#429235 trouble some bullet to load

[Swagerman]

A Good friend of mine up in Idaho, cast a lot of bullets for me...all were excellent except for this one good looking bullet, an NEI #429235 at 245 grain. It also got swaged to .432 diameter.

I tried half dozen powders but to no avail, then hit on the 2400 powder and got a 2 inch group with 11.3 grains = 805 fps velocity.

Had to hold at 3:00 position on the four inch bullseye.

Will continue experimenting with it. This NEI #429235 bullet is a good looking bullet, but one of the hardest to find a good reload that will shoot accurately...guess I'm on to something now.

Yesterday was my 2nd time out to the shooting range this year, maybe I'll get one more outing before the weather gets bad.

Jim

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/PC120009429235bullet245grainGCX2.jpg


Note: That last word on the text in orange...should have read group. Sorry for the computer gaff.

[Swagerman]

Shot this one with #429244 Lyman 265 grain GC swaged bullet to .432 diameter.

Jim


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/PC120011265grainbulletX.jpg


The model 441 in .44 special was the gun used in test.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/P5100003BG2672X.jpg

[jleneave]

What exactly do you mean by swaging the bullet? Are you getting the bullet to increase in diameter? If so, can you tell me how this process is done? Thanks.

Jody

[Swagerman]

Jody, yes, increasing the bullet diameter is because of swaging effect, I have swaging dies by C-H 4-D.com , and some custom made swage die body's.

This is what my setup looks like, the box spring affair is my own invention, it's called an ABE...(automatic bullet ejector) it merely fits on top of any swaging die body. A rising stem works up and down automatically ejecting the swagged bullet after it's rammed up into the die on your reloading press.

Note: You can swage cast bullets to larger diameter, and even reshape the nose or bases to HP or HB as you see fit.

The diameter of the swaging die body entrance determines the diameter of the finished bullet...so one should strive to obtain a diameter that is suitable in their
reloading caliber.

Feel free to contact me for ABE plans if you want to make one of these units for yourself...parts cost less than $20.00 if you make it yourself. bigcaddy@centurytel.net ...plans are $15.00

The reason I had to bump up my bullets to .432 diameter, my Taurus .44 special has over sized cylinder chamber throats of .434 diameter...I find that .432 works quite well for me in this gun.

Jim


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/P81300442pix4445autoejector660X-1.jpg

[jleneave]

Swagerman, thanks very much for the detailed response and pics. I am having a simular problem with a Lyman 429421 mold. The bullets are dropping a little undersize for my need and I am having problems with barrel leading. My Ruger Super Blackhawk has .431" to .4315" throats in the cylinder and the barrel slugs at .430". I am thinking that I need to "bump" these bullets up to .433" to .434" and then size and lube through my Star to .432". Does this sound about right to you? The bullets are dropping from the mold at .430". Can these be swagged up that much without causing the bullets to deform and crushing the tip of the bullets? Thanks for the help!!

Jody

[Swagerman]

Jody, when the bullet hits the barrel forcing cone it always get swagged down a bit (deformed)

Your bullet mould just needs a bit of Beagling to widen the bullets diameter to .001 over that of the barrel rifling. Beagling is a technique of putting some strips of aluminum tape on the flats next to the mould cavity. Do a search on this site for Beagling.

As long as you are .001 above the barrel rifling you should be OK. Therefore, I'd think your Ruger is OK as is.

My Taurus has .429 barrel rifling and .434 cylinder throats. So, I elected to go .432 diameter on the bullets because I was getting a lot of blow by gasses and lube snot before the bullet even entered the forcing cone.

Now my brass is relatively clean compared to what it use to look like after a firing session. This blow-by gasses can dirty up your gun quick as well on the top strap and outer cylinder flutes.

Best rule of thumb, push a soft lead slug through your gun's barrel, then mike it. The cylinder throats are bit harder to get an accurate measurement.

Good luck in reloading and shooting.

Jim

[leadeye]

NIce looking plane in your avatar Swagerman, is that an Aeronca Champ?

[Swagerman]

It is indeed an Aeronca Champ. I learned to fly in one around 1956 at Pikes airport in San Diego, CA. Was in the Navy at NAS North Island.

This picture was taken off another website, which I borrowed.

Jim

[Swagerman]

I wasn't planning on showing all my targets from the other day, but this unusual lite weight bullet kind of surprised me...a Speer factory swaged bullet that was originally a .38 special 158 grain bullet, got swaged again by me but bumped up to .44 caliber and a Lyman gas check added which brought the weight up to 163 grains.

Not a real tight group, but seems to have potential.

Jim

Note: Middle box has Speer bullets that were bumped up and test fired, has Lymsn brass gas checks. The box on left has Hornady copper gas checks.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/PA200007Speerbulletsswaged700X.jpg


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/PC130012158grainto44wGCX.jpg

Such a bullet might make a good pest remover, or small game.

[jleneave]

Swagerman, thanks for the advice and I will do a search on beagling my mold. Thanks again.

Jody

[Swagerman]

You are welcome. Hope all turns out OK for you in the beagling.

My bullet making friend up in Idaho never beagled before until I asked him to try it...it really gets results.

Jim

[leadeye]

I took conventional gear training in one about 25 years ago or so. Nice airplane as I remember for learning taildragger.