Okay, gave it a try several times since my last post. Reformed some old Imperial 30-06 brass in one of my 9.3X62s, and did the first shooting while fireforming the brass. The bore was lead free after five rounds.
Here's the result of the last trip to the range. How's this for a hunting load at a 2236 fps? Northman 285 gr plain base, with a half inch square of old cotton towel wad, tamped down over powder, and slightly compressed COW filler to base of bullet. Group is 2.1 inches at 100 yards.
Shot and chronographed three, three-shot groups, this was not the best one.
This bullet penetrated six four-litre jugs of water, and was caught in the seventh. That's over 36" of water and more than half an inch of plastic!
You can see how cleanly the bullet is engraved by the rifling. Note, as well, how near perfect the base of the bullet is. No fusion has taken place at all.
Care to guess the recovered weight?
There was no unburned powder in bore or on the snow, and best of all, no leading! One patch of bore solvent, and one of KROIL, and it is ready to go again!
Ted