Alloy Recommendation

[WARD O]

Hi All,
Got a new mould for my 24" barrel 45-70 Marlin. It's the RCBS 300 FN with gas check. I would like to use it for short range woods white tail hunting. I would like to try a batch with a velocity of around 1500 - 1600 fps and then another closer to 2000 fps. What alloy should I be considering? I have wheel weights, pure lead, and pure tin to work with.

Any recommendations would be welcome.

Thanks
Ward

[Larry Gibson]

Use 16-1 Lead tin alloy for the 1500-1600 load. That's what i use out of my Trapdoor (H&R OM). I also HP them with a Forster HP tool.

For the 2000 fps load use WW/lead at 50/50. That's what I use with that bullet at 2000 fps out of my Siamese Mauser.

Larry Gibson

[wmitty]

That 300 grainer @ 2000 fps is gonna bump 'ya pretty good.

The barrel torque is another interesting experience, also.

[WARD O]

Thanks for the advice - I'll give that a try.

Any idea how these alloys translate to the brinell scale? I'd like to kinda get a handle on that too.

Ward

[SciFiJim]

For the 2000 fps load use WW/lead at 50/50

Larry, do you water drop these?

[Larry Gibson]

Larry, do you water drop these?

Not for hunting deer, I want expansion of the bullet. Both alloys at the mentioned velocities will give decent expansion out to 200 yards. Penetration will be all that's necessary on deer also. The first load with 16-1 alloy can be shot all day long without leading or loss of accuracy if a good lube like Javelina or Lars 50/50 lube is used. With the 50/50 WW/lead alloy at 2000 fps you'll probably have to clean the barrel every 7-10 rounds to maintain accuracy. That is ok with me as I figure if i've not got the deer in 5 rounds I might as well go home and do something constructive like clean the barrel;-)

For a practice load at 1800 - 2000 fps add 2% tin to the WWs and WQ them. They can then be shot all day long without losing accuracy too. I use 32 gr of 4759 with a 1 gr dacron filler with that RCBS bullet cast of WWs + 2% tin WQ'd for right at 1800 fps out of my Siamese Mauser with 24" barrel. It is a fun practice and varmint load and I wouldn't hesitate to use it on deer if i had to. I do prefer the softer expanding alloyed bullet for deer though.

Larry Gibson