Boolit mold for Carcano

[junkbug]

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone here had a mold suggestion for a Carcano M91/24 TS. This is a carbine that was arsenal shortened from a long rifle, and the fast part of the gain twist was cut off. I have tried the Mid South rendition of the "Cruise Missle" with no luck, it has key-holed with every load I tried. The only other choices out there that I know of are the Lymann 266469 and the RCBS Silhouette and FP boolits, and the Saeco. All these are nominally 140 grains, which I believe is too heavy. Any other suggestions?

If I had to chose one, I would pick the Lymann, because it seems the shortest (and also cheapest). However, if anyone has some experience with that one, or any other, I would love to hear about it

[legend]

junkbug,
it may be your boolit is the wrong size for the bore;i understand speed could be wrong to get it to spin right speed also.i could be shooting in the dark on this,but both worked on a 303 i own.
legend

[junkbug]

Thanks Legend.

I have been sizing to .269", but have not slugged the bore or done a throat impact cast. I have also loaded unsized, tumble lubed bullets from the "Cruise Missle" mold, w/o gas-check, at low power levels (8.0gr Unique). Unsized, they run over .269", but less than .270" My equipment cannot measure more accurately than this. It is entirely possible that the groove and throat may run larger.

The only trick I have left with this mold is to cast a number of them, tumble lube, fit gas check, size, and then wrap with teflon tape. After this, I will load them up with starting loads for a 160gr. RN jacketed bullet, perhaps with IMR 4064. As cast, they weight about 166-167 grains, I can't remember exactly at the moment.

Sean

[Andy_P]

RCBS makes a 150gr GC for the 270 Win (0.278" in diameter), that will size down nicely to 0.270" or larger.

[JCherry]

Junkbug,

I would suggest that the number one thing you need to do is a throat impact cast to determine the size of your throat. A bullet just under the size of the throat is what you need to aim at.

If you find that your throat is grossly oversize you may want to consider beagling your mold, paper patching or a 270 mold as mentioned by Andy_P.

If I remember right the Carcano's used .268 diameter bullets to begin with as opposed to .264 diameters for many other 6.5's.

Have Fun,

JCherry

[Buckshot]

............junkbug, you may not be beating a dead horse, but rather a pretty lame one. Even with jacketed slugs those expedient carbines were no great shakes in the accuracy department. Most of them were converted to the Italian's 'Bomb launchers" ie: grenade launchers. They were called something like Trombonica Bomba or vice versa. Since the fast part of the twist was cut off when creating the carbines, you'd need a REAL short slug.

...............Buckshot

[Phil]

Its gonna take a really, really, light bullet to work in it. The rifling left in the barrel is very slow pitch.

Cheers,

Phil

[45 2.1]

To get that short boolit, try a 25 caliber mold of about 60 to 70 gr. and paper patch it (with paper, teflon tape or masking tape up to a diameter of about 0.269"). That will tell you if its going to work.

[junkbug]

Thanks again for all the help. Phil, I have been trying all the lightweight jacketed bullets I can, with indifferent results. At least they don't keyhole. 5" to 10" groups at 50 yards. I'm hoping for better.

Buckshot; some time back you made a .268" push thru die for me. I had been using it to swage 100 gr .277" jacketed bullets. That worked until I bought a batch of Speer 100gr .277" varmint hollow points. For whatever reason they have incredibly hard jackets. I actually ended up scouring the inside of the die, with the steel push thru pin because the bullets were so hard the pin tilted off center. BUMMER.

Used a dremmel to grind the scour, and then a dowel with emery cloth to open it up some. I am not finished with it yet, but when I'm done I will teflon wrap the "Cruise Missle" and size with the oversize sizer. We will see how that works.

45 2.1; Thanks for the tip. I have some .257 jacketed bullets, but no .25 cal mold. Can jacketed bullets be paper patched? Would rolling them under a file help the paper stick?

Sean

[jonk]

Ditto on what Buckshot said. The rifle had gain twist rifling and stabilized its bullet progressively. When cut down, this was lost, and so was accuracy. Being as my carbines are all 'store made' as carbines, it isn't an issue for me.

[walltube]

junkbug,

The discontinued Lyman 280468 Loverin may be the answer for your Carcano. These were available in two versions, the "S" and the "L". 'S', as in >short< is 109 gr. and 'L' as in >long< is 114 gr. with No.2 alloy, so says Lyman.

The two moulds I have (S&L) produce weights at about 113 Grs. and 119 grs. respectively @ .279 +\- .001 diameter dependant upon the WW alloy and casting temperatures. Once lubed and checked in a .277 die they may be sized down using a Lee type push through die to whatever diameter best fitting the Carcano throat. As mentioned in preceeding posts a short, light boolit is happy with a slow twist. These boolits are short.

I hasten to add that my efforts with the 280468 were directed toward an 1896 Carl Gustav only. All notes and records are long gone.

Being that 280468 is a discontinued item, I suggest e-Bay or one of the auction sites on our side of the fence in support of the 2nd. Amendment as a place to find a 280468 mould.

HTH and good luck to you.

Y.T. ,
Wt.

[45 2.1]

45 2.1; Thanks for the tip. I have some .257 jacketed bullets, but no .25 cal mold. Can jacketed bullets be paper patched?
Yes. A 25 ACP bullet patched up might work also.
Would rolling them under a file help the paper stick?
Yes, it helps quite a bit.

[junkbug]

Walltube;

Those "Discontinued Molds are what I'm probably after. The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook lists several in 6.5mm that would be perfect with a little "beagling". But they are as rare as hen's teeth. I was not loading for that rifle when the 6.5mm group buy occurred.

Sean

[walltube]

junkbug,

'Beagling' works fine and should work well with your intended Lyman ,or any other, 6.5 cal. moulds.

At the risk of being tagged a know-it-all I do think better success may be achieved sizing down to the exact dimension of the Itey's throat from a larger diameter boolit. Loverins accept sizing down very well in a nose first push through die. Must fill all those lube grooves first.

I give credit and thanks to Buckshot for his advise in Loverin squooshing. Starmetal Joe, too.

Good luck finding the mould you need. They're out there.

Wt.