100 rounds, no leading.

[ScottJ]

Shot my first IDPA match today with my S&W 66. Was shooting my cast Lee 358-140-SWC over 8.5gr of No. 5. Somewhere between 80 and 100 downrange and no leading to speak of. There are a couple of streaks at the muzzle but that's probably because I ran low on my preferred pan lubed over 8.5gr and shot the last stage with the LLA lubed over 9gr No. 5.

Took the gun dirty. Already had over 20 of my 358156 out of it (but they don't count because they were gas checked).

Here's pics and video from the match for those interested:
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp182/ScottJ175/Photo-0068.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp182/ScottJ175/Photo-0069.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp182/ScottJ175/Photo-0070.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp182/ScottJ175/Photo-0071.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp182/ScottJ175/Photo-0072.jpg

Video:
Video-0002.mp4 video by ScottJ175 - Photobucket (http://s410.photobucket.com/albums/pp182/ScottJ175/?action=view&current=Video-0002.mp4)

[geargnasher]

Looks like you fellers were having fun!

I used to shoot IDPA regularly several years ago, sure was fun until factory ammo got expensive and they wouldn't let me shoot cast at the time. We would shoot 21 stages at 12-20 rounds per stage with automatics.

Gear

[jmsj]

ScottJ
Looks like a blast!
As for leading, selecting the correct alloy and boolit fit is the key. I have shot over 500 rounds of 452460's through my 1911 w/o cleaning, only a dry patch through the bore a couple of times. I was looking for leading but found none. I can't remember the last time I scrubed the bore of my 686.
My main two lubes are FWFL and Recluse's 45/45/10, both contain carnuba wax. All boolits are cast and sized to fit the throats and bore's. Alloys run from straight WW to 50% range scrap / 50% Pb.
Good luck, jmsj

[MtGun44]

Good results, looks like an older IPSC setup more than the IDPA matches that I have been
to.

Bill

[JIMinPHX]

The Smith 66...a classic.

[ScottJ]

Just cleaned up tonight. Wanted to update that what I thought was some leading at the muzzle was just antimony wash. The barrel cleaned up so easy.

So that's somewhere around 120 rounds and no leading at all. I love it. An most of these rounds were in the 1,000 fps range plain base.

Never thought I'd manage that after casting just over a year.

[Jech]

IDPA is one of the main reasons I started casting. The courses in your pictures look *very* similar to the ones we use out here in Oregon. It's addictive isn't it? I'm chomping at the bit for the first match of the season...we have a classifier scheduled in a few months so I better go cast some more up!

[Three44s]

Looks like you got your Smith 66 and you boolit load running quite well.

Congrats!

Three 44s

[ScottJ]

Looks like you got your Smith 66 and you boolit load running quite well.


Yeah, now I have to resist the reloaders burning urge to tinker.

8.5 gr No. 5 is running great but how about 9 now that I've improved my lube up from LLA? Worth it for the extra velocity?

Wonder how No. 7 would perform trying to achieve the same velocities I'm getting with 5?

How about trying HS6 since I can source it at a store much closer to the house than where I get No. 5?

The questions running through the reloader's mind never end :)

[Bass Ackward]

Yeah, now I have to resist the reloaders burning urge to tinker.

8.5 gr No. 5 is running great but how about 9 now that I've improved my lube up from LLA? Worth it for the extra velocity?

Wonder how No. 7 would perform trying to achieve the same velocities I'm getting with 5?

How about trying HS6 since I can source it at a store much closer to the house than where I get No. 5?

The questions running through the reloader's mind never end :)




I would resist the urge until it passes the summer test. That is when HEAT will be the greatest and leading will show if it's going to. THAT is the time to tweak.

[Recluse]

The Smith 66...a classic.

I've had a four-inch S&W 66 since my Air Force days. I even carried it in my backpack every single day of college. Would've been kicked out of school if I'd ever been caught, but funny how if you're careful, use some common sense, plan ahead and take the time to THINK. . . nobody ever knew I had that gun in my pack the entire time I was in school.

The only firearm I have that I trust more than my 66 is my 686--probably because it's the one I shot IPSC with for so many years.

Anyone can shoot a semi-auto in IPSC. Especially a souped up race-gun firing wimpy loads that just barely make major by the whiskers of a pre-pubescent kitten's backside.

Want a challenge? Shoot a wheel gun in a semi's world. You plan YOUR strategy six shots at a time.

:coffee:

[ScottJ]

I think I can write 9.0 gr No. 5 off for the 140s.

I was just outside running some 138156 over a hefty charge of 296 across the chrono to see if I could match factory 158 velocity (I more or less did).

While I was at it I ran a cylinder full of the 140s I'd loaded up over 9.0 gr awhile back before I had a chrono. They were as fast as the hot 158s.

Out of the SP101 (2 and an eighth barrel) I got 1036 average for the 158s and 1031 for the 140s. The sample size for the 140s was smaller (10 shots for the 158s and 5 for the 140s), sure but I suspect the average would hold.

As successful as I've been with the 140s over 8.5 I don't want to push it. That loading is more accurate anyway.

[10x]

Nice to see your range in the winter.
It is currently -37C outside as I write this.
My cast bullet loads work great but my fingers freeze to the gun....

[geargnasher]

Nice to see your range in the winter.
It is currently -37C outside as I write this.
My cast bullet loads work great but my fingers freeze to the gun....

You could move to a warmer area, but in the Summer here you don't dare leave a gun in the sun for more than a minute or two, it will actually blister your skin if you tough the metal if you leave it sitting too long.

Gear

[GabbyM]

I've had a four-inch S&W 66 since my Air Force days. I even carried it in my backpack every single day of college. Would've been kicked out of school if I'd ever been caught, but funny how if you're careful, use some common sense, plan ahead and take the time to THINK. . . nobody ever knew I had that gun in my pack the entire time I was in school.

The only firearm I have that I trust more than my 66 is my 686--probably because it's the one I shot IPSC with for so many years.

Anyone can shoot a semi-auto in IPSC. Especially a souped up race-gun firing wimpy loads that just barely make major by the whiskers of a pre-pubescent kitten's backside.

Want a challenge? Shoot a wheel gun in a semi's world. You plan YOUR strategy six shots at a time.

:coffee:

Guns and college. Well here’s a story. :

I had a public speaking or some such class my sophomore year back in 1974.
Assignment was some sort of show and tell using graphs, objects, overhead projectors and such. Professor was the typical anti war dope smoking free sex agnostic you will find in those kind of environments. Aside from that he wasn’t a bad guy. I just could not resist. Wrote up a presentation comparing firearms evolution from BP C&B to modern cartridge smokeless. Complete with mechanical drawings of mechanisms. To demonstrate I brought in my cap lock Hawkins. Just carried it right across the commons into class. No one looked twice but I do believe some slight pucker factor may have been involved. Even passed that heavy rifle around during my presentation for students to fondle and get the feel of Jeremiah Johnson’s rifle. Didn’t receive an A for that but it was probably a fair grade.

This day and age post school shooting which had never happened up to then. There are new laws plus it would be just rude to carry a cased long gun due to peoples fear factor. Which is a sad side effect of all the propaganda people are fed.

Getting back on thread subject. 45 caliber Hawkins short rifle. .440” patched pure lead round ball. 100 grains FFFG for 2080 fps. NO leading and will take any squirrel out of a tree at 70 yards every time and 100 yards 75% of the time. Plus the skinning job is already half done.

Last time I took my 44 mag revolver out with boolits lubed with FWFL which it had hence forth never been feed. It came back cleaner than it left the house. Had that gun for about fifteen years and just thought it had a rough bore. After shooting the lead out with gas checked Lyman #429215 over 20 grains of AA#9 it was beautiful. Sharp edged lands and groves I’d not seen before. Also fired a couple dozen 200 grain RNFP plain based bullets over the same 20 grain powder charge. 2/6 alloy. Felix lube is some great stuff.


P.S.
I just listened to Ted Nugent run the Star Spangle Banner on the Fox TV Huckabee show. If you have never heard Ted do the SPB google it. Or maybe fox news site would have a replay. Jimmy Hendricks did it the best IMHO. To bad the evil drugs took him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_k-6FLfDkM
For you children out there. Take into consideration Jimmy closed his show with the Star Spangle Banner back when the Anti Vietnam War Protestors were in full doped up pitch with 95% of his audience wearing the arm bands of useful idiots.

Thank You for your endurance: God Bless America:
GabbyM

[Space Cadet]

Hello Scott,

Presently, I’m just a lowly armchair enthusiast who’s been paying attention, taking notes, and learning a lot about this great hobby.

Question 1: What were your reasons for choosing Lee’s 358-140-SWC for your S&W 66 IDPA activities?

Question 2: Are Titegroup, 231, Unique, and Bullseye unsatisfactory? You mentioned the use of 8.5 gr. of Nº5.

Question 3: Would you recommend the 140 gr. boolit for the S&W 66, 60, and 642?

Thank you for sharing your information with us.

Space Cadet

[ScottJ]

Cadet,

Answers

1: I scored that mold used at a gun show and it has been my most successful cast boolit so far. Since I intended to start IDPA with a S&W wheelgun it just made sense.

2: Those would work but are faster (except for Unique) powders than No.5 so the charge gets small in that magnum case. I really wish my 8.5gr charge filled the case more. At least it's big enough a double would be obvious as I work the Lee turret. Unique might fill better and Accurate claims No. 5 has a very similar burn rate but it just doesn't meter as well out of my Lee Auto Disk.

3: Lee claims customers report great accuracy out of that boolit and I believe them. It's been so in .357 out of my S&W 66 and Ruger SP101 as well as in .38 out of my old pre-10 M&P. I have found that 140 is a nice compromise between 125s and 158s and I find the recoil impluse off my .357 loading to be very .45 ACP-ish.

[a.squibload]

...I even carried it in my backpack every single day of college.

You didn't NEED it 'cause you HAD it.
Better than the other way around!

[geargnasher]

You didn't NEED it 'cause you HAD it.
Better than the other way around!

Funny how that works, isn't it? Reminds me of a thoughtful quote I read once: "The wolf cares not, how many are the sheep". People with a confident bearing who project a calm awareness are far less likely to suffer a random attack. Responsible gun bearers have an awareness advantage, too; they are likely at least minimally trained, and have a couple pounds of dead weight as a constant conscious reminder of the responsibility they've chosen.

Gear