Black Wolf
09-10-2009, 11:12 AM
Been fiddling with this Steyr rifle for a while now.
I've had decent 3.5" groups at 80 yards by paper patching (3 times wrapped) the .329 Lee 205 gr bullet (having sized it down to .325 then PP up to .333). But, man a lot work and some frustration keeping the paper sticking on my bullet (I'm using a gas check on it - a must for any sort of accuracy). Basically, I'm just fattening up the bullet with paper and using a .32 cal gas check.
Anyhow, I wanna' try a different method of bumping my bullet up to fit my Steyr's .333" grooved bore. So, my plan is this: I've beagled the .329 bullet up to .338" and managed to pound on a 32 cal gas check (both factory and homemade [plug for FreeChex]).
Now I need to get this bullet down to about .334~.335. I've tried it as cast w/ .338" bullets and the group sucked royally - but I didn't crimp the gas check on (just pounded it) and didn't size the beagled bullet - so I suspect it wobbled en route to the target and created dismal accuracy or maybe the gas check came off. But it would seem to me that, the bullet would size itself going down the .333" bore and crimp the gas check at the same time...so, I'm not sure what the deal is there.
Anyhow, I was wondering, has anyone beagled a .329 bullet up in size for the 8x56R and then sized it to .334/.335 using a custom sizing die? I'm thinking about having Lee Precision make me a custom sizing die of .335".
Note: I'm trying to stay away from purchasing the .338 Lee mold and having to buy .338 gas checks.
I've had decent 3.5" groups at 80 yards by paper patching (3 times wrapped) the .329 Lee 205 gr bullet (having sized it down to .325 then PP up to .333). But, man a lot work and some frustration keeping the paper sticking on my bullet (I'm using a gas check on it - a must for any sort of accuracy). Basically, I'm just fattening up the bullet with paper and using a .32 cal gas check.
Anyhow, I wanna' try a different method of bumping my bullet up to fit my Steyr's .333" grooved bore. So, my plan is this: I've beagled the .329 bullet up to .338" and managed to pound on a 32 cal gas check (both factory and homemade [plug for FreeChex]).
Now I need to get this bullet down to about .334~.335. I've tried it as cast w/ .338" bullets and the group sucked royally - but I didn't crimp the gas check on (just pounded it) and didn't size the beagled bullet - so I suspect it wobbled en route to the target and created dismal accuracy or maybe the gas check came off. But it would seem to me that, the bullet would size itself going down the .333" bore and crimp the gas check at the same time...so, I'm not sure what the deal is there.
Anyhow, I was wondering, has anyone beagled a .329 bullet up in size for the 8x56R and then sized it to .334/.335 using a custom sizing die? I'm thinking about having Lee Precision make me a custom sizing die of .335".
Note: I'm trying to stay away from purchasing the .338 Lee mold and having to buy .338 gas checks.