Found boolit

[44man]

I was scrounging around in my boolits and found some I made a mold for long ago. I never worked it in my .44. It weighs 285 gr and is .432". I loaded 21.5, 22 and 22.5 gr of 296.
I got the hot wire around the garden, cut the grass and went to shoot a few.
The light was such that the dot was bright and large at setting "1". All I could do was center the dot on the paper, no way to see the spot, wrong target.
Groups were not good at 50 yards until I got to 22.5 gr. I put 4 in an inch and threw one. Just me. It shows promise so I need to try 23 gr next with a good target.
I might have to hunt with this one next season. I don't know how I let this boolit slip away! :holysheep

[5shotbfr]

if you have enough molds that you are forgetting what you have , i think its time to share [smilie=1:

[375RUGER]

if you have enough molds that you are forgetting what you have [smilie=1:

That's a good problem to have-enough but never too many.

44man,
Can you tell us how deep inside the case does that boolit set?
Can you post a close up pic of the boolit too?

[44man]

That's a good problem to have-enough but never too many.

44man,
Can you tell us how deep inside the case does that boolit set?
Can you post a close up pic of the boolit too?
Oh sure. The boolit is .825" long. As close as I can measure the boolit goes .425" into the brass.

[375RUGER]

I look forward to seeing the progress you make, since I'm looking to load a similar boolit that is seated .405" deep and 280g.

[44man]

Crazy stuff. I shot 22.5 gr again and had a horrible group. I shot 23 gr and got a nice group.
I still am starting to think that when the gun sits, barrel condition is changing so it needs shot some before it comes together. I do not clean the guns but it seems the first group is the worst.
The .44 is showing the worst changes and my large bores the least.
I don't know if I can solve this! Does the bore just dry out?

[daniel lawecki]

I shoot a 44mag aswell it seems to like the 280 gr 300gr or 310 bullets with h110&296 lighter bullets dony seem to group aswell for me

[Wolfer]

I've always blamed it on my homemade lube which varies ever time I make it.
Regardless if my guns haven't been shot in the last week or so it will take a couple shots to settle in.

[375RUGER]

There is definately something to bore condition. When I go to shoot a new load I throw a cylinder full or 2 of some milder target loads with the same lube down range before I start shooting for results. I think it warms things up and jettisons the old lube out. I've only been shooting Lotak. I don't know that it's necessary, It just seems like a good idea to me.

I also don't clean the bore other than to push a dry patch through on a jag to get the "wash" out.

Now what happens to the lube as it sets for a week in the barrel?? IDK, but I can't help but think that it's physical properties change a little. I pan lube and I know the surface of the lube in the pan is fairly hard when it just sets but for some reason boolits that I have lubed up stay tacky.

You use Felix don't you? Is that what you were shooting? Do you use it straight or have you modified the recipe? Do you find the FWFL gets softer or harder as it sets?

I wonder if substituting - a little microcrystalline wax for some of the beeswax- or a different thickener for the ivory- would do anything to "stabilize" things little.

[44man]

I found something else. Some brass still has crimp left, others will allow a boolit to enter.
I have to check hardness, these boolits are old and might have softened.
More testing is in order. And more casting.

[44man]

Problem found! I checked hardness and some are 10 BHN, hardest is 12.
No wonder some crimps did not open.
These might have been air cooled and I don't remember the alloy, it has been a long time. I found the mold so I will cast more to see what happens.
I made the mold for the Marlin when I had it.