ohland
07-10-2015, 11:49 AM
Shields Magazine, Vol 6 , June 1907, page 405
https://books.google.com/books?id=POUXAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA405&dq=lead+bullet+mold&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1-SfVb2qKdPWoATKo67ABg&ved=0CEcQ6AEwBDgy#v=onepage&q=lead%20bullet%20mold&f=false
THE WEARING OF RIFLE BARRELS.
Using black powder and lubricated lead bullets the shooter may give little heed to the factor of enlarging bore. The wear, assuming proper treatment and cleaning, is practicallv nil. For the trifling wear that does manifest in course of long use, the expansive lead readily accommodates on upset. I have seen a fine .22 shoot with its original accuracy after 40.000 rounds of fire, and I have seen a .30.-.40 prove unreliable after less than 5,000 full service charges. The reasons are threefold. First, lead is an anti-friction metal—witness its soapy feel. Secondly, the property of upsetting under the violent initial push of black powder forestalls gas cutting even when the barrel has worn large from the first cause of friction. Thirdly, less heat is engendered by the combustion of black powder. High velocity with metal patched bullets is another proposition. The dry jacketed bullet, with its envelope of copper or harder cupro-nickel, has a drastic effect on the bore. The barrel heats rapidly under the excessive friction, and the wear is logical. The factor of friction would be bad enough, but the secondary effect is worse. As soon as wear has enlarged to the point where the slight upset of the smokeless powder driven bullet fails to check effectively the superheated gases, erosion takes place and the days of the barrel are numbered. First and second causes work its destruction at a rapid rate; velocity falls off somewhat and accuracy a great deal.
I have owned two high power rifles, a .2S-.36 and a .32-.40, but never could see the object of forcing a dry, cupro-nickel bullet through their barrels. When a velocity of 2,000 F.S. was desired I always resorted to the grooved metal bullet which admitted of lubrication. This kept down the heating a bit, but nevertheless the .25-.36 went to the bad too soon to warrant the money spent for its splendid 30 inch nickel steel barrel. The wear was most apparent at the critical point, the muzzle.
Quite early in the game the problem of high velocity without excessive wear came up to the high power cranks. Much experimenting was done, particularly by the militiamen. With reduced loads very accurate results were obtained at 100 yards and even at 200. The Ideal Company promptly put out molds for various weights and styles of bullets, the Kephart being a pioneer in the field. Experimenting for the benefit of the militiamen Dr. Hudson brought out a new series, which cast from the lead, tin and antimony alloy, gave good results up to 300 yards, but at a velocity of 1,500 F.S. the limit of accurate power was attained. At greater velocities the base of the bullet fused, with easily imagined results. The velocity remained at this peg for some time, but recently the difficulty was settled by the introduction of the Ideal "gas check." This innovation is so effective and simple one wonders it was so long in arriving. As applied to the .30-.40, a long, heavy bullet of 207 grains is cast from the antimony alloy in a special mold. The bullet has a heel which is fitted with the copper gas check supplied by the company at a nominal price. This effectually prevents fusion, and velocities of 1,000 to 2,000 F.S. are obtained with half the heating and a small fraction of the wear occasioned by the metal bullet. With the service rifle, extremely accurate shooting has been done at the 600-yard range. So far, no reports have been made regarding the extended longevity of the barrel when using these bullets. Time will tell; but as the bullet is lubricated and the copper check has only about one-sixth the bearing surface of the jacketed bullet, the wear must be reduced by a large margin. With an extra mold, soft tips of pure lead can be cast on the alloy bullet.
The only fault to be found with the Ideal people is that they make the rifleman hustle to keep up with their improvements. Their latest device in the way of a machine de-caps, seats the primer and sizes the shell ready for seating the bullet, with one handling and two levers.
I don't know whether to invest or lie low; for Mr. Barlow's next wrinkle will probably have a powder and bullet magazine and turn out the finished cartridge.
W. S. Crolly, Marietta, O.
https://books.google.com/books?id=POUXAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA405&dq=lead+bullet+mold&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1-SfVb2qKdPWoATKo67ABg&ved=0CEcQ6AEwBDgy#v=onepage&q=lead%20bullet%20mold&f=false
THE WEARING OF RIFLE BARRELS.
Using black powder and lubricated lead bullets the shooter may give little heed to the factor of enlarging bore. The wear, assuming proper treatment and cleaning, is practicallv nil. For the trifling wear that does manifest in course of long use, the expansive lead readily accommodates on upset. I have seen a fine .22 shoot with its original accuracy after 40.000 rounds of fire, and I have seen a .30.-.40 prove unreliable after less than 5,000 full service charges. The reasons are threefold. First, lead is an anti-friction metal—witness its soapy feel. Secondly, the property of upsetting under the violent initial push of black powder forestalls gas cutting even when the barrel has worn large from the first cause of friction. Thirdly, less heat is engendered by the combustion of black powder. High velocity with metal patched bullets is another proposition. The dry jacketed bullet, with its envelope of copper or harder cupro-nickel, has a drastic effect on the bore. The barrel heats rapidly under the excessive friction, and the wear is logical. The factor of friction would be bad enough, but the secondary effect is worse. As soon as wear has enlarged to the point where the slight upset of the smokeless powder driven bullet fails to check effectively the superheated gases, erosion takes place and the days of the barrel are numbered. First and second causes work its destruction at a rapid rate; velocity falls off somewhat and accuracy a great deal.
I have owned two high power rifles, a .2S-.36 and a .32-.40, but never could see the object of forcing a dry, cupro-nickel bullet through their barrels. When a velocity of 2,000 F.S. was desired I always resorted to the grooved metal bullet which admitted of lubrication. This kept down the heating a bit, but nevertheless the .25-.36 went to the bad too soon to warrant the money spent for its splendid 30 inch nickel steel barrel. The wear was most apparent at the critical point, the muzzle.
Quite early in the game the problem of high velocity without excessive wear came up to the high power cranks. Much experimenting was done, particularly by the militiamen. With reduced loads very accurate results were obtained at 100 yards and even at 200. The Ideal Company promptly put out molds for various weights and styles of bullets, the Kephart being a pioneer in the field. Experimenting for the benefit of the militiamen Dr. Hudson brought out a new series, which cast from the lead, tin and antimony alloy, gave good results up to 300 yards, but at a velocity of 1,500 F.S. the limit of accurate power was attained. At greater velocities the base of the bullet fused, with easily imagined results. The velocity remained at this peg for some time, but recently the difficulty was settled by the introduction of the Ideal "gas check." This innovation is so effective and simple one wonders it was so long in arriving. As applied to the .30-.40, a long, heavy bullet of 207 grains is cast from the antimony alloy in a special mold. The bullet has a heel which is fitted with the copper gas check supplied by the company at a nominal price. This effectually prevents fusion, and velocities of 1,000 to 2,000 F.S. are obtained with half the heating and a small fraction of the wear occasioned by the metal bullet. With the service rifle, extremely accurate shooting has been done at the 600-yard range. So far, no reports have been made regarding the extended longevity of the barrel when using these bullets. Time will tell; but as the bullet is lubricated and the copper check has only about one-sixth the bearing surface of the jacketed bullet, the wear must be reduced by a large margin. With an extra mold, soft tips of pure lead can be cast on the alloy bullet.
The only fault to be found with the Ideal people is that they make the rifleman hustle to keep up with their improvements. Their latest device in the way of a machine de-caps, seats the primer and sizes the shell ready for seating the bullet, with one handling and two levers.
I don't know whether to invest or lie low; for Mr. Barlow's next wrinkle will probably have a powder and bullet magazine and turn out the finished cartridge.
W. S. Crolly, Marietta, O.