Analizeing my cast maxi-balls

[triggerhappy243]

I was recalling my trip to the range last week of shooting my most recently cast T/C Maxi-Balls. I am asking your input on this. I weighed and sorted 100 cast boolits and culled out 20 that weighed close to 435.5 grains. those that were too heavy, I milled off a little of the base with this file my dad left me. The file is made with rows of razor sharp blades all in rows. You have to wear gloves while using it. it will filet your skin off. So I filet a little off the base to make all the boolits weigh with in +/- .3 grains. so they were 435.2 to 435.8 gr. All of them I loaded slid down the bore so easy, a 6 year old could easily load them. All recovered slugs showed rifling on the bottom band. Should these load this easy?

[mooman76]

Usually they should, being maxis load harder but how did they shoot? That's what matters. Generally they will be tight but once started, they go down fairly easy.

[bubba.50]

it should take a bit of force to start the last band. if it's not takin' a short starter or at least pretty heavy thumb pressure they're too small. but after ya get that last band started they do usually load pretty easy the rest of the way down the bore.

[triggerhappy243]

all shots hit inside a 6 and a 1/2 inch circle at 100 yards. Keep in mind, I have not fired this rifle in maybe 7-8 years.

[Wayne Smith]

How did you hold them to mill them? Were they still round?

[triggerhappy243]

File in one hand bullet in the other... Carefully drag the base across the file with just a little even pressure.

[bedbugbilly]

is the file you are using a "sure-form"? From your description, it sounds like maybe it is?

[triggerhappy243]

IT IS ABOUT 48 YEARS OLD. i REMEMBER MY DAD SHOWING ME HOW TO USE IT BACK THEN.

[triggerhappy243]

This is a picture of the file with one of the maxi-balls on it.

[HangFireW8]

That's a rasp.

[725]

Might try shooting the maxi's of the various cast weights. See if you really need to go to all that extra work to get the production you seek. A good lube is a good thing, and sometimes a felt disk (wad) between the powder and boolit yields remarkable results. Only way to tell is with a range test. Do five or ten one way and then do the same number the other way. Is there any difference between the with wad and the without wad? From the "for what it's worth" department, I generally find MY accuracy is best between 70 & 80 grains of FFg. YMMV. Good luck in the quest. :)

[mooman76]

How off were they anyway? On a slug that heavy 2 gr. is only half of one percent.

[triggerhappy243]

they ran 435.2 to 437.8

[William Yanda]

That's a rasp.

I disagree. That's a Vixen file. Often seen with a holder, used for autobody work when lead was used instead of Bondo.

[idahoron]

Filing the base is a tough way to get accuracy. The biggest problem is keeping the bottom straight on every bullet. Just a slight drop on one side will be a change, and that change can and will effect the point of impact. You are much better off if you pour the bullets and try to keep them close to a weight and cull them. Adding an unknown factor into the accuracy equation is never going to give you repeatable performance.

[triggerhappy243]

idahoron, absolutely correct. This is all new to me as everything that I knew or experienced has been forgotten over time. So I am learning all over again. I milled off about 1.5 grains of lead just so I could say they all were close enough....... for me. OCD? Lesson learned. I also experienced different rates of resistance with a few of the bullets as I ran them down on the powder. I have to look into that too. If I were hunting with this rifle, a 6 inch group would get me a deer or an elk at one hundred yards. I get 6 inches, I want 3 inches,. I know I need new glasses, the bullseye is a bit blurry.

725, I will be trying your suggestions of running a group 435.5 to 437.5 under similar conditions my next time out. and compare it to my 1st target. I cannot imagine with a bullet this large that 2 grains would have that much effect. Besides, gives me an excuse to go out and shoot again.

[dave524]

Most of the variation I've seen on Maxis is the bands not filling out completely, ie. rounded vs. square corners, removing material from the base as a way to even out the weights would not have any effect on accuracy.

I've had my best results pouring Maxis from a Lyman dipper rather than bottom pour spout, also pour on the side of the hole in the sprue plate so the lead swirls down the hole like a sink draining and leave an adequate sprue.

[idahoron]

Changing the base of a bullet is the fastest way to mess with accuracy. That is why we protect it with over powder wads.

[izzyjoe]

I never could any get any kind of accuracy using maxi's in my t/c hawken. But if I remember I was shooting around a 4" group, not that it was bad cause its hard for me to get a good sight picture at 100 using open sights. And that may be you're situation, maybe just some more practice shooting, and focus a good sight picture on the target. I wouldn't worry to much about the boolit weight, and just shoot and have fun!

[kenyerian]

What twist does your barrel have?

[triggerhappy243]

Mine is a 1-48. And yes, I am having fun with it. I do need new glasses for sure.

[mooman76]

How large is your target? Sometimes a smaller target will tighten up your groups. Go with as small a target as you can see. Aim small, miss small.

[triggerhappy243]

mooman76, the target circle is 6 and 1/2 inches in dia. it is printed on an 8.5x11 sheet of copy paper. the front bead covers the circle.

[mooman76]

Try a 6 o'clock hold with a 4" circle if you can manage it. My eyes aren't perfect but fortunate for me (for my age) I still have pretty good eyes. Every time I go to DMV I think this is the year they say I have to wear glasses when I drive but I manage to squeak by every time. When I was in the Marines, many years ago, we had to shoot at 500y. The target ( a man size), was actually half or less than the size of the front sight post.

[daleraby]

"That's a Vixen file"

I was initially going to call it a rasp as well, but it didn't look quite right. Are these still being made?

[scattershot]

2.6 grains is nothing. Try a few as cast, and I'll bet your accuracy improves.

[Geezer in NH]

IMHO filing the base lost any results to be expected.

DON't do that. Lathe turn maybe, but for that small of deviation shoot them and see. Don't think so hard it is not that kind of precision game.