Flat base or bevel base

[heavy metal]

In cast lead bullets; what do u think is more popular? What do u like? Flat base bullets or beveled base bullets. What about tip shape? Round nose, flat point, rnfp, or wad cutter? Tell me what u think people will buy.

[heavy metal]

I'm suprised no one is commenting on this subject.

[Joe4d]

No one is commenting because:

1. Wrong section,

2. It's only been two hours,

Edited August 8, 2009 by Joe4d

[SLM]

Well, considering this in the "What I like" section, I like bevel base lead. I think there's less chance of shaving the bullet with bevel base and I've always had good luck with them in 9mm.

[MisterB]

Accuracy wise I have never been able to tell the difference. I do believe bevel base are easier to load. That being said, if flat base were cheaper, I'd buy flat base.

[gm iprod]

Most of what I sell is now bevel based, all made on Magma machines. According to the manufacturer we use they are easier to mould, easier to size and I think they are easier to load with.

I have done accuracy test when a very good freind of mine had a projectile manufacturing business and we sold his product. (He quit because of a variety of non lead related health hassles) he had a variety of Magma, Saeco and Lyman moulds madified to run on his machine.

Bevel based were no less or no more accurate on average. There were some particularly accurate bullets, flat based, that a similar weight, sized and shaped bevel base just did not work well, and the same applied the other way round in a few cases.

Bevel based bullets were quicker and easier to load on progressive machines as you can be less accurate with placement on the case mouth and the bullet still seated well. Flat base required a little more care and alignment was more critical.

Flat based bullets are more prone to having the back corner of the base damaged in transit, this may have caused most of the one that were inaccurate to be inaccurate. Definitive testing was never completed to a satisfactory conclusion, but initial results were certainly heading that way.

The flat based mould would occaisionally leave "lead feathers" on the base of the bullet as the mould got older and was begining to wear in the sprue plate seat area. He finally decided that nose pour flat nose bullets were a great cure for this, but the sharp corner deep in the mould would cause release issues.

In the end we found that good quality control of the consistancy of the lead, the actual manufacturing process (especially sizing) and lubrication process, were more important than shape of the bullet. Poor handling of the finished product can lead to accuracy issues more quickly than anything.

Hope this helps.

[jaredr]

Most of what I sell is now bevel based, all made on Magma machines. According to the manufacturer we use they are easier to mould, easier to size and I think they are easier to load with.

I have done accuracy test when a very good freind of mine had a projectile manufacturing business and we sold his product. (He quit because of a variety of non lead related health hassles) he had a variety of Magma, Saeco and Lyman moulds madified to run on his machine.

Bevel based were no less or no more accurate on average. There were some particularly accurate bullets, flat based, that a similar weight, sized and shaped bevel base just did not work well, and the same applied the other way round in a few cases.

Bevel based bullets were quicker and easier to load on progressive machines as you can be less accurate with placement on the case mouth and the bullet still seated well. Flat base required a little more care and alignment was more critical.

Flat based bullets are more prone to having the back corner of the base damaged in transit, this may have caused most of the one that were inaccurate to be inaccurate. Definitive testing was never completed to a satisfactory conclusion, but initial results were certainly heading that way.

The flat based mould would occaisionally leave "lead feathers" on the base of the bullet as the mould got older and was begining to wear in the sprue plate seat area. He finally decided that nose pour flat nose bullets were a great cure for this, but the sharp corner deep in the mould would cause release issues.

In the end we found that good quality control of the consistancy of the lead, the actual manufacturing process (especially sizing) and lubrication process, were more important than shape of the bullet. Poor handling of the finished product can lead to accuracy issues more quickly than anything.

Hope this helps.

gm iprod - very informative post, thanks!

heavy metal - for what it's worth, i've always loaded bevel-based in all calibers for which I've loaded lead - mostly because I had a very affordable local caster and most everything they produced was bevel-based (all on magma machines, actually). It was always accurate enough for my needs, and easier to load than flat based projectiles.

-jared

[heavy metal]

Thanks for the info, I can't wait to get started. I'll probly b doing most sizes in belevel base. Now all I have to do is figure out how to do moly coat. I've talked to a couple of other makes and it's a big secret. I have the gist , I just don't have an exact formula.