My First Cast Boolits: Accuracy Results

[Phlier]

181377

Darn it, my pictures always get turned sideways no matter what size I select when I put them in the post. Ah well.

Anyway, I took 80 rounds to the indoor range today. All 80 were loaded up with my very first set of cast boolits ( Lee TL356-124-RN sized to .357). I split them 40 for me, 40 for my son.

I shot mine ten rounds at a time through my S&W M&P CORE 9L with a Burris FastFire red dot. It was interesting to see the progression of the groups. I wish I had pics of the first three groups, but one of the range guys asked if he could borrow my lane for a bit. I said yes, and before I could retrieve the target, he stepped in my booth, grabbed the old one down, and wadded it up in a ball before I could get it from him. The first group was just kinda meh. I wasn't getting the accuracy of my usual fmj round. The second tightened up some, as did the third. But the fourth group was very nice. Every bit as accurate as my favorite FMJ load.

The group in the picture is ten rounds off hand at seven yards. The one flier was my fault, not the boolits. The guy in the lane next to me (indoor range) touched off an AR-15 with a compensator on it and startled me a bit. So yeah... the flier is me, not the boolit.

I now understand what I've been reading around here about having to get the barrel all lubed up and warm before really getting top notch accuracy from cast bullets. Unfortunately, I was out of my cast loads after this group was shot. Tomorrow night when my wife enters a turkey coma, I'll sneak up to the reloading room and load up a bunch (I think I have about 400 or so left to load) for some extensive accuracy testing of this boolit.

I was a bit surprised by the result of this. I had shot two groups of ten with this boolit the previous night, and I got very good accuracy right from the first shot (I then proceeded to shoot about 250 fmj's afterward, so I doubt any lube from the cast boolits was left at the end of the session). Tonight the barrel needed a bit of love to really do well with this load.

Is it possible to develop a 9mm cast boolit load that shoots accurately from the very first shot? While I'm very happy with the results, it really would be nice to have a load that shoots well right from the start of a shooting session.

I'll typically shoot 250 to 500 rounds every session, so I'd really like a load that can not only shoot accurately through a cold barrel, but also one that's getting on the "darn, that barrel is hot!" side of things.

What do you guys think, is this an obtainable goal with cast boolits? If so, any pointers on how I might proceed?

Edit: Just realized it might help if I actually told you a bit more about the load. :)

After sizing the boolits to .357, I tumble lubed them twice with 45/45/10.

Load Data (for reference only! Use at your own risk):

Lee TL356-124-RN (cast with Lyman #2, BHN 15, average boolit weight 122.7 grains)
4.6grs CFE-Pistol
CCI 500 Primer
1.125 OAL

I haven't yet chrono'd this load, but it should be just a bit over 1,000 fps.

[Cherokee]

Good group. It's a real pleasure to shot the ammo you built yourself from your own cast bullets. Some random thoughts from your post: Lyman #2 is much harder than you need for 1000 fps loads, you might try cutting the alloy with equal amount of lead, which is about the alloy I use for 1100 fps CB loads in 9mm; I don't shoot much jacketed but when I do, I clean the copper from the barrel before shooting CB's, works better that way. My CB loads shoot the same from the start to finish so I think your experience might have to do with having shot 250 or so jacketed before hand. Keep with it, you'll learn what your gun likes.

[wv109323]

I suppose a book could be written about the first shot from a cold barrel. Rimfire rifle competition targets have a sighter target that is not scored. Nearly all shooters take a few sighters before they shoot for score. Hunters like to foul the bore with a few shots before the hunt.
From my experience, with a Ransom rest and pistols, with lead and jacketed bullets it takes a few shots for the pistol to produce the best groups. Also this happens when loads are changed. It seems the first few shots of a new load are the fliers and then the group gets tighter. That is going from a lead boolit to a lead boolit. I can not explain my experiences.
I would try leaving the bore dirty from one shooting session to the next. What you are seeing is typical in my experiences though I can not explain it. There are numerous threads on this forum and others that begin with a statement similar to " My first shot is always high and left."

[dverna]

If shooting lead, it is best to clean the barrel of any copper fouling. Once done, accuracy will be relatively consistent unless you get leading. Just bear in mind that 7 yards is not the best benchmark for establishing accuracy. If you have the facilities, shooting off a rest at longer ranges will give a better read on accuracy. The defensive pistol training I have done has been at a maximum range of 15 yards. Most of the gun rags will test at 25 yards.

With the 9mm, watch for leading as it, and the .40 S&W seem to be more prone to having issues. If your load does not lead after a few hundred shots and is accurate (4" at 25 yards) you are all set. The M&P is not a target gun so do not try chasing 2" groups with it.

You are off to a good start. Good luck.

Don Verna

[jcren]

Once the bore is "seasoned" with the lube you are using, accuracy is more consistent. Once she is happy with your load, no more jacketed and don't get carried away cleaning. There are many oppinions on this, but I just pass a dry or lightly oiled paper towel on a jag through mine as long as accuracy is good.

[Phlier]

Great information, gents, thank you. I have about 1,000 more fmj's to get through, at which point I'll be switching over to my cast boolits permanently.


If shooting lead, it is best to clean the barrel of any copper fouling. Once done, accuracy will be relatively consistent unless you get leading. Just bear in mind that 7 yards is not the best benchmark for establishing accuracy. If you have the facilities, shooting off a rest at longer ranges will give a better read on accuracy. The defensive pistol training I have done has been at a maximum range of 15 yards. Most of the gun rags will test at 25 yards.

With the 9mm, watch for leading as it, and the .40 S&W seem to be more prone to having issues. If your load does not lead after a few hundred shots and is accurate (4" at 25 yards) you are all set. The M&P is not a target gun so do not try chasing 2" groups with it.

You are off to a good start. Good luck.

Don Verna

One of the truly nice things about CFE-Pistol powder is that the Copper Fouling Erasure part of the name isn't just marketing fluff... it really works! I have around 20,000 rounds through my gun, and every one (until two nights back) was either plated or fmj pushed with CFE-Pistol powder. I have never found copper fouling in the barrel. It's a great powder, but I'm looking forward to changing to HP-38/W231 to save a few bucks. Won't need the CFE shooting lead. :)

Last night's test wasn't about absolute accuracy, but rather a comparison of group sizes. Knowing what groups I could get with my fav fmj loads, I wanted to see if I could get close to that with my cast boolits in this load. The answer was yes. So there will be much more accuracy testing with this load, as it certainly passed the first test. And yes.. I know the M&P isn't a target gun, and that it wouldn't be reasonable to expect it to be, but darn... is it fun to shoot!

This weekend I'm hoping to run about 400 of my cast boolits through it. At least, I'm hoping to get that many through it. I'll be watching for the groups to start opening up, and I'll stop at that point. With any luck, the groups won't start to open up, and I'll get all 400 rounds through it without any significant leading.

[runfiverun]

your first shot or two is repairing the dried wax in the barrel.

[robg]

Great feeling well done.beware its the start of the addiction!