Which boolit will be more accurate?

[Gunlaker]

Yeah, my .32-40 & .38-55 are really nice. The .38-55 was a surprise, I ordered it with extra fancy wood, which is usually about what Shiloh would call semi-fancy. It came ( no extra charge ) with exhibition grade wood, a silver inlay on the fore end tip, and something I've never ever seen on a CSA highwall, a round receiver ring instead of octagonal like they normally provide.

Is Pete still there? He was the one I dealt with for those two rifles. The one with the excessive headspace was bought before he was there.

Chris.

[Don McDowell]

No Pete’s been gone for a few years now


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[Deadeye Bly]

If that 575 grain bullet was 535 or 540 grains it would be more of a toss up. It is probably too long for the twist.

[Idaho45guy]

If that 575 grain bullet was 535 or 540 grains it would be more of a toss up. It is probably too long for the twist.

Good insight. My dad said the 520 "money" boolit will likely be better. Still waiting on the weather to break to find out.

Supposed to be April showers bring May flowers. This year, it was April snow storms bring May rainstorms.

[Idaho45guy]

Finally got a break in the weather and headed out to an outdoor range today. There was construction going on at my normal range, and didn't want to do my dad's range since it was sunny and kept getting blinded from the sun on the targets.

So, headed out to a friend's range. Actually, it's county land and is gated off, but he's got permission to do paintball tournaments there, and to hunt and shoot. He got the OK for me to be there so I have the combination to the gate as well.

It's only a mile out of town and is secluded enough that nobody can see you shooting from the highway.

So, I got there and get set up, and my knee is hurting from just walking to set up the targets and back.

So I shoot the 520's first and run three wet patches through and then a dry patch. Shot three times and get a much improved group of 3 1/4".

Went for a second group and the first two shots are an inch apart. Then I hear a vehicle approach and it's my friend. He and his wife and son have been in quarantine the past week due to having a bad case of Covid. He tells me this is the first time he's left the house and is feeling better but still weak. His son wants to try some new .450 Bushmaster loads.

So, I tell them I'll finish up and get out of their way. I fire the third shot and it opened up the group to 1 7/8". Dang.

I fired one 3-shot group with the 573 grain boolits, but I used a black target, and my front sight disappeared on it. First two were nice and tight at 1 1/4", but the third went high and left and opened it up to 4 1/2".

Really wanted to fire a bunch more groups, but didn't want to hang around with people infected with Covid.

Supposed to be nice tomorrow as well, and my chronograph is supposed to be here, so will try my old gravel pit again.

But, I am much happier with the results. I think the better fouling control, Swiss powder, and heavier boolit all helped quite a bit, as did the much lighter trigger.

Attachment 300073

Attachment 300074

[Idaho45guy]

Ended up going back to my dad's since he needed help with something.

Another sunny day and had a heck of a time not being blinded by the targets.

Used my new rangefinder and it said his 100 yard target was actually 110 yards and his 50 yard target was actually 60 yards.

I shot a few more groups, despite there being a 15 mph wind and confirmed that the rifle likes the 520 grain money boolit better. But, the groups were still awful with the smallest ones at 5 1/2" and 6".

520 grain before adjusting for the wind...

Attachment 300118

520 grain after dialed in for wind...

Attachment 300119

My dad looked at the rounds and said to stop using Alox, to use large pistol primers, and to try more ladder loads.

It's frustrating because I know he is losing his mental faculties because last week he said Alox was fine to use and never mentioned using large pistol primers. And he said 70 grains was ideal.

He was a Master class shooter who has competed all over the US and won quite a bit, so I try to defer to his advice, but it seems like it is all over the place these days and changes weekly.

So, will cast up some more 520's, use the DGL lube and pan lube them, and research the large pistol primer thing.

[Gunlaker]

I don't know anyone who uses Alox with BP, but DGL is quite good. That's what I use almost always.

Pistol primers can work quite well, but a primer change won't make the big difference that you need to see. I generally use CCI BR2's with Swiss, and Fed LR Match with Old Eynsford. Pistol primers sometimes, depending on the load. All of my paper patch rifles seem to like pistol primers or Winchester primers for whatever reason. But it's not like you'll go from 6" to 1" groups that way.

Something else is going on that is causing your accuracy problems.

The best way to think about black powder shooting is that you are shooting a soft projectile that is easily deformed during the loading process ( sizing, seating, excess neck tension ), and it'll get deformed in a bad way if the bullet doesn't fit the rifle properly. As soon as the powder charge goes off it is going to more or less instantly bump that bullet up to fit the inside of the case and the throat. If the bullet is not already a good fit, it's almost certain to be off balance before it ever gets to the muzzle. So you need an absolutely perfect bullet getting chambered, and it needs to stay perfect until it's out of the muzzle.

You've got quality powder (Swiss), a quality bullet (Buffalo Arms), good lube ( once you switch to DGL ). And your fouling control sounds better. Lots of people have won matches with that combination. If that's not working, then there is something mechanical going on with the rifle, or the bullet doesn't suit the rifle. Most bullets will shoot pretty good if they are not a sloppy fit in the cartridge case mouth, and if the nose isn't a sloppy fit in the bore.

Chris.

[Don McDowell]

Sagebrush bullet lube contains alox. If you're using Alox bullet lube intended for smokeless powder then yes you're going to be in for lots of problems.
i would suggest that before you blow thru any more powder, primers and lead, you do a very thorough cleaning in that barrel. The first thing i would suspect that under the carbon fouling you'll find some leading issues. Pure Gum Spirits of Turpentine is an easily attainable and inexpensive thing to use to remove built up leading in the barrel. Wet a 2 1/2 inch flannel patch with it, and push it thru the bore a couple of times with a good brass jag. Then follow with a dry patch , and repeat until the only discoloration on the patch is from the turpentine itself.
Swiss powder has a good reputation, but quite often any given rifle will not pay much attention to all the glowing reports about that powder and spray bullets hither and yon... Primers can make a difference.
After the deep cleaning, and using the DGL lube, then don't change anything but 1 component at a time.
I will add that if you're not casting those money bullets from 16-1 alloy you're not doing yourself any favors.

[indian joe]

yeah get rid of the alox - your blackpowder lubes will work ok with smokeless most of the time but smokeless lube with blackpowder is a problem all of the time .

A simple mix 50/50 beeswax and neatsfoot oil (or olive or whatever non petroleum oil or lard or mutton tallow) will beat the pants off a smokeless powder lube .

me too on the deep clean! get every skerrick of that lube out of the bore as well as check for leading and dont quit till you got it all.

It should be easy to get that combo grouping under 3inches at 100yards without flyers - THEN you start tuning it in

Something basic going haywire here !!!!?

[Chill Wills]

Would you please tell me your dad's name? I am sure I would know him. If you rather PM me, that's fine too. I understand if you don't want to at all....
Michael Rix

[Chill Wills]

Thank you. I hope for many good days ahead.

[tmanbuckhunter]

How much neck tension are you running? What wad, and how thick? I don't know of many 45/70 greaser shooters that are running charges as high as 70grs in a modern case. Most are running charges inbetween 58-67ish grs. I personally have found my best accuracy in two 45/70's at 61-63gr with various different bullets, both like about .001 of neck tension on a partially sized case. I did have a good load with Olde Eynsford 2F at 66grs with a 550gr long bore rider in a 1:18 twist douglas, but I stopped shooting it because it was not kind to me.

[indian joe]

How much neck tension are you running? What wad, and how thick? I don't know of many 45/70 greaser shooters that are running charges as high as 70grs in a modern case. Most are running charges inbetween 58-67ish grs. I personally have found my best accuracy in two 45/70's at 61-63gr with various different bullets, both like about .001 of neck tension on a partially sized case. I did have a good load with Olde Eynsford 2F at 66grs with a 550gr long bore rider in a 1:18 twist douglas, but I stopped shooting it because it was not kind to me.

mine runs 63 grains with a 40 thou wad + 535 grain boolit sized .460 ...... just enough crimp to hold the boolit in