Gibson
09-04-2012, 02:18 AM
I am trying to get this BFR 500 S&W Mag and 440 gr. Lee bullet worked out.
[There has been a kind fellow here helping me and the things I've tried and studied about have been a collaborative effort. His benevolence has been commendable.]
BFR 500 S&W Magnum
7.5" barrel (the way they measure)
AV ~1625 fps
Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret Press
Lee Carbide 3-Die Set
Lee Sizer .501
Lee 440 gr. bullet
Veral's Blue Soft Lube
WQWW with a bit of tin added
WC820 powder
*- brass
CCI 250 primers
It is a very accurate firearm. It is the strongest firearm I have ever owned or seen.
Okay that's out of the way. . . after I had it sighted in with the front sight that was on it, I was swayed by the manual and went ahead and changed to the included "heavier bullet" front sight. Not completely sure why but I guess it was to try for better accuracy. I was simply putting them on paper with the others but that was mostly just me. I am kind of a bull in a china shop. Changed them out and took two nights to get them sighted in. One my last three shots of the second evening they shot a very nice group. It was dark, so I quit there. But a couple of days later (tonight) I was back at it. First three shots fired were quite fine, then it went to hell. . . I am starting to wonder if the recoil could cause the open sights to get misaligned, in short order. I have noticed it seems to.
I've been casting and reloading almost all of the rounds I've shot. But once I ironed out the case crushing issue (don't ask) all has been well, EXCEPT one big thing: 10% of my cases will not seat at all in any chamber, 50% work beautifully, and 40% need a slight push to a strong push to seat. I have been studying about it, and it seems to me that it's a concentricity issue. So, I took each die apart and cleaned and checked, most specifically the seating and crimping die. I have it set to seat and then just before the handle is all the way down it crimps. I even tried seating half-way then spinning the bullet 180 degrees and then finishing the seating. Nothing cured it. My efforts did get me to my above rough percentages.
Now to the ejecting. I notice that some few of the cases are VERY difficult to eject while most come out easily, and few are a bit sticky. I have wondered if it was the cases that I had to seat with my thumb that are sticking? So, I tried to keep an eye on them and see. Inconclusive, as I get too caught up in the shooting per se. Anyway, I suspect that those cases that I have to repeatedly jackhammer with the ejector rod are overpressured. I cannot understand how that being tight to the cylinder would necessarily raise the pressure and I'm fairly certain that some random rounds are getting sticky that fit the cylinder throat okay. I do suspect that I am getting a small percentage of random overpressures. It clearly seems that way based on recoil.
I've tried to give a reasonably full accounting.
Be clear, I do not care about one ragged hole, 1/2" groups at 50 yards, etc. I enjoy the big boom and the recoil; the muzzle flash, etc. makes me feel alive. As with anyone, accuracy is king but it's not overriding for me. 2" group at 50 yards with open sights, suits me. My loadings are close to full power and even the seeming odd overpressures are NOTHING to this gun. It eats the stuff, no kidding. And they can be VERY accurate when I do my job.
1) Some loaded rounds are not concentric; seems like it would have to be uneven bullet seating.
2) The chambers are NOT 100% identical in diameter. But I should think they are well within tolerances; factory ammo falls into any of them very easily.
3) The odd over pressures, or SEEMINGLY overpressured based on recoil and sticking cases. . . All from the exact same loadings and components (?)
4) The fact that these occurrences seem random. In that the exact same set of circumstances works perfect in mot instances but then the random oddity.
5) Recoil jarring the "IRON" sights?
Here are some clips of me shooting it. My little boy videoed them with his phone
First time shooting it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNdnvIgZPP0&list=UU6-3g6Pu1aLVt5GtxsMSs9Q&index=1&feature=plcp
Shooting 10 gallon jugs filled with water, blew up the first 5 or so and then just sailed through the others, nasty water absolutely soaked my face, even got in my mouth. LOL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXLmCdl_vfc&feature=BFa&list=UU6-3g6Pu1aLVt5GtxsMSs9Q
One for fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZowd_WOU-4&feature=BFa&list=UU6-3g6Pu1aLVt5GtxsMSs9Q
If you have any suggestions concerning the seating issue, let me know.
Could 1 & 2 be combined? Id Est: Could the tough or impossible to seat cases be a combination of slightly smaller throat and a non-concentric bullet seating?
Could the random overpressures be from the auto disc powder measure not very occasionally overcharging?
Maybe those last two questions are my answers. Veral Smith suggested that I very quickly after quenching, dry them, size them and get them loaded. Telling me that the bullet might not bulge the case as much. I don't know. . .
[There has been a kind fellow here helping me and the things I've tried and studied about have been a collaborative effort. His benevolence has been commendable.]
BFR 500 S&W Magnum
7.5" barrel (the way they measure)
AV ~1625 fps
Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret Press
Lee Carbide 3-Die Set
Lee Sizer .501
Lee 440 gr. bullet
Veral's Blue Soft Lube
WQWW with a bit of tin added
WC820 powder
*- brass
CCI 250 primers
It is a very accurate firearm. It is the strongest firearm I have ever owned or seen.
Okay that's out of the way. . . after I had it sighted in with the front sight that was on it, I was swayed by the manual and went ahead and changed to the included "heavier bullet" front sight. Not completely sure why but I guess it was to try for better accuracy. I was simply putting them on paper with the others but that was mostly just me. I am kind of a bull in a china shop. Changed them out and took two nights to get them sighted in. One my last three shots of the second evening they shot a very nice group. It was dark, so I quit there. But a couple of days later (tonight) I was back at it. First three shots fired were quite fine, then it went to hell. . . I am starting to wonder if the recoil could cause the open sights to get misaligned, in short order. I have noticed it seems to.
I've been casting and reloading almost all of the rounds I've shot. But once I ironed out the case crushing issue (don't ask) all has been well, EXCEPT one big thing: 10% of my cases will not seat at all in any chamber, 50% work beautifully, and 40% need a slight push to a strong push to seat. I have been studying about it, and it seems to me that it's a concentricity issue. So, I took each die apart and cleaned and checked, most specifically the seating and crimping die. I have it set to seat and then just before the handle is all the way down it crimps. I even tried seating half-way then spinning the bullet 180 degrees and then finishing the seating. Nothing cured it. My efforts did get me to my above rough percentages.
Now to the ejecting. I notice that some few of the cases are VERY difficult to eject while most come out easily, and few are a bit sticky. I have wondered if it was the cases that I had to seat with my thumb that are sticking? So, I tried to keep an eye on them and see. Inconclusive, as I get too caught up in the shooting per se. Anyway, I suspect that those cases that I have to repeatedly jackhammer with the ejector rod are overpressured. I cannot understand how that being tight to the cylinder would necessarily raise the pressure and I'm fairly certain that some random rounds are getting sticky that fit the cylinder throat okay. I do suspect that I am getting a small percentage of random overpressures. It clearly seems that way based on recoil.
I've tried to give a reasonably full accounting.
Be clear, I do not care about one ragged hole, 1/2" groups at 50 yards, etc. I enjoy the big boom and the recoil; the muzzle flash, etc. makes me feel alive. As with anyone, accuracy is king but it's not overriding for me. 2" group at 50 yards with open sights, suits me. My loadings are close to full power and even the seeming odd overpressures are NOTHING to this gun. It eats the stuff, no kidding. And they can be VERY accurate when I do my job.
1) Some loaded rounds are not concentric; seems like it would have to be uneven bullet seating.
2) The chambers are NOT 100% identical in diameter. But I should think they are well within tolerances; factory ammo falls into any of them very easily.
3) The odd over pressures, or SEEMINGLY overpressured based on recoil and sticking cases. . . All from the exact same loadings and components (?)
4) The fact that these occurrences seem random. In that the exact same set of circumstances works perfect in mot instances but then the random oddity.
5) Recoil jarring the "IRON" sights?
Here are some clips of me shooting it. My little boy videoed them with his phone
First time shooting it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNdnvIgZPP0&list=UU6-3g6Pu1aLVt5GtxsMSs9Q&index=1&feature=plcp
Shooting 10 gallon jugs filled with water, blew up the first 5 or so and then just sailed through the others, nasty water absolutely soaked my face, even got in my mouth. LOL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXLmCdl_vfc&feature=BFa&list=UU6-3g6Pu1aLVt5GtxsMSs9Q
One for fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZowd_WOU-4&feature=BFa&list=UU6-3g6Pu1aLVt5GtxsMSs9Q
If you have any suggestions concerning the seating issue, let me know.
Could 1 & 2 be combined? Id Est: Could the tough or impossible to seat cases be a combination of slightly smaller throat and a non-concentric bullet seating?
Could the random overpressures be from the auto disc powder measure not very occasionally overcharging?
Maybe those last two questions are my answers. Veral Smith suggested that I very quickly after quenching, dry them, size them and get them loaded. Telling me that the bullet might not bulge the case as much. I don't know. . .