Am I too pickey

[AzShooter]

How close in weight should my cast bullets be? I'm using them primarily for recreational shooting but want tight groups at 100 yards.

Right now, after casting I weigh each bullet and segregate them + or - .5 tenths of a grain. So I end up with casting 200 bullets and having three separate boxes say: 201 gr 202gr 203 grains. Anything over and under those three go into the pot.

Those bullets are kept separate and are shot in groups of that particular weight.

Does it make that much difference?

[HeavyMetal]

I have found when I sort boolits by weight and keep them in "lots" ( I go +or- 1 grain) That the groups are more uniform.

What I have found, and the reason I started weighing boolits, was the unexplainable boolit that always shows up that is heavier than the norm, usually 6 to 10 grains, or the same amount lighter. I usually get a heavier boolit very rare I get a super light one but it has happened.

The boolit that is out of the weight range can and does fly faster, or slower depending on the weight difference, and as such hits the target outside of the point of aim. Usually way out!


Strangely it doesn't seem to matter if I'm using a pair of 2 bangers or a pair of 6 bangers I always get three individual piles of boolits with a smattering of almosts.

Depending on the amount cast the almost's will either go back in the pot or will get loaded for family plinker day. ( thanksgiving)

Depending on the level of accuracy your demanding from your pistol this can be a lot of work.

Next thing you know someone will talk to you about case uniforming, primer pocket reaming, case trimming and flash hole deburring.

[Bass Ackward]

Yep. The answer to your question really depends on range.

Up to 100 yards, you can usually do well with some load. One will always be better than another regardless of how careful we are. And generally, the faster the powder, the more chance for errors you will tend to have because of percentages and the rate of pressure. Just depends on how picky you want to be.

This is a sum total game and being picky on one thing often does more or less depending on the application. You will say it's worth the extra effort right up until you go to something else and forget to do it and shoot the best groups you ever have. So the correct answer is always to ask Professor Gun for his opinion.

[James C. Snodgrass]

A lot of people talk about % of weight as in 1/2 of 1% or less I ain't sure it's that critical . I have by accident I'm sure gotten M.O.A out of a couple of rifles with out weighing them but I do look them over very closely and if they have any boo boo's the get remelted . A friend of mine here say's you wouldn't except any thing but a perfect lookin' jacket bullet why except any less from your own and it has done me well. JMHO James

[45 2.1]

What i'm going to say will raise a stink, BUT. If you keep your lead supply at around 750 degrees. Start casting with your mold already hot (by dipping the closed blocks equal depth into the melt to get them hot) and adjust the melt temperature so the sprue freezes at about four seconds. Keep your fill-rest-dump cycle exactly the same in terms of time, you can produce boolits that have a -0.1 gr. to +0.1 gr. weight variance fairly easily. If you get a little better at it, you can even produce 500 gr. boolits with little or no weight variance. This simple fact of no weight variance can help you produce extremely small groups (providing some other factors are in line). If the weight variance is -0.5 gr. to + 0.5 gr., you will not (or not with a lot of difficulty) get those small groups. Keeping the mold temperature even goes a long way towards this.

[sundog]

When 'braggin rights' or money is on the line, I weigh match boolits. Culling the light weights has eliminated flyers. It's the flyers that make for bad groups if everything else is working. Otherwise, if it looks good, load it and shoot it.

[copdills]

+1 on what sundog said

[1Shirt]

To each his own I guess. Being retired, I weigh all my cast and seperate them.
For heavy 45's 385 gr. and up for 45-70, I am satisfied with a grain variance and usually have about 3-4 piles (single cav molds). For 44's at 240 and up, I am satisfied with 1/2 grain and usually have 3-5 piles seperated. Same is true for my 375's. For 35's, for rifle, and over 150 gr. I am satisfied with .3 gr variance. For handgun, I don't bother as I am at best a marginal handgunner. For 30's, 7mm, and 6.5's, I seperate at
.3 and if I am going to shoot a match seperate down to exact weights. Sometimes have up to 7-8 piles seperated in these cals, and it doesn't really seem to matter that much if I am using a one holer or a two banger. For 6mm and 22's, I weigh piles to exact weights, usually having 7-10 batches. I weigh after they are checked and lubed, and I weigh on an electronic scale. I do this with hollow points as well as non HP's. Wish I had had an electronic scale 45-50 years ago when I was stronger of body, had 20-20 vision, and all that stuff. However like the old Pa. Dutch sayin, "Ya get to soon old, and to late smart".
I try not to flame anybody for their thoughts and opinions, and like I said at the start, to each his own.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[felix]

1Shirt, for an improvement, you need to segregate your cases too. By weight, lot, work hardening, etc. Much more important than powder variance out of the hopper. Try it and see if your Professor gun can tell the difference. Perhaps not. ... felix

[montana_charlie]

I am in agreement with the statements of .45 2.1, but I would add one factor.
Keep the mould closed using the same tension on the handles througout the casting session.

It is surprising how a 'looser grip' can result in one of those 'heavy bullets' that falls several grains outside of the expected range.
If you don't pay any attention to your grip pressure, you will probably have trouble keeping a small spread...even if your temperatures and rythmn are good.
CM

[felix]

So true. ... felix

[Bob Krack]

I've just started an investigation. I am casting boolits for a fellow member and at first I was going to send him rejects and all trying to be a mentor.... Let HIM see what defects cause what problems. With the shortage of lead (relatively, at least for me), I decided to send him mostly "good" boolits and just enough rejects and "fair" boolits for him to form conclusions on his own.

Out of 200 randomly chosen 230gr trunicated cone .45 boolits, I found the following:
20 rejects noticed only by close inspection - 15 of those certainly from mould not being closed uniformly.
32 weighing between 1/2 grain to one grain less than average - one of them being 3 gr lighter.
92 weighing within 1/2 grain of average.
56 weighing between 1/2 and one grain heavier than average.

By the way, the Lee TL452-230TC is the mould and the average weight was 242 grains at .254 diameter with my wheelweight allow. Beautiful boolit and a real joy to cast.

I am planning to do a diameter check to see if there is a relationship between weight and diameter, I assume that if MOST of the overweight boolits are slightly larger than the lighter ones - it will be proof of operator error or major mould/alloy temperature?

I expect to have most diameters checked this evening, anything else I should be checking?

In spite of the fact that aluminum moulds are my favorite and Lee are terrific for the money, the five moulds I am currently casting and the approximate weights are:
C429-240SWC = 247 grains
C429-310RF = 305 grains
TL452-230TC = 242 grains
452-255RF = 247 grains
C452-300SWC = 305 grains

Very interesting to me.

Vic

[nighthunter]

Azshooter .... You are not being too pickey. In the hobby of reloading ammunition there are many variables that must be considered. When you add the fact that you are reloading with bullets that you cast yourself it is a whole different ballgame. This is a good thing about this board .... people shareing their knowledge and experience with others. Casting, reloading and shooting are a life long hobby for most of us. Some of the experience on this board will help new people to avoid some of the pitfalls and hard learned lessons that took years to earn. I'm not saying you are a newbie. You are welcome to learn anyway that suits you. By segregating the varience you are eliminateing unknowns that won't have to me questioned later. But as others have said variences come in all shapes and forms. Never consider that you are being to pickey. You are just into the same circle as most of us. I'm still looking for the perfect load.

Nighthunter