Hard RB

[melloairman]

I new my .452 Corsair would shoot 22 bhn bullets and my .357 Recluse would shoot 12 bhn bullets. So I thought I would try some RB in the same bhn in both rifles . It worked out well with good accuracy at 55 yards . Here are some of the RB after they hit the sand brim . Marvin
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn55/melloroadman/IMG_7245-Copy.jpg (http://s301.photobucket.com/user/melloroadman/media/IMG_7245-Copy.jpg.html)
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn55/melloroadman/IMG_7244-Copy.jpg (http://s301.photobucket.com/user/melloroadman/media/IMG_7244-Copy.jpg.html)

[longbow]

That's one of the things I was wondering about ~ round balls in "big bore" airguns.

I have been toying with the idea of a .357"/9mm or maybe .45 but I want to cast for it. Also, I want cheap plinking and round balls are easy on lead.

Those balls must be somewhat over groove diameter to get such a wide "belt" around their equators. Well, the .360's aren't real big but the .45's are. It always surprises me that an air gun with engrave a boolits so well and perform so well.

Did you check velocity in comparison to pellets or cast boolits?

When you say "... with good accuracy..." how good?

Just curious. I haven't taken the plunge in big bore PCP's yet but likely will at some point.

Longbow

[melloairman]

The Corsair has a TJ liner for a barrel with a .452 groove . The RB were .454 . The recluse has the stock barrel which is a wide land narrow groove of .3585 . And 12 bhn is all it will take or energy and accuracy go away . The accuracy is 10 shot groups all touching each others on a calm day . RB have a poor BC and drift a lot with any wind . So you might consider that . Here are some chrony readings .Marvin
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn55/melloroadman/RECLUSE/IMG_7250-RECLUSE11-23-12.jpg (http://s301.photobucket.com/user/melloroadman/media/RECLUSE/IMG_7250-RECLUSE11-23-12.jpg.html)
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn55/melloroadman/452%20CORSAIR%20PLUS/IMG_7299-45CORSAIR2-11-13_zps01a336c2.jpg (http://s301.photobucket.com/user/melloroadman/media/452%20CORSAIR%20PLUS/IMG_7299-45CORSAIR2-11-13_zps01a336c2.jpg.html)
This is what the Corsair plus did when it was a .357
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn55/melloroadman/452%20CORSAIR%20PLUS/IMG_7171-357CORSAIRPLUS8-27-12.jpg (http://s301.photobucket.com/user/melloroadman/media/452%20CORSAIR%20PLUS/IMG_7171-357CORSAIRPLUS8-27-12.jpg.html)
After the barrel swap and no other changes .
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn55/melloroadman/452%20CORSAIR%20PLUS/IMG_7193-452Corsair10-26-12.jpg (http://s301.photobucket.com/user/melloroadman/media/452%20CORSAIR%20PLUS/IMG_7193-452Corsair10-26-12.jpg.html)

[longbow]

Those look like pretty good velocities to me and 10 shots touching at 55 yards isn't too shabby either.

Why the hard balls?

Did you water quench or oven heat treat?

How do those velocities compare to regular boolits from those guns? I would figure the ball would scoot along a little fast than a heavier boolit especially since they would have less bore friction as well. And speaking of which, did you lube them at all?

Longbow

[melloairman]

I did the hard balls to see if there would be a problem with the hard lead . I have over a half ton of 22 bhn lead to use . All my ammo is lightly sprayed with dry moly right now . And the ammo is bhn tested the morning I shoot it to be sure my records are correct . Marvin

[longbow]

How is it alloyed to be 22 BHN? Is this a linotype or something similar?

ACWW tends to be quite a bit softer.

Not much meat at a ball's equator to swage though and they seem to be working for you.

Longbow

[melloairman]

About 2 years ago I bought some lead that had been melted into flat plates and then I have some range lead that I melted that is 22 bhn as well . So I do not know the alloy mix just the bhn . I have a Cabine tree tester that has saved me a lot of grief . It also allows me to cast the 22 bhn lead and use it in the Recluse . As long as I keep checking it and stop using the bullets when they reach 12 bhn . Any left over I then use in my Corsair . A good tool to have around .Marvin

[melloairman]

Longbow I know that there is a myth that air rifles need pure lead . But that is what it is a myth . Here is a picture of some 25 caliber 12 bhn bullets that were shot threw my Condor with a LW chocked air rifle barrel . Marvin
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn55/melloroadman/IMG_7131-Copy2.jpg (http://s301.photobucket.com/user/melloroadman/media/IMG_7131-Copy2.jpg.html)

[longbow]

Those look pretty good and well engraved.

Is there much freebore in the "chamber"? If the boolit can get a run at the rifling that should make it easier to engrave too but of course it would have to about fill that "chamber".

Longbow

[melloairman]

The Condor has no lead cut in the loading port . The bullets are sized to groove diameter . 12 bhn is a comfortable push into the barrel with a plastic bullet seat tier . The chock is about .003 . With 5-6 bhn lead the chock sears the lead to the base of the bullet and accuracy is bad . Some cut the chock off the barrel and lose some energy and accuracy if pellets are every used again . I chose to use a higher bhn alloy that would take the chock and not sear lead . I can then always use pellets again . Here is a different angle of some 12 bhn 25 calibers .Marvin
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn55/melloroadman/IMG_6826AAA.jpg (http://s301.photobucket.com/user/melloroadman/media/IMG_6826AAA.jpg.html)