Cast Boolits at Kansas IHMSA championship

[fourarmed]

This weekend was the Kansas IHMSA bigbore championship, and the Cast Boolits board was well represented. JSH shot a 40x40 in Unlimited Any Sight with a .30-30 Contender, and yours truly won the Revolver championship with a 39x40, beating a passel of Freedom Arms .357s with a Dan Wesson .41. JSH also won his class in Standing, and picked up a couple of seconds - all with cast boolits. I won several other events, but not with cast. Next year, maybe. My bullet casting partner, who lurks here, won the military bolt category with his Swede Mauser.

[7br]

, and yours truly won the Revolver championship with a 39x40, beating a passel of Freedom Arms .357s with a Dan Wesson .41.
Would you mind sharing load details or at least ballpark stuff?

[BruceB]

That is a simply tremendous showing, and I trust that all of you are properly proud of your accomplishments.

Well done.

[9.3X62AL]

GREAT work all around! Ya did us proud, folks.

[fourarmed]

After a year of trying all sorts of stuff in the .41 Dan Wesson, I took note of the fact that the Lyman manual has for years listed SR-4756 as the accuracy powder for the 410459 boolit. I bought some, and started loading test loads for that boolit and for the RCBS Keith style. To keep it short, 10 grains of 4756 and the 410459 (sized .411, probably a mix of AC and WD, various WW alloys and lubes) looked about the best of anything I had tried at 200 yards. The first time I shot it, I was shooting 12 shot groups. That load put 9 of the 12 in what I considered a useful group - about 4-5 inches. For the match, I sorted my brass (R-P) by length: 1.270 +/- .003, longer, and shorter. The longer was trimmed to 1.270, and the shorter went under the bed for emergencies. I loaded 150 rounds, took off the scope, and got sight settings. The load appeared to be shooting about as well as the old heavy jacketed formula. At the match, my spotter (Mrs. Fourarmed) thought it was doing better. On the last turkey bank there was evidently a light change that I didn't notice, and my hits were right at the leg/body line. Instead of reaching for the screwdriver, I tried to hold a little tighter. Bad move. The last shot I had trouble getting the front sight sharp, but shot anyway. Just under. Kept me from shooting a revolver 40 the first match with cast. Always listen to your spotter.

[9.3X62AL]

SR-4756.......hmmmm. Got some of that, and the #410459 too. That powder sits around a lot, only being used in 32-20 wheelgun rounds. Gotta give that a try in my B-hawk x 6.5" and a buddy's P&R 4" M-57. Many thanks, sir!

[carpetman]

When I started loading 30-06--mostly jacketed I selected 4064 powder. The Lyman manual listed 4350 as the one. My gunsmith read and believed that and convinced me to try 4350---despite what Lyman has to say about it,the 4064 worked much better in my rifle. I have heard Lyman doesnt actually fire them for accuracy--but for velocity consistency??????

[45nut]

Congrat's to Both of you of course. I really ,REALLY enjoyed reading about Jeff's results since it seems I was the final feather that broke him into casting himself. You accomplishments are quite remarkable as well and I wish I could have seen that match in person. If you have any pictures of the event I can share I would be indebted.....Thanks again for the post.

[fourarmed]

Carpetman, you are absolutely right about that. Lyman admits as much in their manual. That's one reason why I had never tried 4756. I had read Ken Waters' "Pet Loads" stuff, and stuck with H-110, which he claimed (correctly) shot well despite large standard deviations. For years I was perfectly happy with that and Unique. In desperation to get the DW to shoot cast, I finally bought some 4756 and HS-7. Now the HS-7 will probably sit on the shelf gathering dust.

45nut, I have some film in the camera. When ready, I will send it along. Jeff has been tickled pink over the results he's been getting with cast boolits, and is trying to corner the market on moulds and wheelweights. Everybody around here has taken to epoxying the weights onto their cars.

[fourarmed]

To 7BR: Mark, you have been very generous sending me boolits and lending moulds. If you don't have a 410459 mould, I would be glad to send you some boolits, or bring down the mould next time we shoot at Young Hunter's.

[JSH]

I am some what late seeing this. Thanks to all of you who have helped me with getting me started in casting. I will say that shooting the 40x40, with CB's was my main goal for the year. I had one of the greatest feelings of accomplishment doing that, than I have had for a long time.
I will say that I have shot a lot more practice than in previous years using full length gas checked bullets.
On the Lyman data, learned somthing there that I never new. On that same note, I loaded some 375WW. Had not done a single shot of load work with this one. Looked in the Lyman manual and saw what they gave as an accuracy load, or should I say potential for one. I was using the Lyman 375449, cast from WW with a smidge of lino to help fill it out. I used a dose of SR4759, 20.0 grains to be exact.
This load was noted by a "*" in the 46th edition. Same load same bullet in other Lyman manuals and nothing special noted. With the 375WW I ended up with a 36 I believe in unlimited, iron sighted. I was almost as happy with this as the 40 with the 30-30. Got all 10 turkeys, hate them things, but that was the second high lite of the weekend.

I just gotta love this pistol shooting. Go to the range and a lot of guys look down their nose at you. Then to top it off now shooting cast bullets. Now we all know that cast bullets don't shoot worth a hoot, let alone out of a handgun. NOT!
Jeff