Lyman 43 Spanish

[mm1ut1]

My bullet casting mentor rejected many of my 38/55s because they did not have the sharp edge at the bottom he says is required for accuracy. My next batch were much better, maybe 10% rejected. Today I tried my hand at Lyman's 43 Spanish. After 20 to 30 tries I still can't get a sharp edge on the bottom. I do a little looking on line and find that it's rounded on the bottom. So my question is this bullet inherently inaccurate or am I expecting a military bullet to shoot like a target round ? I have two rifles in 43 Spanish and I'm most interested in accuracy . Thanks from a nube !

[gwpercle]

If the mould is cut with a bevel or rounded base there is no way to cast that will give you a flat, sharp edged base. The goal is to have no defects in the base , no voids, no holes or wrinkles. Thats about the best you can do. If still inaccurate...another mould might be required. That's why caster's wind up with so many different moulds...you never know what's going to work.
Gary

[fouronesix]

I have two rifles in 43 Spanish and I'm most interested in accuracy . Thanks from a nube !

Well I tried to use the "43 Spanish" bullet as per Lyman. First, it does not cast large enough diameter- something like 439" usually less with softer alloy. Second it is a plain base bullet, that is not as versatile as I like.

I gave up and designed a Mountain Mold and had Dan cut it to MY specs for MY rifle when he was still doing iron molds. Nothing space age, just a normal grease groove, gas checked bullet. Remember, the original 43 Spanish ammo was either longish round nose cast, longish round nose paper patch or semi spire point jacketed. Some have used the 43 Mauser cast mold/bullet and sized it down to 43 Spanish diameter (440-2"). I even tried a paper patched bullet that shot worse than the grease groove Lyman 43 Spanish. After that nonsense and waste of time, I just skipped messing with the 43 Mauser bullet and went right to a custom mold with my desired features that have had, by experience, a much better chance of shooting well.

My MM bullet shoots extremely well out of my Rem M1879 43 Spanish. .442" as cast, sized to .441" using a Lee push thru. 380 gr with a normal tangent ogive nose with small meplat. Fairly soft alloy at about 10 BHN. Gas checked and pan lubed with a soft lube that's usable for either BP equivalent light smokeless or blackpowder.

[Guesser]

I found that the Lyman worked in my 1879 Argentinian if I went soft; 1-30, and stayed with BP or American Pioneer. I hand loob with soft, sticky, goopy, loob and use an over powder card. The soft boolit seems to "slug up" and accuracy is OK, much better than when I started. I shoot the old gun just for smoke and fun, have never used smokeless P in it.