Blackwater
01-15-2006, 06:28 PM
I FINALLY got to load up some cast bullets for a friend's 7.62x54 the other day. kenjuudo very kindly donated some cases to the old gentleman, and I trimmed them, chamferred and deburred them, all using the Lee case spinner - a technique I favor because after the chamfer/deburring, I took a piece of 0000 steel wool and spun the case mouth on that. This polishes and probably rounds the case mouth edges, and J-bullets seat almost effortlessly when I do this - MUCH easier than if this step is not done. I THOUGHT SURE I had a .31 long M die, but I didn't. DANG! In a pinch, I decided to see what the polishing of the case mouths would let me do with the soft ACWW bullets, 311041's that were sized .314" from an old Lyman mould. Kenjuudo also sent some oversized bullets as well, but I wanted to do some prelim testing to see what loads did best with these, so those test bullets could be better evaluated in the old man's and my M-44's, and my Brit #4 Mk. I. I loaded up 5 different loads, which would be enough (I hope) to get some indication of what the gun will want further testing with. 25 rds. is a good workout for the old man, and the soft loads should take the sting out for his shoulder. All he wants is an accuate load that'll shoot well.
I took the 311041's, and seated them as I would have a j-bullet. Worked very well. No shaving of the sides of the bullets at all. Only a little lube extrusion, and not much of that. A wipe with a paper towel was all it took to clean them right up, and there was no lead on the lube smears on the towel.
Do any of you seat GC'd cast with no belling of the case mouth? I've got a 31 long M die on the way, of course, as well as a Lee Universal neck belling die, but now I'm curious if any of you forego the case mouth expanding, and if so, what kind of results you get?
Also, do any of you polish the case mouths? Using the Lee case spinner, it's really easy and quick, and I think it's one of the things that makes my ammo accurate. The minimal pressure needed to start the bullets, jacketed or cast, into the mouth pretty much eliminates any tendency to cock the neck out of line as the bullet is seated.
BTW, I've had three Rock Chuckers, and sold them all. Ammo put up in my very old RCBS Reloader Special from the very early 70's FL sizes easily IF the cases are lubed right, and the lesser leverage gives me significantly more "feel" during all the other operations, like bullet seating. The difference in seating pressure used when I use polished case necks, after chamferring and deburring is VERY noticable, and I just wonder if any of you have had similar experiences?
I took the 311041's, and seated them as I would have a j-bullet. Worked very well. No shaving of the sides of the bullets at all. Only a little lube extrusion, and not much of that. A wipe with a paper towel was all it took to clean them right up, and there was no lead on the lube smears on the towel.
Do any of you seat GC'd cast with no belling of the case mouth? I've got a 31 long M die on the way, of course, as well as a Lee Universal neck belling die, but now I'm curious if any of you forego the case mouth expanding, and if so, what kind of results you get?
Also, do any of you polish the case mouths? Using the Lee case spinner, it's really easy and quick, and I think it's one of the things that makes my ammo accurate. The minimal pressure needed to start the bullets, jacketed or cast, into the mouth pretty much eliminates any tendency to cock the neck out of line as the bullet is seated.
BTW, I've had three Rock Chuckers, and sold them all. Ammo put up in my very old RCBS Reloader Special from the very early 70's FL sizes easily IF the cases are lubed right, and the lesser leverage gives me significantly more "feel" during all the other operations, like bullet seating. The difference in seating pressure used when I use polished case necks, after chamferring and deburring is VERY noticable, and I just wonder if any of you have had similar experiences?