Zeek
05-14-2010, 07:36 PM
For the 38-55, Lyman's 375449 is a lovely thing indeed. Although it is way too small in diameter to match the standard groove diameter for that chambering (0.380 to 0.381), it is easy to size it down and then patch it up to the desired size.
Here are two treatments of that boolit PPatched to match not only my rifle's 0.3815" groove diameter, but also to fit either an unmodified rifle (LOA just over 2.59") or a Marlin that has had the action "lengthened" (LOA is 2.69" & functions through my modified levergun).
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/wosikae/PPCBoos/BothR_L374449B_SML.jpg
Both were sized down to 0.373" first, in a Lee push-thru sizer (alloy is straight air-cooled wheelweights). The PPCBoo in the left cartridge has a 2X16# full-length patch. Extenting the patch over the front band and over the nose and onto the point a bit makes the PPCBoo have to be seated deeper (to get a firm leade-cone jam). This allows me to keep the cartridge within nomal max LOA (2.59") and still have the patch touching the leade cone.
The one on the right has a 2X20 patch 0.65" long (front edge of the patch fits right into the crimp groove), giving a tight jam-fit at an LOA of 2.69.
(with both PPCBoo approaches, the boolit was run through my custom 0.381" Lee push-thru sizer die after the patch dried on)
Both of these cartridges fit (i.e., push the patch into the leade cone) my rifle, yet the one on the right will also work in an unmodified Marlin. Both cartridges use a charge of 38.5 grains of AA-2495 (MV ~ 1900 fps) put into the case using the swirl charge approach (pour the charge gradually down the side of the funnel in a way that makes the grains take a helical patch to the drop hole ~~~> gives better packing than a drop tube).
Yup! PPCBoos are pretty cool!
Zeek
Here are two treatments of that boolit PPatched to match not only my rifle's 0.3815" groove diameter, but also to fit either an unmodified rifle (LOA just over 2.59") or a Marlin that has had the action "lengthened" (LOA is 2.69" & functions through my modified levergun).
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/wosikae/PPCBoos/BothR_L374449B_SML.jpg
Both were sized down to 0.373" first, in a Lee push-thru sizer (alloy is straight air-cooled wheelweights). The PPCBoo in the left cartridge has a 2X16# full-length patch. Extenting the patch over the front band and over the nose and onto the point a bit makes the PPCBoo have to be seated deeper (to get a firm leade-cone jam). This allows me to keep the cartridge within nomal max LOA (2.59") and still have the patch touching the leade cone.
The one on the right has a 2X20 patch 0.65" long (front edge of the patch fits right into the crimp groove), giving a tight jam-fit at an LOA of 2.69.
(with both PPCBoo approaches, the boolit was run through my custom 0.381" Lee push-thru sizer die after the patch dried on)
Both of these cartridges fit (i.e., push the patch into the leade cone) my rifle, yet the one on the right will also work in an unmodified Marlin. Both cartridges use a charge of 38.5 grains of AA-2495 (MV ~ 1900 fps) put into the case using the swirl charge approach (pour the charge gradually down the side of the funnel in a way that makes the grains take a helical patch to the drop hole ~~~> gives better packing than a drop tube).
Yup! PPCBoos are pretty cool!
Zeek