Dick Dastardly
08-05-2006, 02:56 PM
Got me a new Winchester commemerative 94 in 38-55. Bought the appropriate LEE mold and cast up some bullets. Loaded 'em over a compressed charge of bp with a 1/16" fiber wad between the bullet and the powder. Made sure they would cycle thru the new gun.
Went to the range and started sighting in. Initial groups were small, but quickly opened up to 5moa or more. Stopped shooting, swabbed the barrel, shot some more. Smaller groups, but not as good as the first ones.
When I got home I carefully inspected the bore. It was really leaded up. Took me half an hour to get it clean again.
Then, having gotten my new custom DD 38-55 240 mold from LEE, I cast some up, lube/sized 'em and loaded 'em up same as the first batch. Groups started small and stayed that way. I sincerely believe that with eyes better than mine, or a good glass sight this gun would hold inside 1moa.
The ONLY difference between the two bullets is the original LEE mold had a bevel base and two skimpy lube groves. My own design has two big lube canyons and hauls more than Seven times the lube as the original LEE design.
Ok, the Lee design is probably ok with heathen smokeyless fad powder, but it sucks with Holy Black. The DD 38-55 240 mold was designed on the basic profile of the LEE mold, but it has a flat base and much larger lube capacity.
When the last session ended the muzzle was wet with lube and the gun cleaned up with a spritz of Moosemilk and a tug of the boresnake. I mean clean here. No leading and no fouling. Just sparkling clean rifling.
I'll be working on this gun to get the results I want out to 300 yards. Beyond that, I have a fine 45-70 and bullets I've designed for it. But that's another story.
DD-DLoS
Went to the range and started sighting in. Initial groups were small, but quickly opened up to 5moa or more. Stopped shooting, swabbed the barrel, shot some more. Smaller groups, but not as good as the first ones.
When I got home I carefully inspected the bore. It was really leaded up. Took me half an hour to get it clean again.
Then, having gotten my new custom DD 38-55 240 mold from LEE, I cast some up, lube/sized 'em and loaded 'em up same as the first batch. Groups started small and stayed that way. I sincerely believe that with eyes better than mine, or a good glass sight this gun would hold inside 1moa.
The ONLY difference between the two bullets is the original LEE mold had a bevel base and two skimpy lube groves. My own design has two big lube canyons and hauls more than Seven times the lube as the original LEE design.
Ok, the Lee design is probably ok with heathen smokeyless fad powder, but it sucks with Holy Black. The DD 38-55 240 mold was designed on the basic profile of the LEE mold, but it has a flat base and much larger lube capacity.
When the last session ended the muzzle was wet with lube and the gun cleaned up with a spritz of Moosemilk and a tug of the boresnake. I mean clean here. No leading and no fouling. Just sparkling clean rifling.
I'll be working on this gun to get the results I want out to 300 yards. Beyond that, I have a fine 45-70 and bullets I've designed for it. But that's another story.
DD-DLoS