Lyman #429215 .44 Mag

[Jumping Frog]

The Lyman 49 Manual publishes a load for that specific bullet (#429215), listing it as 210 grains using linotype. Similarly, the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook lists loads for that specific bullet #429215, however, it lists the bullet as 215 gr using linotype.

I notice the Lyman Manual's published loads for a 210 gr jacketed bullet are in the same ballpark for powder weight and velocities as the 210 gr cast load. However, I believe the manual is ignoring the weight of the gas checks in this developed load. Seems to me that the load should reflect total bullet weight = cast bullet + gas check.

My bullets (wheelweights + 2% tin) with gas checks are averaging 232 grains, not 210 grains. The Lyman 49 Manual also publishes loads for 240 gr cast bullet.

So my question boils down to: Would you use the load published for bullet #429215 even though my bullet weight is 22 grains heavier than the published bullet weight? Or would you work off the 240 gr published loads?

I am using this bullet as an example, but I believe Lyman's other gas-checked bullets have the same problem.

[beagle]

My 429215 runs 228.5 grains lubed and ready to load./beagle

[Shuz]

I suggest you work from the 240g published loads.
Evidently your 429215 boolits are a lot heavier than mine. I too, use wheel weights, but my 429215 with gas check outta my wheel weights weigh around 225g. Perhaps your wheel weight alloy contains a higher percentage of "stick on" type weights which are nearly pure lead and therfore weigh more than the standard "clip on" variety.

[cbrick]

Boils down to the variables as always. The condition and length of your bore, strength of your alloy, burn rate and quantity of powder, twist rate, temperature of the day and so many more.

I wouldn't simply pick a max load out of a book and call it good, start with a book starting load that's closest to "your" boolit weight and work up while shooting for groups and watching for any pressure signs. Actually, I wouldn't simply pick any load out of a book and call it good, I pick a starting load and see what I can do with it in "my" gun with "my" components, "my" shooting conditions and "my" loading techniques and work up or down from there.

When I am starting with a new revolver or mid capacity bottle neck cartridge powder/boolit combination I start low and work up in 0.5 gr. increments. Shooting for groups over the chronograph if it's a viable load combination groups should shrink as I approach optimum. Once past this the groups usually open up. It's rare in my experience to find the hottest load also be the most accurate load and I'll always take the most accurate over a few feet per second velocity.

As to your example of 22 grains additional boolit weight look at it as a percentage of the whole. As an example, if you have a 40 gr. 22 caliber boolit and cast it at 50 gr. that's a 20% increase in weight, a 22 grain increase in a 210 grain boolit is a 10% increase in boolit weight.

As for the gas checks adding weight to the boolit, a 3 grain check on a 230 grain boolit adds 1.3% weight to the boolit. If your using a load where a 1.3% variation in boolit weight puts you over the edge your loading way too hot to begin with. As for larger variations in boolit weight due to alloy, your particular mould etc. starting charges can be adjusted accordingly.

Hope this helps some.

Rick

[Bass Ackward]

Depends on the cherry of which there have been many. Dressed for the party, mine are 221 grain average outta WW +2% tin.

Factory molds are cut for an old standard. Lyman was #2 at 15 BHN. Use anthing softer and weight goes up. RCBS used lino for a standard so weight is even worse. Diameter is the resulting sacrifice that went along with that weight increase. There is your factor to watch.

When you get to the cast game, you need to be able to .... see passed the .... precision and consider each piece and component as it's own factor in the equation.

There in lies the true joy of cast. The real competition is between your knowledge and your launching system to produce results.

Sometimes you win. Wins help hide the loses. :grin:

[Jumping Frog]

I wouldn't simply pick a max load out of a book and call it good, . . . I pick a starting load and see what I can do with it in "my" gun with "my" components, "my" shooting conditions and "my" loading techniques and work up or down from there. . . . I'll always take the most accurate over a few feet per second velocity.
Agreed with all of the above.


As to your example of 22 grains additional boolit weight look at it as a percentage of the whole. As an example, if you have a 40 gr. 22 caliber boolit and cast it at 50 gr. that's a 20% increase in weight, a 22 grain increase in a 210 grain boolit is a 10% increase in boolit weight.

As for the gas checks adding weight to the boolit, a 3 grain check on a 230 grain boolit adds 1.3% weight to the boolit. If your using a load where a 1.3% variation in boolit weight puts you over the edge your loading way too hot to begin with. As for larger variations in boolit weight due to alloy, your particular mould etc. starting charges can be adjusted accordingly.

Well, the gas checks add 7 grains, not 3, fwiw. But here is my concern. Using H110 as a powder, there is the following wanring posted at the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center (http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp):


For those loads listed where a starting load is not shown, start 10% below the suggested maximum load and then approach maximums carefully, watching for any sign of pressure (difficult extraction, cratered and flattened or blown primers, and unusual recoil). H110 and Winchester 296 loads should not be reduced more than 3%.

Reduce H110 and Winchester 296 loads 3% and work up from there. H110 and Winchester 296 if reduced too much will cause inconsistent ignition. In some cases it will lodge a bullet in the barrel, causing a hazardous situation (Barrel Obstruction). This may cause severe personal injury or death to users or bystanders. DO NOT REDUCE H110 LOADS BY MORE THAN 3%.

Here are some published loads, listing bullet weight versus max powder charge:
210 gr -> 27.5 gr (compressed load) (Lyman)
215 gr -> 26.0 gr (Hodgon from One Book One Caliber, and Lee)
240 gr -> 23.5 gr (Lyman)
250 gr -> 23.0 gr (Hodgon from One Book One Caliber, and Lee)

There is a 2.5 grain drop (10%) between 215 grain bullets and 240 grain bullets. If I look at 23.5 grains, a 3% reduction is only 0.7 grains (1/3rd of the interval). Seems like I need to estimate a value in between 23.5 grains and 26.0 grains for a 232 grain bullet, then back 3% off of that estimate.

If I interpolate, 232 is 8/25 (0.32) of the distance between 240 and 215. Adding 0.32 x 2.5 gives me an interpolated maximum load of 23.5 + 0.8 = 24.3 grains.

I'd feel comfortable with interpolation if pressure was linear, but pressure isn't linear. All I can say for certain is the maximum load is somewhere between 23.5 and 26.0. I need to pick a maximum so I can reduce by 3% and work from there.