eagan 30-3X

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  • Last Post 08 February 2014
boone county posted this 24 January 2014

Is anyone duplicating Don Eagans Molds?

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mrbill2 posted this 24 January 2014

Check out Accurate Molds. If you have a drawing he can cut a mold for you. http://www.accuratemolds.com/index.php

mrbill2

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boone county posted this 24 January 2014

Thanks, I will look into it.

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Ervin posted this 24 January 2014

I have several (9) original Eagan cherries from his estate. I can't, however, cut molds.

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boone county posted this 25 January 2014

It would be nice for someone with the knowledge that Don had to use them. I visited Don several times when he lived in New Jersey, then in Pennsylvania. He was not only a top craftsman, but a real gentleman. Phil

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madsenshooter posted this 27 January 2014

I also have a few of the cherries, MX3-30-G and MX3-30-US and hope to cut a NOE blank mold with them. I tried getting my hands on some others, but generally don't even get the courtesy of a reply when I ask someone about them.

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boone county posted this 27 January 2014

Madsen - Thanks for the reply, it is nice to hear from shooters about Don's molds. My .30 mold is MX3-30x, a tapered, 175 gr bullet. I have drawings he gave me on some of his molds, but don't have one that you listed. If you cut any, I would be interested in buying one. My email is [email protected].

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madsenshooter posted this 27 January 2014

I'll keep you in mind, got a centering vise, got to get fixtures made.  Here's Don's catalog:  http://www.castpics.net/subsite/HistMolds/Eagan.pdf >http://www.castpics.net/subsite/HistMolds/Eagan.pdf  There was one on this site, but getting there isn't easy!  I just don't think there's any beating a nose pour mold!  I had a mold made with the MX3-30-AR and it shoots incredible groups out of my Krag.  The cherry was dull however and broke next time someone tried to cut a mold for me with it.  I also have the MX2-30H mold and it shoots pretty good out of my 118yr old Krag.  100yd group, I've worked on the fit of the barrel bands since then to eliminate that high first shot.

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madsenshooter posted this 27 January 2014

And, here's the cherries I have:

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boone county posted this 27 January 2014

That is a good group with your Krag. Is that bullet tapered? Keep me in mind if you cut any. Years ago Bud Welsh recut some molds using smaller dia blocks, like using Lyman 7mm and recuting it to .30. I'm not familar with that powder. Phil

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madsenshooter posted this 27 January 2014

The 30H is illustrated in the catalog, it's not like the MX3 series, it's a borerider design with a straight .301 boreride section. The powder was an Accurate surplus item, slow burning ball about the same as Ramshot's Hunter. I used filler behind the the bullet because the Krag I was using has a reverse taper to the groove diameter. It's .308 just ahead of the throat, but .3095 about an inch behind the muzzle. Bore diameter is a consistent .301 all the way though. I don't recommend Puf-Lon, if you pack it too tight you wind up with a ringed chamber neck, I found. Grex or some other poly shot buffer is what I use now. I wish I had the cherry for the 30H (hint, hint) that 2175fps seems to be about the bullet's sweet spot. Alloy is a 23bhn lead based babbitt. I don't have to worry about wind pushing the 185gr bullet a whole lot at that speed.

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boone county posted this 28 January 2014

a few minutes after I posted about recuting Lyman blocks it hit me that it wouldn't work using a cherry for a nose pour As for velocity I have found my .222 and 22-250 like about 2200fps, but my .30 cal does better around 17 -1800fps, 30-47,.308 and 30-06 you mentioned the surplus powder, about 1980 I got 32lbs surplus 5744 for $96.00. Today it is about 25 a lb. I used dacron wad over powder for a few years but stoped after reading about ringing of chambers.

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madsenshooter posted this 28 January 2014

Actually, that didn't dawn on me until you mentioned it.  I've already bought a NOE 2 cavity blank. Can't beat their venting.  I usually ladle cast, what some call pressure casting, but if I try to do it with the 30H mold, I wind up with a bullet that looks like a stickleback minnow, as the alloy flows out into the vent lines.  He may have made it specifically for someone that casts with a bottom pour pot though.  The vents are deeper than other original Eagan molds I've had.

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donr308 posted this 28 January 2014

I was able to obtain drawings for Eagans MX4-30ARD, which has a note"for J. Ardito” and MX3-30RBR which I sent to Tom at Accurate Molds. He added them to his catalog as 230F and 200H respectively. The only difference from the molds as cataloged and the drawings is the meplate. The MX4-30ARD as designed is .140, the MX3 -30RBR is .130. Accurate changes both to .180. I ordered both and the only problem has been deciding which to use. I started using the 230F in 2012 and the Feb. & Mar. matches resulted in 100 yd. scores of 200, my first. In a regional match later that spring I shot the smallest 10 shot 200 yd. group I have shot to date, 1.033". If the larger meplate makes any difference I have no way to determine. Don Ross     

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madsenshooter posted this 28 January 2014

Hi Don, are you one of those fellows who came all the way up to MI a couple years ago to shoot in the regionals? If so, I was the guy with the AR that was shooting targets a couple slots away after my stool broke. I have one of Tom's 230F molds, it really stuffs the throat of my Krags! If I could get it to feed reliably for rapid fire, I'd use the bullet at Camp Perry in the Vintage Rifle match. I think if Tom would have kept the original meplat it'd be THE Krag bullet and would have fed better.

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donr308 posted this 28 January 2014

No, I haven't made the trip yet. We have shooters here that go and the MI shooters come down for the regional match every spring and we get together at the Nationals along with the Pennsylvania folks. A great bunch all, and some very good shooters. Some of the PA shooters are using Accurate molds based on the Eagan designs and doing very well with them. Some also have molds made by Eagan. That is who I was able to obtain the drawings from. Don Ross       

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Paul Pollard posted this 28 January 2014

It looks like the Eagan catalog disappeared or there is “a missing link” in the reference section.

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madsenshooter posted this 28 January 2014

I'll bet those guys at castboolits stole it! LOL! Well everything can't come along no matter how smooth the move. I even remained logged in through the move to this new format though.

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muley posted this 28 January 2014

Hello Paul, I have most of Don"s drawings.  I can send some prints if you wish Jim

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boone county posted this 29 January 2014

I have the following Don's drawings if someone would like, MX2-243 (80gr), MX2-22 (43gr), M-EX-2-30 (180gr), M-EX-3-30(175gr), M-EX3-30 (190gr), MX2-30C (160gr), MX3-24 (65gr for 243) Phil

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Longone posted this 30 January 2014

What material did Mr. Eagan use for his molds? I see one just sold on the Boolit forum.

Longone

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madsenshooter posted this 30 January 2014

Brass, the specific alloy I don't know. I've been told by people who know about such things that the cherries have a specific angle for cutting brass vs aluminum which could cause me problem. I had several cut in aluminum with the MX2-243 cherry with no reported problems though. Nose is too small for anything but an Obermeyer 6mm barrel

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Ervin posted this 02 February 2014

Eagan Cherries

I Have; 3 22 J (GC-3GG-CP-FN) 3 30 E 1 (GC-5GG-CP-FN) 3 30 R S 1 (GC-6GG-CP-FN) 3 30 KBR 1 (GC-5GG-CP-FN) 4 30 A 1 (GC-1GG-OP-FN) 4 30 ARD 4 (GC-1GG-1CG-CP-FN) 4 303 H 1 (GC-1GG-1CG-OP-FN) 2 45 EP 1 (PB-2GG-CP-FN) 2 45 FWC 1 (PB-2GG-1CG-CP-wideFN)

GC = Gas Check PB = Plain Base GG = Grease Groove CG = Crimp Groove CP = Conical Point OP = Ogival Point FN = Flat Nose

I am interested in having moulds cut. Would prefer someone who does this commercially. Tried Tom but he does not do cherries.

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mrbill2 posted this 02 February 2014

donr 308 You have a PM.

mrbill2

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madsenshooter posted this 02 February 2014

Ervin, I can tell who not to allow to use your cherries, from past experience. Bernie Rowles of Old West Molds cut me some using the 30G cherry. They were off on the both the horizontal and vertical axis, didn't line up at all. The nose didn't even cut off square. No problems like that with any of the original molds I've had.

I could use a couple of the cherries you have. Can you post a pic of the 303 H1? I'm going to be cutting soon, guess I'll try to get back to you then. Knew I should've bought more of them back when they were on ebay.

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Balhincher posted this 07 February 2014

Boone County,Are the Eagan drawings in digital form so you could post them on the forum?  If so I would like to see them. 

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boone county posted this 08 February 2014

They are not digital. They are drawn, hard copies. If you send me your email I can forward them to you

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madsenshooter posted this 08 February 2014

Here's a pic of one of Don's bullets, the MX3-30.  It isn't in the catalog, so I thought you all might like seeing it.  His designs seemed to be evolving, later MX3s had smaller grooves, and I would think that was for more bearing surface.  Since I have a 30G that Bernie Rowles cut for me, and the cherry, I sold the mold to a friend.  The lube grooves were the only difference between this bullet and the 30G.

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