New Patched Boolit for my 1902 LE I

[303Guy]

I've had this patched boolit lying on my computer for quite some time no. The patch label said; 1902 LE I 167gr 0.083mm. So I finally got the rifle out and indeed the boolit fitted the throat just perfectly. So I loaded it up over 15gr H4227 (AR2205) and fired it into the test tube. The boolit shows perfect rifling engagement and I found two crumpled patch fragments off from the entry hole in the rags. The boolit is from a tough copper/lino alloy. It's expansion was good in rubber grounds, no doubt initiated by the ball of rag on top and penetration was pretty good. Interestingly, the pressure indication on the fired primer is the same as for 4.4gr Clays (AS30N). No pressure sign. The pressure for both is below the strength of the primer brass so the primer looks like a no powder primer would. Velocity is obviously considerably higher than with Clays. The bore was very clean.

This barrel has only had a few hundred bullets through it, 500 of which where cordite machine gun rounds. So the throat is somewhat 'run in' but the rifling goes sharp further down the bore. One can feel the change in smoothness. However, the throat is not worn in enough for the ideal patched boolit fit so I have to size the core in a shaped die I made.

This boolit/load seems worth range testing, possibly with a weaker paper for better disintegration. Or more powder. OK, make that both. Could be fun.





You can see the course brown paper. It impresses its courseness into the boolit too.

[303Guy]

Tried a weaker paper of the same thickness.



I'll test this paper with 15gr and the brown paper with both 15gr and 16gr and see what happens. I should shoot them over my Chrony.

[wmitty]

So none of the patch is folded onto the base of the boolit?

[303Guy]

No, none. I aim for a slight overhang that's all. The bottom line on the patch is supposed to sit right on the chamfer edge but I missed.

[longbow]

What is the thickness of that paper and diameter of the lead boolit? Well, I better ask too, what are the bore/groove diameters?

It looks like pretty thick paper.

I haven't patched for a while but when I did I found my .303 harder to patch for than my .308, with the notable difference being significantly deeper rifling in the Lee Enfield barrels than in my .308.

In my case, boolits were cast to bore diameter then patched to groove or a little over. Just wondering what sizes you are working to.

Longbow

[303Guy]

The bore/groove is .303/.313. I have the boolit dimensions which I will look up for you.