Bob Krack
09-24-2008, 01:18 PM
Bill offered to buy the moulds if I would cast the boolits. I took him up on the offer.
He shoots primarily 25yd bullseye and 100yd ? clangers. He does not hunt nor compete.
He has a fairly complete loading setup but not the facilities to cast boolits.
He asked for suggestions for his:
S&W 27-2 .357mag
50th anniversary newmodel blackhawk44mag
1911 .45ACP
pair of Pietta 1873 replicas (think Dakota) in .45 Colt
Henry "Big Boy" lever action in .45 Colt
Taurus "Raging Bull" in .454 Casull
I suggested the Lee TL452-230TC (Tumble lube .452 230 grain trunicated cone), 452-255-RF (.452 255 grain Round nose Flat point), and for futures the C452-300-RF (.452 300 grain round flat) and these are the moulds he sent me. I have/had or have access to Lee C429-240-SWC and C430-310-RF.
I figgered the 230gr and 255gr would give him the best all around choice for the "small" .45s and the 300gr could be used in the Henry and in the Raging Bull as he gained experience in the "Art and Science" of casting, alloying, sizing, loading, and shooting lead boolits.
I sent him several hundred of each, as air cooled wheel weight boolits. The 230s weighed 245 gr, the 255s 247 gr, and the 300s 306 gr. in .45s and the 240 gr and 310 gr for the .44.
I also sent a couple dozen or so of each in pure lead for him to see the difference in hardness and to possibly "slug" his throats and/or barrels.
I suspect he might have used some of the pure lead boolits in his first set of loads as shown in the "Variations" thread here in "Wheelguns-etc".
I included some .309 boolits (he loads and shoots sub-1/2 MOA with his .308) which he actually wants to try in a mil-surp or three. The only reason I bring this up is that he successfully "softened" the water quenched or cooled .309 boolits and used them to slug a rifle.
Back to the handguns. I have and am suggesting that he use the 245 and 247 slugs as is and lubed with Liquid Alox or Liquid Alox and beeswax/oil mix. Both boolits measure between .453 and .454.
The only powders he has that I am aware of for the handguns is Trail Boss and Russian Unique. Gas checks are not an option for right now.
I am suggesting that he use the lowest published load for the comparable cast bullet and work up from there. He claims to be able to read pressure signs and to work up his own loads.
We DO want to concentrate on one handgun at a time and I think the Ruger .44 Magnum is his preference.
If I am asking too many questions in one thread, let's just concentrate on the .44 Mag for now. Looking for medium power loads for punching holes only.
If anyone can provide more assistance and be a better communicator than I am, I would appreciate it and I am sure Bill will also.
Anything to add, Bill?
Vic
He shoots primarily 25yd bullseye and 100yd ? clangers. He does not hunt nor compete.
He has a fairly complete loading setup but not the facilities to cast boolits.
He asked for suggestions for his:
S&W 27-2 .357mag
50th anniversary newmodel blackhawk44mag
1911 .45ACP
pair of Pietta 1873 replicas (think Dakota) in .45 Colt
Henry "Big Boy" lever action in .45 Colt
Taurus "Raging Bull" in .454 Casull
I suggested the Lee TL452-230TC (Tumble lube .452 230 grain trunicated cone), 452-255-RF (.452 255 grain Round nose Flat point), and for futures the C452-300-RF (.452 300 grain round flat) and these are the moulds he sent me. I have/had or have access to Lee C429-240-SWC and C430-310-RF.
I figgered the 230gr and 255gr would give him the best all around choice for the "small" .45s and the 300gr could be used in the Henry and in the Raging Bull as he gained experience in the "Art and Science" of casting, alloying, sizing, loading, and shooting lead boolits.
I sent him several hundred of each, as air cooled wheel weight boolits. The 230s weighed 245 gr, the 255s 247 gr, and the 300s 306 gr. in .45s and the 240 gr and 310 gr for the .44.
I also sent a couple dozen or so of each in pure lead for him to see the difference in hardness and to possibly "slug" his throats and/or barrels.
I suspect he might have used some of the pure lead boolits in his first set of loads as shown in the "Variations" thread here in "Wheelguns-etc".
I included some .309 boolits (he loads and shoots sub-1/2 MOA with his .308) which he actually wants to try in a mil-surp or three. The only reason I bring this up is that he successfully "softened" the water quenched or cooled .309 boolits and used them to slug a rifle.
Back to the handguns. I have and am suggesting that he use the 245 and 247 slugs as is and lubed with Liquid Alox or Liquid Alox and beeswax/oil mix. Both boolits measure between .453 and .454.
The only powders he has that I am aware of for the handguns is Trail Boss and Russian Unique. Gas checks are not an option for right now.
I am suggesting that he use the lowest published load for the comparable cast bullet and work up from there. He claims to be able to read pressure signs and to work up his own loads.
We DO want to concentrate on one handgun at a time and I think the Ruger .44 Magnum is his preference.
If I am asking too many questions in one thread, let's just concentrate on the .44 Mag for now. Looking for medium power loads for punching holes only.
If anyone can provide more assistance and be a better communicator than I am, I would appreciate it and I am sure Bill will also.
Anything to add, Bill?
Vic