supposed to get smaller at the muzzle.

[MtGun44]

If you are using a caliper, you are only good for +/- .001". You really need a
0.0001" micrometer for this work.

Check out:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INLMKD?S...01=1&SICOUNT=1

This is a REAL bargain.

I have zero connection to Enco other than being as satisfied customer.

Bill

[x101airborne]

Ja, .001 isnt bad end to end variance, but it dont make things any easier. Beings that you have that constriction and youre working with a pretty easy weapon to cast for, I would go for straight .452 diamater sizers and keep the alloy fairly soft. Like air cooled wheel weights. I am fairly inexperienced, so get a second opinion on what I said. It is VERY limited experience that leads me to this suggestion.

[HangFireW8]

This is a REAL bargain.

Sorry, Bill, this link just brings up an empty shopping cart.

-HF

[grubbylabs]

Sorry, Bill, this link just brings up an empty shopping cart.

-HF

that is not such a great bargain.

[Tazman1602]

I think this:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=890-9844


is what MntGun wanted to point you to.

Art

[deltaenterprizes]

Be careful a lot of those cheap micrometers have the graduations etched instead of engraved.

[gnoahhh]

There aren't many bargains in the world of metrology (the science of measuring). Get the very best .0001" mics you can afford.

[timkelley]

Grubby, try .452 my XD loves lead at that measurement.

[RobS]

You should be good to go with .452 and air cooled WW alloy or equivalent works well in my XD. I've shot both water quenched (when I first started) and now air cooled. Air cooled WW boolits need time to age harden (1 week minimum to 2 weeks) so when seating the boolit the base doesn't swag down to a smaller diameter. This is important as a person will very easily have leading shooting a swaged bullet. Make sure the boolit is leaving the case and hitting the barrel at your intended diameter should you have leading issues. Just load up one and pull it if there are any doubts.

That is where a water quenched bullet has its advantages regarding reloading and shooting bullets right away. A water quenched bullet can reach or exceed air cooled hardness within 7-8 hours. I'm not saying that water quenched is better as I've had better accuracy from air cooled with 90% of the molds I've tried for the 45 ACP. I remember one particular mold that wouldn't group nearly as well unless the bullets were water quenched hard. Some molds produce boolits where the alloy hardness don't matter either one way or the other. The mold that I prominently shoot now much prefers softer alloy for accuracy which is great since it's a hollow point mold.