Tallbald
01-24-2015, 03:28 AM
With the help of wonderful people here over the last summer, I jumped into this wonderful hobby of casting. I've posted here that I have found a wonderful light putterbutt load my rifle has been loving, using Trail Boss and the Lee 125 grain round nose flat point bullet. Monday at the range I was pleasantly shooting sub one inch 4 shot groups at 75 yards from a solid rest using a Leupold Rifleman 2-7 scope and bipod off a bench. Light crosswinds and sunny 45 degree temperatures, as well as there just being me and a friend on the range added to the pleasure.
The alloy mix was by weight 7 parts pure lead to 5 parts wheel weights and 2% tin. I tumble lube with Alox. The Lee load manual lists this load as being below 1000 FPS, but I'm thinking that's from a handgun length test barrel. After 35 or so shots, groups began opening up to as big as 1 1/2 inches at which time we had quit to head back to town. I'd like to have had time to clean my barrel and try again, but I'm thinking that with the carbine length barrel, the loads are reaching significantly higher speeds and I will have to switch to a harder alloy. WW aren't easy to find in my area and I was hoping to ration the WW I have (thanks to a very kind and generous member here) but see no other option.
Some members on other forums I've seen complain about factory barrels, and have posted that the 77/357 is at best "minute of deer" and a great "truck gun" for up close critters. I'm no skilled competition rifleman but honestly folks I'm pleased as punch with the almost- MOA groups my beautiful, simple and rugged little carbine gives me with this 6 or so cent a round load....with a clean barrel of course. Greetings to all and as always, thanks for the many kindnesses shown me. Don.
The alloy mix was by weight 7 parts pure lead to 5 parts wheel weights and 2% tin. I tumble lube with Alox. The Lee load manual lists this load as being below 1000 FPS, but I'm thinking that's from a handgun length test barrel. After 35 or so shots, groups began opening up to as big as 1 1/2 inches at which time we had quit to head back to town. I'd like to have had time to clean my barrel and try again, but I'm thinking that with the carbine length barrel, the loads are reaching significantly higher speeds and I will have to switch to a harder alloy. WW aren't easy to find in my area and I was hoping to ration the WW I have (thanks to a very kind and generous member here) but see no other option.
Some members on other forums I've seen complain about factory barrels, and have posted that the 77/357 is at best "minute of deer" and a great "truck gun" for up close critters. I'm no skilled competition rifleman but honestly folks I'm pleased as punch with the almost- MOA groups my beautiful, simple and rugged little carbine gives me with this 6 or so cent a round load....with a clean barrel of course. Greetings to all and as always, thanks for the many kindnesses shown me. Don.