first boolits weight deviations

[MarkK]

Casted up some decent looking 44mag boolits using wheel weight alloy. I used Lee's gang mould that is supposed to throw a 255 grainer. Weighed four random boolits and got 256, 260, 259 and 257 grainers sd +/- 1.8 grains. Is this typical?

[onondaga]

This is normal. I only sort bullets for match ammunition to +- one grain.

Sort them if you like but it wouldn't matter unless you shoot a lot better than I do. Lifetime best: 5 shot group, 6.82 inches at 1000 yd.

Gary

[ColColt]

This is normal. I only sort bullets for match ammunition to +- one grain.

Sort them if you like but it wouldn't matter unless you shoot a lot better than I do. Lifetime best: 5 shot group, 6.82 inches at 1000 yd.

Gary

With a 44 Magnum?:shock:

[454PB]

4" barrel or 6"?

[onondaga]

No, Not with a 44 at 1000 yards, it was a 25-06.

The point is that weighing bullets for accuracy is less critical than a lot of other variables in loading for accuracy. Plus / Minus 1.8 grain that MarkK cast bullets differ is insignificant to accuracy in the .44 MAG if everything else in the load is perfected for accuracy.

Gary

[onondaga]

Hello Mark,

I have been casting since 1957 and believe I'm competent and very consistent at casting match quality bullets. With my best, most consistent molds and technique, I can barely maintain +- 1.2 grain weight accuracy with bullets in the weight class you mention. That is actually excellent by most standards. Controlling casting variables like mold temperature, alloy flow speed, pouring accuracy to the sprue gate hole, pot temperature, changes in alloy from top to bottom of pot in the cycle of casting a potful of metal, are all skills that are challenging to build and maintain.

Much more important for accuracy with the .44 Mag is bullet fit to your firearm, alloy selection related to the load level, consistent Brass preparation, neck tension, consistent loading practices and a whole slew of other stuff. If you develop a load that is really in the sweet spot of accuracy for your firearm in .44 Mag, a variation of 2 grains in bullet weight will not be detectable on targets at any practical range.

A personal rule of thumb for me is that I don't even begin to weight match bullets in any caliber until I get a load that shoots less than 1 inch at 50 yards. The other stuff is so much more important. I believe that variation in bullet weight actually helps me find the accuracy sweet spot when working up loads. When I get good accuracy with unmatched bullet weight, then I match bullets to fine tune, but I really hope the sweet spot is broad enough that matching bullets doesn't matter. This does happen!

Gary

[MarkK]

Thanks Gary. So, +/- 1.8 grain sounds pretty decent for a first go around. Now I just need to lube/size'm. Have titegroup for fuel. Should be a pretty good plinker.

[Bret4207]

Mark, you're under 2% variation, that's pretty good. As you get you casting tempo and finesse down it will probably drop some. Of course then you'll have a bad day or week and nothing will go right it'll jump up to about 10%!!!