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Thread: Noob- PP vs Grease Groove vs J word?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Noob- PP vs Grease Groove vs J word?

    I'm not a complete noob. I've loaded commercial cast boolits in revolvers for years, even cast a few years ago. I'm moving into the rifle areas now and need a little clarity on a few things.

    Does the PP offer any great avantage over a grease groove bullet at mild velocities (<1500 fps)?

    I'm wanting to run a slow heavy cast for close range and Jwords fast for long range work. Would PP be preferred in this application?

    My understanding is PP is for high velocities for a given alloy, is this rite?

  2. #2
    Boolit Man
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    I tumble lube boolits at <1500 its easy cheep and fast. I used alox for years ,now I use bll or 45/45/10 read the lube stickies. After you learn the basics then you can try other things.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master 303Guy's Avatar
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    Paper patching is a lot more effort (and fun). I have had good results with PP using a malleable alloy with enough pressure for patch disintegration at the muzzle. Velocity would have been somewhere between 1500 and 1800 fps I would think. I have also had good results with a patched subsonic boolit. That was a lightweight 141 gr 303 Brit boolit (in a seriously rust damaged bore). I don't know whether the patch stayed on or not.
    Last edited by 303Guy; 05-27-2017 at 12:19 PM.
    Rest In Peace My Son (01/06/1986 - 14/01/2014)

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  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    The object of PP I think is to get lead cast as near as possible to jacketed speeds perhaps in some cartridges a little beyond jacketed speed. Done so with the use of a paper wrap which is known to reduce the chance of barrel leading at those higher Jacketed speeds.
    BHN hardness? A very important cast lead factor to be aware. Softer BHN lead engages the barrels rifling better than hard cast lead. Which affect accuracy and terminal performance.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    These responses do give me some things to think on. I've purchased an 1885 Winchester in 375 h&h that I intend to assemble a cast load for woods hunting, and a long range jacketed round to use in more open areas, sometimes on the same hunt. I guess I'm concerned about leading the barrel switching back and forth between jacketed and cast. It's this a real concern if I use lubed cast boolits? I've found with revolvers that most commercial boolits are too hard, and a properly set up revolver will lead less with a softer bullet than a hard cast at the same speed. I'm also aware that a softer boolit is a better hunting boolit than a hard boolit. It's looking more and more like I may have to go back to casting to get the boolits I want any way!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master


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    If using cast in a fast caliber, I'd go gas check.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master Dan Cash's Avatar
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    I find paper patched .30 bullets my preferred for hunting as I can drive a very soft bullit at factory speed (.30-40, .300 Sav, .30-06, .303, .30-30 etc) with accuracy and no leading. Up to about 1700 fps, plain based grease groove bullets serve me well, even when cast quite soft; faster needs harder alloy. While I have gas check makers and lots of gas checks, I have quit using them except on unpatched gas checked bullets at over 17-1800fps. All bullets shot unpatched are panlubed with a bee was/neats foot oil/lanolin lube.
    To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, the trouble with many shooting experts is not that they're ignorant; its just that they know so much that isn't so.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Been shooting 340gr and 405gr out of 45-70 for years. I size down to .452 then patch back up to.458. I've been using soft lead and cigarette papers. Good accuracy and no leading with a long barrel Italian Sharps and Buffalo Classic.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master Any Cal.'s Avatar
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    Have been shooting gas checked lead at 2100 out of a .444 just fine. Was planning on paperpatching for it, but easier just to grease.

    I do think the 110% load density helps a lot though.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check