Sgt Dog.
Take a look at my Elliptical minigroove bullet in the thread on the 40-60 maynard bullet choices to see what it looks like with

Hiwall55 wrote on Jul 25^th, 2016 at 8:49pm:


Highwall55,   Those are good looking bullets, all three!  Who made your molds?  And what weight?

How much under bore size is the nose on the far right?

And on the middle one (you'd call that an elliptical, right) is any of that nose on the middle one bore riding diameter?

Doesn't seem like I see many bullets in newer design with lube and driving bands that all fit in a half inch long case neck but sure enough looks like those do. 

Frank, Got a dr appt here in a few minutes but afterwards plan on making changes to that drawing to the lube grooves and I'll draw the graduation in reduced bands and save one like that too.   But would you be so kind to say why you thought that a good idea.   Is the theory that it is better for alignment than two at bore diamerter?   And would I anticipate that it would be a little more of a push to chamber fully.    I am wondering about that aspect since I'd have minimal neck tension and I wouldn't want the lands to possibly seat it deeper at chambering.   Would you anticipate that being an issue with greater-than bore size driving bands?

Hiwall55 wrote on Jul 25^th, 2016 at 8:49pm:

Highwall that center bullet looks familiar and dont carry much lube but carries more than the 360grain Dan T grooveless bullet I got from you. LB

Frank,  I'm not leary and looking for exactly this kind of input.

If I was better with the software I'd draw the chamber/case and bullet to illustrate what you've said.   I'm way slow combining all three.    

Absent doing that I think I understand your rational/explanation and like anything that makes the fit better and gives a tighter chambering without too much added push in chambering... so I think I like it.

By the way, look at the lube capacity on this NOE.   It's a copy of the only thing I've shot in this so far (Lyman 358318) and I got a good lube star while shooting in 80* weather.   Of course I'm not comparing apples to apples since this was a gas checked bullet.  Still, interesting to see the lube looked sufficient, judging from the star.  That was with the 40gr of OE 1.5.   Didn't expect and didn't get any leading.

Sgt Dog,
Indeed that NOE 360318 bullet looks like a Very good copy of the orig Lyman 358318, of which I have one.
It is noted that I have been shooting the 358318 bullets in
9+1 ww/lino in my 358 Win deer rifle in two persuasions. 
Mostly one, in which I paper patch it and shoot it with a case full of 3031 to a velocity of 2350fps over my Oehler.
Have taken a good number of deer with this rifle/load.
Its very effective but with minimal meat damage.

I remain interested in and following your progress with bullets for your 35-40 because I have a work in progress finishing my 35-50 Maynard rifle on a Brg BPCR.I have a 10 twist Lilja barrel installed so far, but need to reassemble the rifle, D&T barrel for Unertl blocks, etc. "Like I need another project to finish..I do have an NEI mold in 35 :   358-300gr GC. Used to shoot it in a Shortened/long neck beltless 358 Norma Mag wildcat yrs ago. But body length may be an issue with the 35-50 chamber. Actually, if I can get "off dead center" on this 35, I would have a mold cut that is similar to my 40 cal Elliptical Minigroove bullet, but proportionally longer since I have the faster 10 twist in the 35.
OTOH(re. too many calibers,  projects), Was actually debating selling the like new tapered octagon, blued 35-50 barrel and getting back to a 38 cal for  which I already have a number of molds,etc. and a tight neck match  38-72W reamer from Dan T. 
beltfed/arnie

Just in case anyone is interested, this was what I borrowed off Harlan (after talking with him first of course).

You can see from this one that it must have been me that snuck those deep lube grooves in during one or other of my evolutions.

And this would sacrifice very little lube leaving .059cc if I went back to a seven band.  I think I eliminated it originally trying to get more lube capacity.    

Comments here make me wonder if that was needed.

And Frank, I plugged in the .354 on this one just to see what it did elsewhere.   Really just need to know which you calculated the dimensions from, .352 or .354?

By the way, for anyone, the only thing I was sort of hard over on was the longer base band.   In emailing to Brooks one time he said he liked to stay north of .100, .120 being better.   So I'm not basing it on much other than someone smarter than me on the topic.

Frank,  Thanks so much for taking the time to help with the calculations!   Some of us didn't pay as much attention in class as we should of