The Subsonic boolit

[44man]

I got to shoot today, ran 25 shots. The boolit shoots very good.
I started with 24 gr of 296, they did well at 1-1/8".
24.5 might have been best but one was out, most likely me.
25 and they started to get hot and the group opened and continued to open to 26 gr.
I will call 24.5 top.
I had several problems. First I had to turn the dot too high in the light.
While seating boolits there were 3 that went in too easy and I did not sort them out because I had no more empty brass. (Might be one of the out shots in some of the targets.)
Then when back in the basement I see the Ultra Dot has turned a tad again from torque. This thing does twist. I am going to have to add another ring, second time it has turned. I have Warne rings on the thing.
All in all, it is a real good boolit. The long drive length lowers the powder charge but they must be over 1320 fps. I do not chrono when working a load.
This will be a deer bomb.
I am cleaning brass for a 100 yard test when light is right. Maybe a fastened down can. I had one at 100 but could not see it today.
They also hit the same elevation my boolit is sighted at.

[subsonic]

Thank you for the testing!

Dang variables always creep in, don't they?

[EdS]

If you are running a MV over 1320 fps, you have created a very powerful load. Where I live in the Eastern US, a medium-to-heavy boolit for the caliber, running at or above 1100 fps works very well for any critter up to deer. It is easy tobelieve that your Ultra Dot is moving in the rings. But, before adding additional ring(s), you could try some rosen, or a thin film of silicone sealant under each of the existing rings. -Ed

[subsonic]

Yes, the subsonic boolit is not subsonic;)

[44man]

If you are running a MV over 1320 fps, you have created a very powerful load. Where I live in the Eastern US, a medium-to-heavy boolit for the caliber, running at or above 1100 fps works very well for any critter up to deer. It is easy tobelieve that your Ultra Dot is moving in the rings. But, before adding additional ring(s), you could try some rosen, or a thin film of silicone sealant under each of the existing rings. -Ed
I found it has not moved but a few thousandths and rings are still tight. I tried rosin, etc before but the .475 seems to have a tremendous amount of torque. Even the scope base would not stay tight with anything, Lock-Tite and a small hammer on the screwdriver, etc, so I bedded the base to the gun and also the screws. I have a one piece gun and base! :grin:
Even the .500 JRH does not do what the .475 does.
You are correct about velocity. I found hard cast with a good meplat works best, with the most internal damage and no meat loss between 1300 and 1350 fps. Lower, down to 1160 fps is actually better then too fast. 1600+ pokes clean holes until you make boolits expand.
It is not too good to look for the highest velocity with a hard boolit.
Get much below 1100 fps and you again want just enough expansion, too much and penetration goes away.

[44man]

OK, I found a problem with my loading. I had two loads with a hydraulic lube bulge below the crimp. As I seat, lube is carried forward by the brass (sloppy lubing) and getting into the crimp groove.
I am going to shim the die up to seat just short of the crimp groove and clean the lube out of the groove. Then I will clean the seat die before final seating and crimping.
That should give me more accuracy.
I can not use the extra crimp die, the right boolits do not fit and will get sized.
Another one of those things to solve at the bench.
I am going to shoot today and will post.

[44man]

I just loaded more with the cleaning and it is dramatic. Perfect crimps and very easy.
I am going to apply it to every caliber, just takes a few more minutes.
I can't believe how much lube was in a few crimp grooves.
The Hornady dies are easy to clean without changing settings.
I did find another case that seated too easy so I marked it.

[subsonic]

Weird things happen, that is for sure.

I'll have Chrono numbers this weekend for sure (unless I forget the chrono again! doh!).

[44man]

My friend came to shoot so I taped a jug to the target at 100 yards.
I was trying to shoot at the Pepsi label. First two were at the top but I could not hold in the same place so the next three were lower but withing 1". I could barely see the bottle, it was just a dark spot.
I shot a bunch at my steel pig at 100 and kept within 2".
My friend was shooting a real nice Browning .380 on a steel plate at 25 yards. I said " what the heck" Took the last few subsonic boolits and some Lee boolits and placed one on top of the other off hand. 10 shots could be covered with a half dollar.
I found I had one subsonic boolit left and centered the steel pig at 100 off hand.
He finally shot the .475 and was doing good from bags at 100 but off hand at 25, every now and then I got another tater furrow. When he did hit, they were center.
I wanted to go get the JRH for him but he said no, next time.
We were in the basement having a ham sandwich and he kept shaking his right hand! I said "whats wrong?" He said that thing lets you know something went off! :mrgreen:
We had fun, nothing better.

[subsonic]

What load was that? 24.5gr?

Look like they shoot pretty fair!

[tek4260]

I'm still waiting to try the 26gr loads. I am seriously considering working on the trigger tonight..... Keep fingers crossed for me :) I have done several Rugers, but I have a nice stash of spares. No spares for the BFR. :(

[subsonic]

From what Jim tells me, simply taking a little (amount to be determined by cut and try) off of the hammer notch, bending the trigger spring legs, and using STP on the contact points will get you there.

He gets silly and makes his own transfer bar and likes a trigger you can set off with a RCH.....[smilie=p:

[tek4260]

It's not a good trigger unless it can be measured in ounces only..

And sometimes a lighter trigger requires a longer transfer bar, unless you relief cut the trigger rather than cut the sear.

[subsonic]

Good luck!

[Whitworth]

Good luck!

Subsonic, check your PMs.

[tek4260]

http://www.castbullet.com/misc/photos/accrsa4.jpg

This is the place to cut on a NM Ruger when doing a trigger job. Otherwise you limit trigger travel to the rear and the transfer bar might not lift enough to fire.

[44man]

What load was that? 24.5gr?

Look like they shoot pretty fair!
Yes, no need for more. It shoots as good as I can see.

[44man]

From what Jim tells me, simply taking a little (amount to be determined by cut and try) off of the hammer notch, bending the trigger spring legs, and using STP on the contact points will get you there.

He gets silly and makes his own transfer bar and likes a trigger you can set off with a RCH.....[smilie=p:
Yes but I have made mistakes. Lighten the trigger spring too much and it will kick your finger forward and drop the transfer bar. I have made my own transfer bars that are longer and they have worked forever. I screwed up one by making it for Whitworth without the gun. I fit my gun and it was too loose in his so I heated part of it to expand a little metal. WRONG, I should have heat treated it again because it broke. Luckily I had a little longer one.
Once hardened and tempered, LEAVE IT ALONE or heat treat it again.
My best BFR trigger is 19 oz and all the rest, including Rugers are 1-1/2#. A few needed a longer transfer bar, others are OK.
If you want to have fun, make a transfer bar by hand! [smilie=1:

[tek4260]

I used to bend the trigger springs, but to get it light enough, you have to bend it to the point it is no longer a spring and is just holding the trigger in place. I have went to smaller diameter springs that are lighter. I also like these

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/101_2200.jpg

They hang below the pin and change the pre-load on the spring.

Also, the transfer bar works on the trigger, so you still need trigger travel to raise the bar. That is why I leave the hammer notch alone and work on the rear of the trigger.

I have toyed with welding up a hammer and doing away with the transfer bar. I don't see any disadvantage to it. I know some will say it is unsafe, like they say about an old model Ruger. But really, if you can't safely handle an OM Ruger or Colt, you have no business handling any firearm.

[44man]

http://www.castbullet.com/misc/photos/accrsa4.jpg

This is the place to cut on a NM Ruger when doing a trigger job. Otherwise you limit trigger travel to the rear and the transfer bar might not lift enough to fire.
Other then a little polish on the trigger to just smooth any tool marks, I almost never touch them. No need to go near the trigger on most guns. Work is done on the hammer.
The transfer bar on many is only half way on the firing pin so the trigger should not be changed or the trigger spring made too light.
LEAVE THE TRIGGER ALONE! A ceramic stone to smooth will not hurt but never, ever remove metal.
To see a file used on a trigger means you need a stronger spring, kind of dumb.

[44man]

I used to bend the trigger springs, but to get it light enough, you have to bend it to the point it is no longer a spring and is just holding the trigger in place. I have went to smaller diameter springs that are lighter. I also like these

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/101_2200.jpg

They hang below the pin and change the pre-load on the spring.

Also, the transfer bar works on the trigger, so you still need trigger travel to raise the bar. That is why I leave the hammer notch alone and work on the rear of the trigger.

I have toyed with welding up a hammer and doing away with the transfer bar. I don't see any disadvantage to it. I know some will say it is unsafe, like they say about an old model Ruger. But really, if you can't safely handle an OM Ruger or Colt, you have no business handling any firearm.
Tried them too! No better then the RIGHT bend on a factory spring.
With the right length transfer bar that reaches the top of the pin, even a forward kicking trigger works.
The trigger spring controls the pull weight, the hammer notch depth controls creep. The hammer spring can be way over power with no change.
Other then a perfect trigger spring weight that allows the bar to not move down at all, easy to get, perfect balance, if you go lighter, this is where the bar should be. To cut triggers will move the bar down below the center of the pin. Failures to fire or hang fires will be common.

[tek4260]

The BFR and Ruger are just different enough that my spring wouldn't work. So I had to use a regular style light trigger spring. Here it is next to the stock BFR. You can see how much smaller in diameter it is.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/DSCN1097.jpg

I also installed a Wolff 26lb variable spring and recut/stoned the sear on the trigger.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/DSCN1098.jpg

Much better now! I don't have a gauge here, but it feels like it is a bit over 1.5 with just a touch of creep. I should have cut further, but I was skaid :)

Now when it quits raining I'll try some of Subsonic's boolits over 26gr

[44man]

The BFR and Ruger are just different enough that my spring wouldn't work. So I had to use a regular style light trigger spring. Here it is next to the stock BFR. You can see how much smaller in diameter it is.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/DSCN1097.jpg

I also installed a Wolff 26lb variable spring and recut/stoned the sear on the trigger.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/DSCN1098.jpg

Much better now! I don't have a gauge here, but it feels like it is a bit over 1.5 with just a touch of creep. I should have cut further, but I was skaid :)

Now when it quits raining I'll try some of Subsonic's boolits over 26gr
Now you make sense! :grin: The bend on the spring in the gun looks good too.
Nice work, you have it in hand.

[subsonic]

Guys, 25gr was 1500fps in my gun.

If you have anything loaded hotter than that, pull them.

Seriously.

Jim was right, 24.5 is tops and is about 1350ish.

More data later including target pics...