Tenative load to try at next shillouette match

[country gent]

Last Sunday I chronographed 2 loads for the new C Sharps High wall in 38-55 and both were very good for second time out. Load currently is ww cases flash holes deburred and pockets uniformed, win std LR primers hand seated with a hornady tool, 42 grns 2 F Olde Ensforde powder. .060 napa rubber fiber wad and tracing paper wad under bullet. Bullets were 335 grn lyman and old west 365 grn Nasa. Both are giving around 1 1/2 min accuracy with this load. Velocities are with the 335 grn the ave is 1165 fps and the 365 Nasa is running 1120 fps. I may try 3f olde ensforde in the near future and 1 1/2f also. But this load is looking pretty good right now. Im hoping to shoot it in the may match.

[Mitch]

And I was just wondering how things went sunday lol.sounds like it went well

[country gent]

I had 30 rds of each load chronographed used paper target for first 10 rounds then 20 rounds on the gong at 200 yds On the gong I had 2 misses with the 335 grn lyman load with the biggest share using about 1/4 of the white gong, the 365 grn Nasa was about the same only all 20 hits. Wind wasnt bad but was switching around a little also.

[Toymaker]

Country Gent, seems we both had good days at the range. I took my 1885 High Wall 38-55 out yesterday and got "interesting" results. I'm testing Goex FFg, Goex FFFg and Swiss 1 1/2. The starting load is enough powder trickled down the tube to give me the desired OAL after hand seating the bullet. Then I put a .03 veggie wad in, a disk of newsprint and compress. The compression die is pre-set. Then the OAL is checked. Loads go up 2 grains at a time.

Starline brass fire-formed and trimmed to 2.125"; CCI Large Rifle Primer; BACO "Money" bullet, 1.465" long, 0.380" diameter cast, sized 0.380", 371.1-371.4 grains, BHN 6, SPG lube; OAL 3.222"

Groups suddenly closed up with 54 grains Goex FFg to 1.5 inches, compressed 0.28", 1,275 fps.
Closed up to 1 inch with 55 grains Goex FFg to 1 inch, compressed 0.30", 1,298 fps.

Then I started the Goex FFFg group:
I think I messed up. I just wiped the bore when the RO called a relay break. When we started again I should have used the blow tube to get some moisture into the bore but didn't. My first shot was 2 inches low of the others. The group was 1/2". That was 46.2 grains Goex FFFg, compressed 0.04", 1,243 fps. That definitely has a "do it again" note in the book.

I shot a 48.2 grain load but the group opened up and the winds started really kicking with storms moving into the area so I quit.

[country gent]

I modified a shell holder last night to allow a primer wad to be used. going to try it this Sunday added to the loading. I cut a .030 wide slot in the back of the shell holder to match with the case head surface. as wide as the rim dia. This allows a strip of tracing paper or other materials to be used for primer wads feeding the strip thru and punching wad with primer when seating it. I lay tha slot out with a set of dividers and lay out ink. cut it in with a dremil tool and .030 cuttoff wheel. On some loads this wad has made the diffrence for me. I ussually use aluminum foil discs, seem to add to the hot particles of the primers. Im expanding necks and dropping powder charges today to test sunday.

[country gent]

One thing that surprised me with the aluminum foil discs was I expected to see them in the primer pockets with a hole pushed thru them but there is nothing of them left after firing. I find this interesting as much of the primer blast must be directed into the flat surface of the primer pocket.

[bigted]

Country Gent, seems we both had good days at the range. I took my 1885 High Wall 38-55 out yesterday and got "interesting" results. I'm testing Goex FFg, Goex FFFg and Swiss 1 1/2. The starting load is enough powder trickled down the tube to give me the desired OAL after hand seating the bullet. Then I put a .03 veggie wad in, a disk of newsprint and compress. The compression die is pre-set. Then the OAL is checked. Loads go up 2 grains at a time.

Starline brass fire-formed and trimmed to 2.125"; CCI Large Rifle Primer; BACO "Money" bullet, 1.465" long, 0.380" diameter cast, sized 0.380", 371.1-371.4 grains, BHN 6, SPG lube; OAL 3.222"

Groups suddenly closed up with 54 grains Goex FFg to 1.5 inches, compressed 0.28", 1,275 fps.
Closed up to 1 inch with 55 grains Goex FFg to 1 inch, compressed 0.30", 1,298 fps.

Then I started the Goex FFFg group:
I think I messed up. I just wiped the bore when the RO called a relay break. When we started again I should have used the blow tube to get some moisture into the bore but didn't. My first shot was 2 inches low of the others. The group was 1/2". That was 46.2 grains Goex FFFg, compressed 0.04", 1,243 fps. That definitely has a "do it again" note in the book.

I shot a 48.2 grain load but the group opened up and the winds started really kicking with storms moving into the area so I quit.

guess i be a little cornfused with your 54 and 55 grain loads of 2F ... i loaded same loads but had much more compression to allow them to work and found nothing there to return to so am wondering at the load as maybe i missed a step in my loads and need to retry and re-visit that load.

[Toymaker]

Bigted, you said "much more compression" but didn't say how much. Let me run a couple of thoughts past you in the form of questions. Are your cases fire-formed? Are they Starline 2.125 inch or 2.085? How long a drop tube are you using? Mine's 24 inches. How fast are you pouring? Are you measuring powder by weight or volume? I'm using weight. Feel free to send me a message if you'd like to go over this in greater detail.
Still raining here and looks wet for the next week so I haven't gotten out to do any more testing.

[country gent]

Just got back from the range, testing the load with the foil discs added. Was basically the same velocities and grous with or without the disc . Load is 42 grns 2f Olde Ensford .060 napa ruber fiber wad and lyman 335 grn or old west 365 grn. Accuracy is very good and consistant. Discs dont seem to ne needed. Was a good day today. Went 10 for 10 on the clubs gong with both loads.