rockrat
02-18-2009, 11:21 PM
Made, over a few days, a couple of dies to make me some bullets for my NEF Handi, that I rechambered to 38-72. Got some sub 1" groups with Hawk 280gr FP bullets, but cast has been giving me fits. Was almost ready to "stub" it and turn down an octagonal 38-55 barrel blank I have, but didn't want to waste a $$ barrel on the NEF. The NEF has a .3802" groove dia and I don't have a mould that casts large enough. Was going to try paper patching to .381", as I ordered the reamer to be able to use a boolit up to .381".
Thought about the 40 S&W case thread, making 44 bullets and wondered if anything else might work for the 38-72. Thought about cut down .223 cases, but really a pain to try and cut them, so wondered about anything else I have laying around. 38 Super cases would work great, but don't have any used ones (missed them on the swapping and selling section), so went to 9mm luger.
Had to make a die to swage the case down to .380"(took 3 tries--I'm not that good a machinist--actually you could call me a "shade tree" machinist), but finally can get close to the .380" bullets I wanted.
Made the case swage die, and a point forming die using a 3/8" carbide grinding burr. Ran a .375" reamer in about 1/4" then the burr. Slowly, cleaning about every .020" till I got to the depth I wanted. You can see the final shape on the bullets on the right of the pic. Made a stem to go in my Lyman "M" die to help seat the core---a lead 311284 GB boolit---core seated on left. Run into the form die leaves a flat point with a teat on it from the drill bit point. Final bullet is 238gr. If I use a 215gr boolit, I get a 272gr bullet and I also tried a .338-220 boolit for a 279gr bullet. Last two have a nicer point. I use a shellholder to hold the 9mm case. Figured it would be easier, and did I say I am not that good with the lathe[smilie=1:
An exception to the bullet making is the 311284 GB boolit seated with the point forming die only, it leaves a nice point, but the boolit isn't swaged in the case very well, but shooting them is another story.
After swaging , I run them back thru the .380 die as the heavier ones expand the case to .385" during point forming. Light ones made with one pass are good to go.
Only had 16 rnds with me for the 38-72. Four with the 272, 2 with the 279, six with the FP version, and four with the RN light bullet. All loaded with Varget. My measure was set for my 308 ball ammo equivalent, so used the same charge. Don't try these loads in your gun. The Handi will push a 280gr FP to 2550 fps. Way beyond what an 1895 Win will take. I won't even shoot them in my 38-72 Browning 1895 (Thats another story:-D)
Everything shot at 100yds
Two lower left are the heavy, two above it are slightly lighter(shot two on gong) and four on right are the FP (shot two on gong).
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d149/Bigdog337/001-2.jpg
Dies I made along with the "M" die insert on left. Core seated on left, followed by two FP bullets, bullet made with only pointing die, followed by 272gr and 279 gr bullets and 38-72 in back. Carbide burr to right of bullets along with pointing die. I went to my Ammomaster press to swage the cases initially--afraid of breaking my Rockchucker
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d149/Bigdog337/002-1.jpg
Upper view of bullets
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d149/Bigdog337/004.jpg
Pic of gong shot with bullets seated/formed in one pass thru pointing die. Shouldn't have shot as well as they did, but group is about 1.5" for three shots
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d149/Bigdog337/021809_13301.jpg
Went back to the range today to see if yesterdays group on the gong was a fluke. It wasn't. 3 more in about 1.5". Took a few shots at the 200 meter gong. Looks good also. 2153fps for the lighter bullet (238) and 2113fps for the 272gr bullet.
Thought about the 40 S&W case thread, making 44 bullets and wondered if anything else might work for the 38-72. Thought about cut down .223 cases, but really a pain to try and cut them, so wondered about anything else I have laying around. 38 Super cases would work great, but don't have any used ones (missed them on the swapping and selling section), so went to 9mm luger.
Had to make a die to swage the case down to .380"(took 3 tries--I'm not that good a machinist--actually you could call me a "shade tree" machinist), but finally can get close to the .380" bullets I wanted.
Made the case swage die, and a point forming die using a 3/8" carbide grinding burr. Ran a .375" reamer in about 1/4" then the burr. Slowly, cleaning about every .020" till I got to the depth I wanted. You can see the final shape on the bullets on the right of the pic. Made a stem to go in my Lyman "M" die to help seat the core---a lead 311284 GB boolit---core seated on left. Run into the form die leaves a flat point with a teat on it from the drill bit point. Final bullet is 238gr. If I use a 215gr boolit, I get a 272gr bullet and I also tried a .338-220 boolit for a 279gr bullet. Last two have a nicer point. I use a shellholder to hold the 9mm case. Figured it would be easier, and did I say I am not that good with the lathe[smilie=1:
An exception to the bullet making is the 311284 GB boolit seated with the point forming die only, it leaves a nice point, but the boolit isn't swaged in the case very well, but shooting them is another story.
After swaging , I run them back thru the .380 die as the heavier ones expand the case to .385" during point forming. Light ones made with one pass are good to go.
Only had 16 rnds with me for the 38-72. Four with the 272, 2 with the 279, six with the FP version, and four with the RN light bullet. All loaded with Varget. My measure was set for my 308 ball ammo equivalent, so used the same charge. Don't try these loads in your gun. The Handi will push a 280gr FP to 2550 fps. Way beyond what an 1895 Win will take. I won't even shoot them in my 38-72 Browning 1895 (Thats another story:-D)
Everything shot at 100yds
Two lower left are the heavy, two above it are slightly lighter(shot two on gong) and four on right are the FP (shot two on gong).
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d149/Bigdog337/001-2.jpg
Dies I made along with the "M" die insert on left. Core seated on left, followed by two FP bullets, bullet made with only pointing die, followed by 272gr and 279 gr bullets and 38-72 in back. Carbide burr to right of bullets along with pointing die. I went to my Ammomaster press to swage the cases initially--afraid of breaking my Rockchucker
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d149/Bigdog337/002-1.jpg
Upper view of bullets
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d149/Bigdog337/004.jpg
Pic of gong shot with bullets seated/formed in one pass thru pointing die. Shouldn't have shot as well as they did, but group is about 1.5" for three shots
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d149/Bigdog337/021809_13301.jpg
Went back to the range today to see if yesterdays group on the gong was a fluke. It wasn't. 3 more in about 1.5". Took a few shots at the 200 meter gong. Looks good also. 2153fps for the lighter bullet (238) and 2113fps for the 272gr bullet.