425 SWC in a 14" guide gun.

[smid]

Hi Guys, I'm farly new to this whole bullet casting thing, but not quite so new to reloading, so take the following with a grain of salt.
I started experimenting with some lyman molds last year and then contacted Tom from Accurate molds to make me some nice 405 grain flat nose molds for my stubby 14" marlin guide gun.
Long story short, the powder I have available here gives me a hard time with ignition. I tried everything from nylon fiber filler, magnum primers, increasing the charge, decreasing the charge, etc.

Then I contacted Tom again and asked him to make me a mold for a 420-430ish bullet with a short nose and a long shank to compress the charge without the need of a filler, and figured the extra weight would help delaying movement of the bullet for better ignition. Failed miserably, again.

My last attempt was to use duplex loads. The powder I am using is somewhat similar to 3031 but apparently harder to ignite. So I ended up charging 2 grains of a faster powder and then a compressed charge of the slower one.
Well the good thing is that the **** thing worked, no overpressure, no black soot on the bolt, no unburned powder and consistent speed on the chronograph.

So now I am getting some 1450 FPS with this 425 grainer boolit from a 14" Guide Gun.
What do you guys think, do those numbers look good? I never chronoed a 22" gun, I wouldn't know how faster it would go with a standard barrel
Thanks

[Lloyd Smale]

14 inch guide gun??????

[Tatume]

Welcome to the forum.

If you are in the USA, I assume your rifle has been registered with the NFA. I'd be curious to know the powders you are using. I will not offer any opinions based on the primary powder being "somewhat similar to 3031" and the ignition powder being "a faster powder."

[smid]

nope, I'm not in the USA, I live in Argentina. we can't own MSRs here, but there are no restrictions in barrel lenghth.
as for the powders I am currently using a powder manufactured here that is similar to the 3031. due to the shortage of imported powders that is the only visble option I have. having standard powders available would make this whole matter easier.

[jcren]

What primers are you using and what is available?

[smid]

Wolf is the only available brand.
Tried both standard and magnum.

[MT Gianni]

I have used a 3-5 grain "kicker" of fast rifle powder to help ignition with some really slow burning powders. I would guess that a 2-3 grain kicker might be OK with a medium burning one.
Que se cazas con estas? A de estar en el Oeste cerca de Cordoba me parece. No me imagino que sera en el Sur para este cartucho.

[Outer Rondacker]

Smid welcome to the forum.

[smid]

Exactly, I read all the threads here regarding this kind of kicker loads, and having no other option just went ahead and tried it.

Well actually I am way down south, in the Patagonia Region. The idea with this gun was to use it for wild pigs. But it needs optics since we hunt them at night here. Then i realized how horrible a lever gun with optics looks. Ended up with a set of XS peeps and mainly a range toy for now.

[smid]

Smid welcome to the forum.

Thank you!

[lar45]

What is the name and brand of Powder? It might be in Quickload?
Do you have any pics of your 14" Guide Gun? Sounds like a great little gun