71 Mauser With a Pistol Boolit

[leadman]

I had the 71 Mauser 43 caliber along last week at the range. I had sized the Lee 300gr RFN to .450" with gas checks and loaded with and without polyfil. The range was 50 yards as the sights are difficult for me to use.
The best group was with 21grs of 2400 with 4.5grs of polyfil, 4 shots in .731". Velocity was 1,476 fps with polyfil, 1,390fps without the polyfil.

I also loaded the Lyman 348gr boolit designed for this with polyfil and the group was about half the size of the group without polyfil. Best with this boolit was 2.4" at 50 yards.

The Lee 300gr boolits hit about 20" above the point of aim. I dug out an old front sight from a 1891 Mauser that I modifed with a tall blade and am going to fit this in place of the low original sight on this rifle.

I sized some more of the Lee boolit today and am going to load them with less polyfil, probably go to 3.5 and 2.5 grains. The 4.5grs of polyfil was not burning up and would exit the muzzle in clumps. Some actually landed in my Chrony.

I think the Lee boolit would make a good big game hunting boolit.

Anyway, I think my little experiment for the most part was a success.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I was able to obtain similar results patching up a 260 grain 44 swc in my 71/84.

Who says 2400 isn't position sensitive? Try 1 square of 2 ply of Mr Whipples finest, neatly folded and down hard on your charge. It will exit the muzzle like talcum powder, yet make the muzzle velocity you are getting much more uniform.

Bvt

[leadman]

Velocity spread is pretty low so I think the poly-fil is doing the job. Just want to get rid of the big chunks blowing out the end of the barrel.
Should load some more ammo for this tomorrow, after the Christmas lights are up.