New BACO Elliptical Mold

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Idaholewis

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I got a new Paper Patch mold this morning for my 1:18 Twist .451 bore, It is made by Buffalo Arms, They call it their Elliptical. It is .443 Diameter, 530 Grains, the bullet is 1.46 long. I have done a TON of reading and this particular mold is recommended a BUNCH and spoken very highly of. Figured i would give it a try and see how it does? BACO uses Saeco mold blocks, i picked up a pair of Saeco handles as well since I’ve never tried them, BACO reccomends them with their blocks for a perfect fit. I also got enough 20:1 alloy for my 20 pound pot to try, 20:1 alloy is another thing I've seen HIGHLY recommended for Long Range target

Here is the mold, definitely a stream line bullet!
4fIFdp2.jpg
 
I was gonna go with an adjustable Nose pour, cupped base mold, but i have had a really hard time contacting the guy. Kal tool & Die is the name, and the mold i really wanted. I like the idea of being able to tuck the twisted tail up inside the cupped base. And obviously the adjustability, i could use it for both the 1:18 twist and shorten it up to 400 or so Grains for my 1:30 Twist. I might stil end up getting one? Gonna depend on how well i do with this new BACO Elliptical

Here is the adjustable Kal Tool & Die mold
MpyyTWy.jpg
 
Been looking at the KAL adjustable molds myself for a while now. I like a bigger meplat for a hunting bullet and they offer 3 styles. Really, ive been doing so well with grease grooves, I haven't felt it justified yet for my circumstances. I usually already have too many irons in the fire.
Molds212.gif
 
The shape and weight remind meof the Postell bullet I used to use when I shot a 45-70 Sharps(was grease groove). Was plenty accurate out to 500 yds for the rams... I never tried farther.... Killed one deer with it and it didn't seem to mind the shape of the nose... Bang, flop!

Kindest regards,

themoose
 
New maybe in PP.
Elliptical nose shape was used on the Knight 500 - it's the box bullets one gets with the rifle.

With these weights, nose shape is just a personal preference to me.. everyone want's "THE ONE", but there isn't as their is just too many other variables.
 

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Squeeze said:
Been looking at the KAL adjustable molds myself for a while now. I like a bigger meplat for a hunting bullet and they offer 3 styles. Really, ive been doing so well with grease grooves, I haven't felt it justified yet for my circumstances. I usually already have too many irons in the fire.

I had the same thought in mind on the Meplat and possibly hunting with it in my 1:30 ‘Hotrod Hawken’ i was back n forth between the widest and the middle bullet, leaning more toward the middle.
 
52Bore said:
New maybe in PP.
Elliptical nose shape was used on the Knight 500 - it's the box bullets one gets with the rifle.
Knight 451 540.jpg
With these weights, nose shape is just a personal preference to me.. everyone want's "THE ONE", but there isn't as their is just too many other variables.

52bore, After talking To Lee Shavers i agree on nose shape! I figured it would play a REALLY BIG roll? I spoke with Lee a couple of times over the phone back when I ordered his Super Grade Long Range Soule, i asked his advise on bullet shape, what he thought was the best out there? He told me something that amazed me! He was in a shoot and decided to beat the heck out of the nose of his bullets to prove it had little to no effect on accuracy, he loaded and then proceeded to bounce his Ramrod off the the bullet nose like a guy loading a Roundball, Lee said he was ROUGH on them, no doubt that would have boogered the perfect noses up! Lee said they landed right with the rest of the group, and that was 1,000 yards! Shavers has won 2 World Championships, and Many other big shoots. Lee told me to pay close attention to the bases of my bullets. The Ole boy DEFINITELY knows his business! I really enjoyed visiting with him, absolute WEALTH of knowledge!
 
themoose said:
The shape and weight remind meof the Postell bullet I used to use when I shot a 45-70 Sharps(was grease groove). Was plenty accurate out to 500 yds for the rams... I never tried farther.... Killed one deer with it and it didn't seem to mind the shape of the nose... Bang, flop!

Kindest regards,

themoose

themoose, I wouldn’t be 1 bit afraid to hit an animal with these! I do prefer a wide Meplat, but in these lead bullets i just can’t imagine them not working well? If i were gonna hunt with these i would want them softer, closer to pure lead. I won’t be hunting with these bullets, I had Custom molds cut per Caliber, i had made specifically for Hunting, From GG to PP, but I can’t see any reason these wouldn’t work if a guy chose to use them?

My first pour from the new mold went good, the next few castings will get better n better. But these turned out good, the keepers weigh within a half a Grain of eachother, They are 527-527.5 Grains with this 20:1 alloy, i had some big voids in the first few until the mold got up to temp and running good. I’m happy so far, now gotta get out and shoot them!
 
My cousin won the 2001 World LR ML Championship with a bullet that had 1/4" metplat. His dad who made the bullet, believe like Captain Heaton in a nose heavy bullet at LR. I works..
I could only place 3rd in the one World match I shot in..ha
Listen to Lee, he good for the sport.
The LR group is pretty close and small, and if there was an exact bullet that 'cleaned house every-time' we'd all be using it..
 
52Bore said:
My cousin won the 2001 World LR ML Championship with a bullet that had 1/4" metplat. His dad who made the bullet, believe like Captain Heaton in a nose heavy bullet at LR. I works..
I could only place 3rd in the one World match I shot in..ha
Listen to Lee, he good for the sport.
The LR group is pretty close and small, and if there was an exact bullet that 'cleaned house every-time' we'd all be using it..

3rd! I’d be all kinds of happy with that! 52, it is very obvious that you are a well accomplished shooter, i very much respect your input in these threads! Since I started putting this Long Range Sidelock together You and 45cal have jumped right in with solid advise, it is greatly appreciated! I am excited to get out and start swinging at long range targets, i am Confident in my ability to shoot, the interesting part is gonna be how well i can see that far away? I have every 17 insert that Lee makes, There’s Bound to be something in there that works for me? I am excited about the circles, i bought a card that has all of Lee’s circle sizes. After getting my right eye badly cut years ago i have never been the same in it, but the AMAZING part is when I restrict down and look through a peep hole i feel i can see really well again, its an odd deal?? Regular open sights just don’t work with me anymore, a fuzzy mess is the best description i can give (hence why every Muzzleloader i own has a peep sight setup on it) Its doubtful i will get to start shooting any distance til spring time, we have about 2 ft of snow and I just can't get anywhere off rd much, and the next few months are usually our biggest snow months. About all i can get for yardage now is 75-80, i figure i can work on load development, and Patching technique at the bullet base.

Lee Shavers is a darn good guy in my book! I have spoke with him over the phone a handful of times over the last few years and he has been more than happy to take the time and visit, and give me advice, that says a LOT to me about his character! It would have Been just as easy, or easier for him to push me to the side, but he never has, and I know he’s a BUSY guy! I asked Lee what his best Group to date was at 1,000 yards? He told me 5 shots in 8 inches! The funny part about that was his spotter, After Lee shot that group he asked his spotter what he thought of that? The guy layed down with his rifle and said ‘I’ll show ya what i think of that’ he fired and put the shot right in the middle! LOL! Dave Gullo has been very good to me as well, i do a lot of business over at Buffalo Arms since i live so close, I don’t see Gullo in there that often, but when i do he always stops and visits, and very willing to help in anyway he can. Dave is a VERY accomplished shooter himself! Good guy’s!
 
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