If you ever might hunt africa, then the 9.3x62 is the best choice, as it is legal for big 5 in many African countries where the 35 is NOT. And the 9.3 is a really nice cartridge. Also if griz even happen to be in your hunt, it is good also.
The 35 Whelen is a good heavy cartridge, easy to reload, cheap brass, and you can load it down using .357 pistol bullets for plinking.
Obviously, all are more than enough for deer, elk and black bear.
As of 1748 today it is in stock. Better get it while it is there for $22/100I ordered 200 from them on Sunday and the FedEx guy just brought it to my door. They said it was out on Monday but it's back in. Looks like brass is showing up again. I hope that powder is not far off
When I'm searching for lead info, I'm usually getting into casting, which I'm not doing. Also, have you ever tried to search for "38 S&W"? I'm missing the magic to get anywhere with that. Anyway, I was able to obtain some Magtech Bullets 38 S&W (360 Diameter) 146 Grain Lead Round Nose from MidwayUSA because I wanted to learn how to reload lead.
Since these bullets are already cast, can I load them like I would jacketed bullets? Or do I still need to go through some sort of sizing/lubricating process?
Reading through my "ABC's of Reloading" isn't making it clear to me, as it seems to be coming from a casting perspective. I intend on using an old Harrington and Richards top-break 38 S&W revolver for my loads, if that makes any difference (maybe lower pressures needed?). It looks almost identical to an Iver Johnson.
I've only been able to get Bullseye powder, so that's what I guess I'll start with. I think my Lyman book has 150 gr starting at 2.1 gr. Doesn't seem to be a lot of data any more for 38 S&W, even on the Alliant site.
Any experienced suggestions on start, max, and OAL?
Thanks again--everyone is always very informative and it's appreciated.
I ran it last and I decided to start with a Condition 3 pistol and move to an unloaded rifle; a pistol is almost always more handy, but I wanted to show that you should use your pistol to get to your rifle. And with the rifle, I didn't have to move forward to be accurate enough to engage the targets effectively without collateral damage.
I have a link to the video below. My excuse for my slow shooting (especially with the pistol; I forgot it wasn't at Condition 1) is that I haven't run a shooting drill like this since I got out of the Marine Corps 13 years ago \ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Casting Boolits\thefiringline\smile.gif "Smilie")
. But my hits were almost all right on target and my two rifle reloads were good, so I can't complain (though I should have finished the second reload before I popped out from behind cover).
Oh, and I did have three hits on the white no-hit areas on the rightmost target, but that was from shooting through another target; my excuse for that is my home-defense .223 ammo is 50 gr. V-Max which is unlikely to over-penetrate \ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Casting Boolits\thefiringline\wink.gif "Wink")
.
Thanks for watching the video and feel free to critique anything you see; I want to get better and the best way is to be willing to take constructive criticism.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xgkhsfyz599c49d/VIDEO0056.mp4
Loaded up 4 test batches of ammo last night :
All had the following specs except for the powder grain:
Bullet: 55gr HP Flat Tail (Generic Brand - Full jacket)
Case trim length - 1.746 (pre-sized)
C.O.A.L. - 2.222
Powder - AR-COMP
Weapon platform: AR-15 - 16" RECCE Barrel - 1:8 Twist - Mid Length Gas System - Suppressed (yes, I'm testing with a suppressor as that is how I shoot)
Batch 1 @ 24.5gr
Batch 2 @ 25gr
Batch 3 @ 25.3gr
Batch 4 @ 25.5
10 rounds per batch
At the 25.5 mark, it was a true compression load and I stopped.
But waking up this morning proved difficult, and it's still pouring the rain down - and I don't feel like toting everything to an indoor range and using the light diffuser on the chrony. So, this test will have to wait.
I'm going to load 4 batches with Hornady V-Max in 50 grains today starting at 22 grains and working up to 24.5...unless anyone has data for AR-COMP that says I'm at the max for those.\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Casting Boolits\thefiringline\eek.gif "EEK!")
There is surprisingly little data for AR-COMP yet, even on loaddata.com and even less for the lighter bullets.
Heckler & Koch does not authorize caliber conversions, but a separate barrel for a .357 Sig or .40 S&W can be purchased from HK, or from companies like Midway USA or Jarvis, Inc. EFK Fire Dragon,[11] an Arizona based pistol accessories company produces conversion barrels for both Full Size and Compact USP models. These conversion barrels can convert a .40 S&W to .357 Sig, and vice versa. They also manufacture 9mm conversion barrels. These 9mm conversion barrels can convert a 40/357Sig to a 9mm, but not a 9mm to a .40/.357 Sig. Also, a more powerful recoil spring may be needed for a .357 Sig conversion as the .357 Sig operates at a higher PSI. Heckler & Koch currently does not make the Full Size USP in .357 Sig, making the .357 Sig conversion for the Full Size .40 S&W a highly desirable addition.
What do some of you know about these places that make barrels? Cost? Are they good quality components? And is a different recoil spring necessary to shoot 357? That paragraph kind of eludes to that, but I was left not really knowing for sure.
I am looking for anyone that is currently set up to convert brass for this chambering. Myself and a few others are having one build and the guy that ordered or was supposed to have ordered the dies failed to do so. Now they are 20 weeks out which puts us to close to deer season.
My smith said If I can come up with some converted brass he can make me a neck sizer and seating die. I have 7WSM brass I can send you to convert.
Please if any is or knows of someone that is using this let me know. I am willing to pay someone to convert me some brass so I can get this up and running before deer season.
Feel free to email me as well tbshltn@gmail.com
Thanks
Boolit Master Join DateJun 2008Posts779
Now we have all heard of folks following a boolit shooting session with a round or few of copper condom bullets with the intent of forcing the lead out. Sort of like chasing hard cheese with prunes? I never knew if it worked or not since I don't have any copper clads and I never gave it much thought (the bullet thing, not the cheese and prunes).Well, I got into loading for 45ACP a while back and in my enthusiasm I made way too many rounds of various boolit design loads with both my attempt at Recluse and also straight Lee Liquid Alox. Boolits cast and almost immediately lubed after cooling, then sized, and tumble lubed again before "curing" at least two weeks. I got leading in all attempts, some worse than others, all bad. I got real good at cleaning lead out of my SR1911. I put that overly generous supply of lead slathering ammo in storage and began reading and asking questions on this forum, then applying the information gleaned. Little by little the leading improved, but did not totally resolve until I switched to NRA 50:50 lube. Success is sweet! No more leading A-Tall!
But, I still have all of that initial abundant supply of ammo that super galvanizes my stainless steel barrel. So yesterday I loaded up three magazines of 7 rounds each with that bad ol' lead slather'n fodder and 12 more magazines with the good stuff. I shot the three leading prone magazines first. Like always back when I was shooting this "stuff" it was GREAT at first and then accuracy fell off after 2 magazines, the third was minute of dinner plate at 20 to 25 yards. I removed the barrel and saw the familiar sight, ughhhh. I was gonna clean it, but I decided to shoot a few of the good 'uns first. I did not expect any change, at least not improvement and actually sort of figured it would continue to worsen since the barrel was already gunked-up pretty badly.
After a few shots I was wondering if things were getting better and by the end of those 7 rounds I was pretty darn sure it was. Removed the barrel and there was some grey color to be sure, but nothing like it was after those first three magazines of "lead slatherers". So, I finished my shooting session with the balance of the good stuff. Enjoyed excellent accuracy, in so far as I can tell with my ability on steel plate targets at 20 to 25 yards.
At gun cleaning time, that barrel looked just like it does when I shoot only the "good stuff". A Ballistol patch revealed only one tiny glint of free lead and the barrel was all shiny and smooth with crisp rifling. So now, maybe I can "get rid of" that crumby lead prone ammo by shooting alternate magazines of it along with the "good stuff".
Thing is, I don't recall seeing such a report as this before. Is it typical for good functioning ammo to "clean house" after poorly functioning ammo like I experienced? If this continues or fails to prove-out in the future, I will report back.
I was dreading the chore of impact puling all of those rounds.prs
yes it is typical of 'good' ammo to clean up 'bad' ammo.
it's all an educated guess,,,, till the trigger is pulled.the more i find out about shootin boolits, the more it contradicts everything i ever learned about shooting jaxketed.
After each range session I fire 2 gc'd 357's through my wife's and my 686's. Don't even have to run a patch through after that. But they only get a small amount of lead just ahead of the forcing cone.
PRS: For a number of years I cast all my boolits as hard as I could get them, water-dropping them from the mould, revolvers and .45 ACP. After reading a lot of posts here on Cast Boolits, last fall I started to air-cool my boolits and load them as I had before. In the past with the hard boolits, I had lots of leading. Surprise! The softer boolits did not lead the barrel. And that worked with three .45 ACPs (an old Chas Daly, a Ruger P90 and a Dan Wesson Pointeman II). Now I'm a confirmed air-cool caster of softer alloy. Going to try that with a .30-06 and a .243 Winchester. 'Tuck (as in Kentuck)
Great point Tuck. Glad to have a newer member making this important point, too.
Do recongize that with the rifles, you may NEED to add some hardness - but let the
target and barrel tell you if it is neededat your particular velocity/pressure level.Bill
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
Boolit Master Join DateJun 2008Posts779Good p ost, Tuck. I also use air cooled. I tried water dropping and the hard boolits were no better, if not worse. Boolit fit, adequate lube, cartridge to chamber & barrel fit seem to be key factors for me so far.You may not post new threadsYou may not post repliesYou may not post attachmentsYou may not edit your postsForum Rulesprs
Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"
Welcome to the forum; I see this is your first post.
I am sorry your .264 was stolen. Did you keep the bolt with you remote from the storage unit? Did you advise the police and report the loss by serial number for NCIC entry and to your insurance company?
Hereabouts storage units prohibit guns, vehicles and other stuff from their units. I stored guns while in transit in the past and always kept the bolts in a .30 caliber ammo can with me.
Again, welcome to this site.
Webley
Last edited by Webley; Yesterday at 03:09 PM.From your description it does sound like it's happening on extraction.
you may have thinned out the necks of the brass from reforming them and they just aren't as strong as they used to be.
Depending on how badly their damaged, you could round them out with something to get them round enough that the resizing die will except them.
You should post some pictures. You would get better answers.
Read the full article here...
Really just go to anywhere you would normally hunt. I don't know if deer up there are dropping babies yet but they are down here. Fawn bleat call will bring them running.
I would encourage you to use a fawn bleat call this time of year. Worst case scenario you educate them in a way that running towards that noise gets them shot at, best case scenario they get dead not educated.
Yesterday, 11:48 AM Originally Posted by pisgah 
They are solid copper, meaning that : A. they are not as compressible as jacketed lead core bullets; and,
B. since copper is lighter than lead, they are, weight-for-weight, longer than standard lead/jacketed bullets, and have longer bearing surfaces.
These factors mean they generate higher pressures than standard bullets. I would recommend using Barnes data when loading Barnes bullets. It's different because the bullets are.
The Barnes TTSX and TSX bullets have grooves giving them less bearing surface not more
__________________
Yesterday, 04:02 PM Originally Posted by pisgah They are solid copper, meaning that : A. they are not as compressible as jacketed lead core bullets; and,
B. since copper is lighter than lead, they are, weight-for-weight, longer than standard lead/jacketed bullets, and have longer bearing surfaces.
These factors mean they generate higher pressures than standard bullets. I would recommend using Barnes data when loading Barnes bullets. It's different because the bullets are.
Being lighter than lead as noted makes em longer.Being longer also changes the amt the project into the case. That screws up the pressure cause so much of the bullet is occupying case space.
Make sure there isnt debris under the piece where it slides in
I hope you get it set up.......My shield 40 is my favorite pistol
__________________Buying American made, wherever I still can
One caution, though. With shotshells, you've got to pay attention to the recipe. If you change one thing, you've changed everything. Pay attention to your primer, your powder, your wad, everything that you load into the hull. If you change wads, for example, you might get into an overpressure situation fairly rapidly.
Alliant offers a slideshow tutorial, but nothing will take the place of a good manual, like the Lyman Manual.
A 380acp that will work in a pistol can depend on the handgun used then the ammo brand and maybe the lot number or bullet type as in fmj and hollow point design weight and make.
Its trail and error and assume there are no guarantees any one brand of ammo will allways work in any semi-auto pistol.
Some pistols like a walther ppk can be rather picky about what it likes yet a bersa thunder that's designed after the walther may work well with most any brand you try in it.
I'm waiting to hear of a breakthrough in the current case, but I'll probably have moved back to PA before that happens.
This photo I'm attaching shows a sign that says "bags and coolers will be searched for public safety". This is a public park and the rules are for the 4th of July weekend.
Personally this makes me mad. I see it as an infringement of 4th amendment rights. We have a right to not be searched without reasonable cause and attending a public place is not reasonable cause.
I understand that Baseball games and airports and even private events (concerts) on public lands may require searching before you can gain entrance but I do not believe this to be so for public land.
What do you think?
My AR has had THOUSANDS (nearly 5000 now) of rounds fired through it using the 400s without incident. Make sure they are properly (deep) seated and you won't have a problem.
I've been reloading for military semi-autos for over 20 years (M14, AR10, AR!5, AK47, M1) and never a problem with with either CCI 400, 200 or WLR or WSR primers. I have loaded thousands upon thousands of rounds with the aforementioned primers. The NATO grade primers are different, to be sure, but superfluous for civilian semi-auto military-style rifle use.
If you run your finger over the back of the round the primer should be below the plane of the rim.
Sorry guys, I have to disagree.
I don't have any pics but the case looked fine on inspection and the primer was struck fully. You wouldn't be able to tell it was a squib just by looking at the case itself, minus the fact that there was unburned powder still in it.
My friend was the one shooting it and he said the trigger clicked and powder granules came out everywhere. I noticed a good amount on the shooting table. The power was Win 748 and I throw between 44 and 45 grains. Not sure what the actual charge is offhand but the powder throw is very accurate.
Now for the interesting part. There was a mass of caked together powder which was just large enough to be stuck in the case when I tried to shake it out. Also, the powder had its typical grey/black color along with some yellow thrown in, which I have never seen before.
My AR was using the same powder and fired just fine, and we shot about ten rounds through the Mosin before the squib happened.
I can't think of what the cause may have been. My guess would be the temperature/humidity caused the powder to degrade but I can't imagine that would happen unless the situation was severe.
The humidity was pretty high since we're expecting a thunderstorm tonight, and the temperature was in the low 80s.
Any thoughts from more experienced loaders out there?
__________________
Today, 03:06 AM One day some fisherman caught tons of fish called tench. The fisherman couldn''t eat them all so they gave them to the Mayor of the town. The Mayor wasn''t sure what to do with them. Then he had an idea; he would have a fish-eating competition.
When they had the competition, there were two finalists: a man from a place called Fife, whose name was Mr. Hicks; and a man that was from Sweden, whose name is Sven.
So they had the final; the Mayor fired the starting pistol and they started eating the tench. No sooner had Mr. Hicks bitten the fish than one of his teeth fell out. He couldn''t eat because of this so he stopped, but the Mayor refused to stop the competition. So Sven kept on eating and ended up eating nine of these tench fish. ?
The next day the headlines read: ONE TOOTH FREE FOR FIFE HICKS, SVEN ATE NINE TENCH!
Last edited by MikeG; Today at 03:44 AM. I've often heard it used as the justifcation for those ding dong front slide serrations (IMHO).
I don't press check, . . . because I know if there is a round in my weapon. Why? Cause if there is, . . . I put it there, . . . and if there ain't, . . . I wanted it that way, . . . and I can remember which is which.
My 1911's don't lock back till the mag is dry, . . . which is my cue to drop and insert, . . .
My personal opinion of a tac or admin reload is it is nothing more than a step that is more designed to sell seats in an expensive classroom than anything else, . . . but then again, . . . that is MY opinion and others may vary.
May God bless,
Dwight
Use whatever OAL that works in your rifle. If it fits, and it the sweet spot for your rifle, and everything goes good, use the OAL that you want. I'm working on a .308 right now, where my OAL is .225" longer than what it says in the manual, but that OAL fits my rifle without touching the lands at all.
Anybody can shoot the snot out if it, with or w/o slugs, w/o fear of hurting anything other than their shoulder.
.
So, does the new stock improve your aim, comfort, both? Or purely cosmetic? Why the switch?
__________________
Boolit Mold Join DateFeb 2009Locationcentral BC, CanadaPosts4
I'm not much of a poster here. I can usually find the answers to my questions by using the search function, but i give up.I've about had it with the crows waking me up at 04:00 every morning. Time to declare war!
I have a bunch of #4 buckshot on hand. My plan is to load a single round-ball load in the .243 and thin out the flock. So far my plan is to resize the cases, re-prime, flare the neck just enough to press a single buckshot in so it doesn't fall into the case. I'll probably swipe some Johnson's past wax across the mouth of the loaded round to lube the ball.
Where I'm stuck is what powder to use? I don't want to be sticking a ball in the barrel.
I thought 3 grains or so of Bullseye might do the trick. I'm looking for 900 - 1000 fps.
I have a good selection of powder to try (all the way from Bullseye to H-1000). I want to keep it as quiet as I can. don't want the neighbors mad at me.Anybody have any suggestions for me?
Thanks in advance,
sniper58
I think you are about in the ball park.
fortunately with crows if you shoot one in front of the others they learn to not come back.
if you do shoot one they will have a funeral of sorts, so make the most of your best chance because they will stay away from the area for quite some time.
which is what you want anyway.
it's all an educated guess,,,, till the trigger is pulled.the more i find out about shootin boolits, the more it contradicts everything i ever learned about shooting jaxketed.
I've not shot any squib loads in the 243, so I can't comment on the powder charge.I would recommend:
1. Only neck sizing so that your case walls help seal the chamber. Your pressure level will not obturate the case to any extent.
2. drilling out your flash hole a bit to prevent the primer from forcing the shoulder forward and eventually giving you short cases that don't properly head space. While it sounds a bit odd, the pressure in the primer pocket is greater than the pressure of the squib load and that is what "shrinks" the length of the case. Of course mark these rounds and keep them just for your plinker/crow loads. Rimmed rounds don't need this extra step as their rim is much stouter than the shoulder on a rimless case.
Over the years I've made many of these squib type loads, but always in 30 caliber rifles. They are quite useful and my kids all learned to shoot the larger rifles with these loads before moving on to more powerful loads.
While this may sound vile in this forum, you might just pick up some .22 RF CB loads for your .22 RF rifle (if you have one). They're quiet, low powered and may provide better accuracy than the round ball in a 243.
Last edited by Scharfschuetzer; Yesterday at 10:31 PM.
Keep your powder dry,Scharf
I could be washed up on this one ,but I thought #4 buck is .24" is that going to work in the .243?You crawl out of the hay a 0400 and shoot once at those crows and they will be gone..The next day your body is going to say at 0400 wake up..By the time you are able to sleep in again, the crows will be back, awhhh figure 3-5 days. Sounds like a loosing deal. You have to take em out some how. I recommend auto shot gun with #4 buck.
OR
change the environment so they are no long attracted to your area..Sometimes it ain't bad to have them around, believe it or not they do go after mice and small rodents. I don't know if they eat them or just torment them.
Boolit Mold Join DateFeb 2009Locationcentral BC, CanadaPosts4I could be washed up on this one ,but I thought #4 buck is .24" is that going to work in the .243?You crawl out of the hay a 0400 and shoot once at those crows and they will be gone..The next day your body is going to say at 0400 wake up..By the time you are able to sleep in again, the crows will be back, awhhh figure 3-5 days. Sounds like a loosing deal. You have to take em out some how. I recommend auto shot gun with #4 buck.
OR
change the environment so they are no long attracted to your area..Sometimes it ain't bad to have them around, believe it or not they do go after mice and small rodents. I don't know if they eat them or just torment them.
Yeah, I was up before 04:00 this morning.
I checked the diameter of a few pieces of #4 buckshot. It ran from .240 to .249 diameter. It should work well. each ball only weighs around 20 grains. It will be like using a .22 cal pellet gun.I dealt with the crows like this before. Shot a couple and didn't have problems for the rest of the year. hopefully it works again.
Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll let you know how it works.
If your 243 is a real accurate rifle, and you also use it for target shooting and varmint hunting, you might want to invest in a Wilson hand sizer and bullet seater. You'll need to get a bushing for the neck sizer, and that means measuring your necks. A pain, to be sure, but these are match grade stuff, and they make some very accurate ammo. ases will last near forever using these too, if you get it all figured out right. I've gotten in the vicinity of 100 reloadings plus using these in 219 Donaldson Wasp, in a tight neck chambered gun.You may not post new threadsYou may not post repliesYou may not post attachmentsYou may not edit your postsForum Rules
Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"
I never had a problem with folks sending stuff directly to me, but others may have a different experience.
__________________I won a S&W 686SSR at the Carolina Cup IDPA match this year. I've had one and didn't like it. So does anyone know if Smith will let me redeem it for something of equal value or more and pay the difference? I'd take a 625PC if I could. My calls to the individual named at the contact person so far has not returned my calls.
Truth be known, what I'd really rather have is another Sig Scorpion! Love that pistol.
__________________The extra copper of the thicker jacket will be on the inside of the jacket. It will just have a little less lead in it.
Now it has me wondering if I jumped to the Target ones if very good could turn into wow?. I doubt it will turn into WOW! but you may or should have a tighter and more consistent group, but that depends on your rifle, weather conditions, and how well you can shoot at 600 yds.I would look at the .22 mag version. Still cheaper than a 9mm and with the new self defense ammo out there, a viable self defense gun although at the bottom of the ladder. Recoil a little more but quite honestly I do not enjoy shooting any .22's as I like a little more recoil in my gun to enjoy shooting it. Then again I shoot a snub nosed .454 Casull for fun and carry an 11 oz. .357 magnum.
I can see a .22 for plinking but not in a snub nose. I know that Ruger says it is for practice so that you shoot the bigger LCR better but they know very well that a large percentage of gun owners use a .22 for defense regardless of what is said about them. Ask any LEO. Personally I do not see how a .22 can help you practice for shooting a .38 or .357. Without recoil it is just not the same. I know that many say practice with a .22 but the military does not nor does Law enforcement. It may be the smart way to learn target shooting but not so much for self defense shooting. Recoil is a major factor in handling a gun.
__________________Gun resources for senior citizens at The Old Gunhand
Be Safe !!!
__________________ 1. The type of brass that you are using.
2. Info on the kind of bullet.
3. Type of rifle, bolt or semi.
My guess is that your brass necks have gotten thicker from repeated firings and you have a choice of either "outside neck turning" or get new brass.
Check this video
Take your calipers and measure a case neck thickness in 4 places so that you get an average neck case thickness.
(average neck thickness x 2) + bullet diameter = case neck diameter
You may be able to chamber the round, but after it's fired it has too little space to expand and gets stuck.
__________________This 22" x 12" Gun Pistol Pouch is padded with a separate pocket for the gun and features four elastic straps to hold extra magazines. This allows for a quick access, easy-to-carry rig for your favorite handgun. Perfect for both revolvers and automatics. Padded with 1" closed cell foam. Reinforced carry handle. No divider in the large pistol pocket. Dimensions: 22" x 12". Galati Gear
Read More...
You may already know this, but lead / jacketed / all-copper load data is different because of different friction developed by the different materials.
So cast bullets are going to have different data, even if they are the same weight as a jacketed bullet. I believe lead friction is lower, so less pressure. Substituting lead data for a jacketed bullet may cause dangerous overpressure.
And all-copper bullets (like Barnes) are going to have different data, even if they are the same weight as a jacketed bullet. I believe all-copper friction is higher, even with multiple grooves. Substituting jacketed data for an all-copper bullet may also cause dangerous overpressure.
But the main problem with jacketed bullet data substitution is COL. The ogive (the part that touches the rifling) is far closer to the point of a RN, for example, than it is for a FMJBT.
Using Sierra's COL's, the 150gr RN has a suggested COL of 3.000" (in .30-06, since that's what is being discussed.) But the 150gr FMJBT has a COL of 3.250".
If you develop a COL for your rifle for each bullet you reload, this won't be a problem. But if you use a COL for a bullet with a slimmer profile when seating a "stubby" bullet, you can unintentionally jam the bullet in the rifling.
And this "perfect storm" of dimensions won't happen every time. If it is grossly overlength, the round won't chamber. No problem. It is the combination of dimensions that just jams the bullet and permits the action to close...
Most manufacturer's COL's are designed to prevent this, for that particular bullet. And, unless your rifle has a short throat, things will be fine.
I'm aware your question didn't address all of this, but I believe it is a more complete answer...
Good luck.
Last edited by dmazur; Today at 01:32 AM. Reason: changed "wrong" to "overlength"\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Casting Boolits\thefiringline\biggrin.gif "Big Grin")
What kind of distance to you guys think I could realistically get out of this gun/scope combo? I have had it to the range once with the junk scope it came with and it did 1" groups at 50y easily, I don't see less then 1" at 100y being a problem after a little practice.
Aside from eye protection and manuals, you only need three things (physically) to load good ammo. (Of course, you would be severely limited in some ways, but capable of producing one round at a time, but safely.)
Press because fingers are not strong enough to form metal
Dies because fingers are not accurate enough to form metal to SAAMI specs
Scale (or calibrated dippers) because eyeballs are not accurate enough to measure out gunpowder.
A set of calipers would be a good idea, too, just to verify dimensions.
Everything else can be done without, substituted for or improvised until you can afford to buy good, quality gear.
But it is more efficient and cost effective to get equipment that fits your needs now and for the near/foreseeable future.
We could target our advice better if you shared some information about yourself: (What I use has no relevance to you if our needs are not similar.)
What calibers will you be reloading?
What quantities will you be reloading for those calibers? (Per month)
How much time will you be willing to devote to those quantities?
How large of production runs before swapping calibers?
What is your budget for the initial purchase?
Will you want to get your entire setup at once or, after an initial setup that does all you need, add accessories and conveniences as your experience suggests and finances permit?
Will you be putting your gear away after each session or leave it set up permanently?
How much space will you devote permanently to a loading area, if any?
Do you want it to be portable?
What are your shooting goals? Cheap ammo? Ultimate long-range accuracy? Casual plinking, Serious competition - what kind? Cowboy Action Shooting? Strictly hunting? Personal defense? Skills development?
Lost Sheep
be sure to check for draw results guys.
http://tinypic.com/r/2lc4e11/5
C:\Program Files (x86)\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Casting Boolits\thefiringline\2lc4e11.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/o50tbc/5
C:\Program Files (x86)\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Casting Boolits\thefiringline\o50tbc.jpg
__________________\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Casting Boolits\thefiringline\mad.gif "Mad")
Nullius boni sine socio iucunda possessio est.
This little laser is the smallest rail laser I have ever seen. It has a left or right button to turn it on and an auto off feature. It mounted on my gun easy and it slid all the way back (you can mount it wherever you like on your slide depending on the length). The best part is that I didn't even need to get a new holster and I new it as soon as I saw this little laser. I use a pouch style holster because it is simple. It was easy to adjust and I got it dialed in while sitting in the living room and now the best step is to dial it in with my defense ammo.
I would also add that it takes no effort (relatively speaking) to turn it on. It literally does not require me to change my hand position (right finger can poke it on while properly seated on gun).
I have a couple hundred pounds of sorted WW (both clip-on and stick-on) that I'd like to trade for some already cast 358-125 RNFP, 358-140 SWC, and 358-158 RNFP. I envision shipping in a medium flat rate box in exchange for some reasonable ratio of cast bullets.
If anyone is interested, please let me know via PM.
Boolit Man Join DateDec 2011LocationDyess AFB , Abilene TxPosts96I cast 358477 it's a swc plain base 158 grain ill gladly trade u I can lube and size to 358 to with Felix lube also have both the 358 molds u speak of the 125 and 158 lets make a dealYou may not post new threadsYou may not post repliesYou may not post attachmentsYou may not edit your postsForum Rules
Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"
Going back to the original picture in post #1 you can see everything that comes with the 22TCM/9mm except for the bullets and brass. Included is a promo DVD, one magazine, a 9mm barrel + 9mm spring, a spare extractor, 2 fired casings, sight adjustment tool, trigger over-travel adjustment allen wrench, manual, warranty card, and a 45acp speed-loader...
The speed loader is for a single-stack mag, the TCM uses a double-stack so this is utterly useless. Also of note, NOT included in the box was any type of gun lock, this was sad since I'm one cable lock away from being able to daisy chain my cable locks through my gun cases and to my radiator Just kidding, I'd never do that to my babies.
First impressions.
While the pistol lacks a bit of fit and finish, all the standard 1911 features are there.
The grip angle is standard 1911. The beavertail grip safety feels really light, (I've used the warranty card to activate it) and has 1-2 mm of side to side play, not impressive. The thumb safety is very stiff, requiring me to tilt the gun and place my index and middle fingers on the right grip to give my thumb enough leverage to activate it, or use my other thumb. I can load a hi cap mag to the last round with these thumbs, what gives? Hopefully this will lighten up over time. Thankfully I can flip the safety OFF with no such issues.
The hammer and trigger have been skeletonized, the trigger has about 0.5 of up and down wiggle but feels solid. 1.5-2mm of slack on the trigger pull before meeting firm resistance. The trigger break is crisp and clean and in my opinion needs no lightening or adjustments, feels like quality work. Absolutely no issues here. There is also a over-travel adjustment screw that has apparently been dialed in pretty darn well on mine so no need for the allen wrench listed earlier.
Grips... There is a circle in the middle of each side for a medallion or crest. Obviously these grips are a cost cutting measure that were sourced from a line of similar double stack mag 1911 stock. Oh well, I'll replace them eventually. For the time being, they give me plenty of friction and purchase. I can live with it.
The mainspring housing is plastic, meh, so is my more expensive Kimber's. The chequering is of very decent quality so I wouldn't replace the mainspring housing unless I ruin the plastic pinhole trying to replace the mainspring in a few thousand rounds.
Magazine... Known issue. I was told that the gun jams on the last round for everyone. Well so did mine, thankfully it's not a true jam. The slidestop is activated prior to feeding the last round. I checked and double checked, the issue clear cut. If making a mag feed both 22tcm and 9mm has a down side, this is apparently it. I released the slide stop and it fed. Ok, so the gun is a 17 +2 shot (one in the chamber and a spare on demand if you want to hit the slide release. If you have a spare mag this will let you start off with another in the chamber I guess. One more strike against this pistol but I'm still keeping my hopes up.
Sights are rear target 2 dot sights, adjustable for windage and elevation. I have a little card showing it was sighted in. GOOD, I won't have to burn up my own ammo to do it, lets hope this "ML" guy wore his glasses that day.
Down side, the front sight is plain jane, black blade, no dot, well, going to have to replace that too, at least I knew this going in. The slide has a date with tritium-fiberoptic sight if this pistol can perform.
We shall see.
Performance:
I had in my possession some hard to find ARMSCOR proprietary 22TCM rounds and a gun range all to myself. It was 8:30pm on a Wednesday by the time I finished my paperwork and was finished being rung up by the sales lady. I asked if any of the staff wanted to help me take her for a spin around the block. I love the friendly attitude the staff have so I always make it a point to be nice back. One of the gun counter guys took me up on the offer and we headed downstairs to the range. The range counter guy said we are closed up so just a few, ok? I smiled and said of course. HEHE.
A quick field strip later and I had the factory oil cleaned off and made sure the barrel was clean and ready to roll. The field strip was easy as pie with no tools needed. Putting it back together was a little tricky but easy once I locked the slide with the thumb safety and got the bushing back in place.
I racked it back and attempted to pull the trigger, nothing. I looked closely. Failure to enter to battery on the first shot ever. I gave it a little nudge and it slid home. I'm about ready to call strike three and call this off. Well I've been waiting so long I decide to push on.
First shot 10 yards... BOOM. For an instant a giant fireball lights up the lane and a small hole appears in the center of the target. Shot two and three with similar results. This pistol is dead on accurate. The recoil is truly the same as a 22 rimfire in a 1911 style pistol. Pretty much the only real sensation I feel is the slide snapping forward ready for another round. On shot Four I hold perfectly but blink as the hammer falls, this might be a bad habit I need to keep an eye on (so to speak). The bright flash in a dark lane is really something I might have to acclimate myself to. I let the gun counter guy take a few shots, and notice that the brass is flying about 10 feet sideways, 4 feet backwards, bouncing off the back wall and going into lanes 5 and 6 (we were in lane 1). I'm really glad we have the lanes closed at this point. Next up is the Range Safety Officer who takes two shots and they both insist I shoot the rest of my ammo. I take a few more shots and can't stop smiling. This thing is AWESOME!
Reality kicks back in on the last round where the slide stop engages and fails to feed the final bullet. I am about to do a tap and rack when I notice the slide stop is in the up position just slightly but still enough to lock it back. I pop the slide and it returns to battery without further hangups. Okay, another issue. I'm surprised I'm still smiling.
After I finished up and they helped me police the rest of my brass, we started talking and we were all impressed.
This gun is not perfect. There are many areas for improvement, but despite all it's flaws, it is truly a joy to shoot. Accurate, easy to keep on target, a real attention grabber, good weight and balance, almost perfect trigger. I'm sold. At the $600 retail that I payed for it, I'm thinking it really beats a sharp stick in the eye.
On a side note look below at the picture of what the brass does as is flips out of the ejection port.
I'm guessing it takes a lot of spin and force to transfer that brass to the finish of the slide. I noticed it when I got home and will see what I can do to get it off tomorrow after work and report back.
Soon to come I will post on the 9mm barrel conversion and how it works out with the change in POA and POI, any issues sighting it in, and any new observations I have on this pistol.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
-Dennis
Purchase more material than you need for one so you can make another one if your first doesn't come out quite right. Final quality will depend entirely upon your own craftsmanship.
Wikipedia:
"Deflagration [1] (Lat: de + flagrare, "to burn down") is a term describing subsonic combustion propagating through heat transfer; hot burning material heats the next layer of cold material and ignites it. Most "fire" found in daily life, from flames to explosions, is deflagration. Deflagration is different from detonation, which is supersonic and propagates through shock." [emphasis mine]
Farlex dictionary:
"def·la·grate:
To burn or cause to burn with great heat and intense light."
"deflagration - combustion that propagates through a gas or along the surface of an explosive at a rapid rate driven by the transfer of heat"
Merriam-Webster:
"deflagrate:
to burn rapidly with intense heat and sparks being given off"
Compare that to "detonate":
Merriam-Webster:
"detonate:
to explode with sudden violence"
Wikipedia:
Detonation involves a supersonic exothermic front accelerating through a medium that eventually drives a shock front propagating directly in front of it. Detonations are observed in both conventional solid and liquid explosives,[1] as well as in reactive gases.
...
In terms of external damage, it is important to distinguish between detonations and deflagrations where the exothermic wave is subsonic and maximum pressures are at most a quarter of those generated by the former. Processes involved in the transition between deflagration and detonation are covered thoroughly for gasses by Nettleton.
...
Unintentional detonation when deflagration is desired is a problem in some devices. In internal combustion engines it is called engine knocking and causes loss of power and excessive heating of certain components. In firearms, it may cause catastrophic and possibly lethal failure." [emphasis mine]
The fact that burn rates can be controlled by granule size, shape, and density, should be a big hint that it's deflagration, not detonation.
A barrel from TVM will be rifled for patched balls, with deep grooves and a slow twist. It's unlikely any conical would shoot well from them. Anyway, a 270 grain .570 ball will take down any North American game with authority. Plus you can push it faster and it will be flatter shooting than a conical.
Last edited by OneEyedJack; Yesterday at 08:33 PM.Early one to (no dash) but with the M stamp.
Tight, no endshake, crane shake, cylinder shake, and no dings. Excellent shape.
Yep, I slapped money down on it right away.
Deaf
Unfortunately, "stuff" happens. It's frustrating but what are you going to do? A couple of years ago, Midway had .22LR ammunition on sale and I bought a thousand rounds or maybe it was 999 ... three 333 round boxes, whatever. When the box arrived it rattled. Upon opening it I found a single wad of kraft paper and every round loose in the way over sized box. Midway's packaging left a lot to be desired.I took pictures and emailed them to Midway and the two of us went round and round for days. Old retired people have the time, and in my case the inclination, to pester those who do substandard and unacceptable work. In the end, I was given a complete refund (actual check) for the shoddy S&H. I obviously forgot to cash the check since I saw it a couple of days ago. I guess I need to get that off their books since they've been carrying it so long.
I had a similar thing happen with 200 blank DVDs from another company and got another shipment of them. As Petula Clark said, "It's a sign of the times". Kris Kristofferson had an applicable comment in a song of his too. Something about not letting certain "people" get you down.
In any case, setting your home page is explained by Microsoft, here.
"Pinning" your favorites is explained, here.
I'm the "Tech Support" for my entire family and extended family. I've finally told all of them that I'm no longer providing support unless they buy a Mac. It works completely to my advantage because if they don't I simply refer them to HP, Dell, Microsoft, whoever, and if they do, the computer JUST WORKS, is intuitive and functional and I no longer NEED to provide support. The last hold-out just bought one about a month ago. The silence is almost deafening.
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@Brian How come you would choose a .204 over a .22-250? I have no experience with either, just wondering.
The .204 is a little quieter, has a little less recoil and (on average) slightly flatter shooting with most factory ammo offerings.I don't agree that you need a long barrel to get the most out of a 22-250, unless you're really picky and worry about 25 or 50 fps at 4000+ fps. At those speeds, a couple inches of barrel gains you almost nothing.
However, if you handload (and you really should be), virtually no other cartridge can shoot any bullet as flat out to 500 yards as a 22-250 loaded with 35gr bullets at over 4,400fps.
As far as "burning barrel", the 22-250 will be somewhat worse but the .204 is also "over bore" and is not exactly barrel friendly. If you're going to shoot a lot, as in excess of maybe 3,000 rounds in 5 or 6 years, its possibly a concern. Otherwise it's no factor, IMO, as the cost of an excellent barrel is $400 or so. If your original barrel lasts 5 years, that's a cost of $6.66 a month.
I've used up almost all the bullets from my borrowed molds so now I'm beginning to work with bullets from my own molds . The first one I wanted to work with is the Lyman 225462 I wanted to use this bullet in this particular Savage model 110 because flat nosed bullets tend to hang-up during feeding from the magazine . First I found that with my bullets sized at .2253" (ish) the best overall length of loaded ammo is 2.057" . At 2.060 you can feel the bullets pushing into the rifling when chambering and accuracy is worse than when I seat them a little shorter . I also tried seating them to 2.040" and that went nowhere as well .With bullets seated to 2.057" , no gas checks , tumble lubed and sized then light tumble with paste wax . I used pistol primers and three point three grains of Bullseye at thirty yards and got ten shot groups I could cover with a nickle . OK now to me THAT shoots , I'm trying to make the rifle do that with a powder that gets more velocity now . In the past with other bullets , eight grains of Unique and a pistol primer will shoot like that . Not with this 225462 bullet though , I backed off the charge and ran it up to eight point two and no joy . I backed off the charge and swtiched to small rifle primers ... nope ! I went from Javalina lube to LBT , and no real big difference . I changed crimp from light to none and even tried a LEE factory crimp and that didn't help .
What is frustraing is the last bullet I used was the RCBS 22-55-SP with the same eight grain charge , pistol primer , light crimp and it would almost go into the same hole . All the while with a velocity of about twenty-one hundred feet per second . Feeding wasn't positive but it shot great .
I'm thinking along the line of trying Hercules twenty-four hundred , in the past with the RCBS bullet it was reasonably accurate when used in an eleven grain charge . I went to using Unique because it left cases cleaner and had less of a velocity deviation . I wonder with the longer bearing surface of the 225462 if twenty-four hundred would burn a little better now . I have about forty bullets checked and lubed with LBT I could try and about fifty checked and lubed with Alox/paste wax .
Anybody got some insight about these Savage 110 rifles and the Lyman 225462 bullets ? I'd like to find a load I can make by the ammo can full using the Dillon So I'm staying away from fillers and such .
Jack
I was *this* close to putting Other: "overthrowing a tyrannical government."
Would have been funny
__________________I am currently using Winchester brass that I purchased back in the late '60's but only 5 remain. The heavy barreled rifle shoots very good groups with Winchester brass and with loaded cartridge axis checking - well under 1 MOA. So I am a little biased towards the that brass. But the brass is over 40 years old.
Which brand is recommended? Thanks.
PS Or is this like asking what motor oil is the best?
Been working on getting a cast boolit to work with my 357 SIG and found one that shoots pretty decent so far and holds well during recoil which is a problem with 357 SIG on a lot of cast boolits . I am using the 9mm-124-CN sized at .358 w/ PB gascheck. Probably 80% of the boolits will not stay seated at the OAL I have my die set at. They will slowly creep out of the case, sometimes as much as .050". I am using a Lyman M die to expand the cases and have tried the 38P and 38AP expander plug to no avail. I have had to reseat them upwards of 6-7 times before they will stay long enough to get a slight taper crimp on them. After the crimp , obviously, they will stay put.I actually left the dial caliber on a few times while checking OAL and you can watch the dial slowly move up as the boolit creeps out. I have tried not using the gaschecks also which made no difference. It actually looks like air is trapped inside the case and is pushing the boolit out. By the way it is not a compressed load either. Using 6.5 grs of Unique and have tried tapping the cases to get the powder down in the case as far as possible prior to setting the boolit. I do not think this was necessary but tried it just for sh## and giggles which also made no difference. Any possible solutions that anyone can help me with will be appreciated. Thanks
Two words- different powder.You have a compressed charge. You need either to crimp and seat in a single step so the crimp is made while bullet is held in place by a seating stem OR load with far more neck tension so,the bullet is held by the neck while you crimp.
That case has a very short neck. Neck tension isn't gonna be real strong anyway.
Use a less bulky powder. Compressed charges in your case are the issue, changing powders gets away from that. Try a ball powder like AA5.
I might try a smaller expander and different powder also.
I am a sovereign individual, accountable
only to God and my own conscience.?You cannot spend your way to prosperity,
just like you cannot fornicate your way to virginity.?
I belive that for the 357 sig with such a short neck area to hold the bullet and specfiec COL for the bullet you would need a special designed bullet mould , a special mould was designed by a fourm member and one of the fourms custom mould makers made him one . do a search.
Also check the size of your case expander / powder drop tube it should be at least .002 to.004 smaller than bullet dia for normal neck tension and .006 to .007 for heavy neck tension , also you bullets may be soft and swedging down in size after seating & crimping operation , if so try harder bullets or water dropping bullets from the mould may help.
Last edited by bobthenailer; Today at 04:16 AM.
The only fix I can figure is to take your expander plug out and finely sand it down until you get more grip..
This may be a balance act, because if you reduce your expander down too much, your case could squeeze the cast boolit and down size it causing leading, tumbling, Key hole from a small boolit.
Take one thousand at a time, test and do another if all is ok.
Had that happen with 380 rounds, and it was expansion plug not expanding the case fat and deep enough. Case squeezed boolit back up a little, just like you describe.You may not post new threadsYou may not post repliesYou may not post attachmentsYou may not edit your postsForum Rules
Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"
I doubt you have any alum rifle cases, more likely nickle plated brass. They will hold any normal pressures.
2) Would an aluminum casing take the pressures of a magnum cartridge? aka 60,000 psi?
Probably not.
3) I read on here about a layered charge. Is there an actual blended charge?
Quit reading. It's a very old but lousy idea from some people who keep thinking they have figgered how to do what factory ammo makers cannot; they're wrong on several levels.
Is there a way to get the same velocities of a short magnum, with a shorter (aka 20 inch) barrel?
No. If so it would commonly be done.
I have one.
I am pleased.
Some guys at the range were not pleased. I shot groups half the size of theirs without trying or noticing. Their grumbling made me pay attention.
They grumbled because one had a COLT brand 1911 and the other had a Kimber that was in the $1000-1300 price range.
And my RIA Tactical was shooting better then the guns that cost twice as much.
There ARE better 1911s out there. There ARE prettier 1911s out there. Most of them cost significantly more.
I will say this. If I could get a Ruger 1911 for within $150 of the RIA, I would, but that is only because I like Ruger stuff.
RIA makes a good reliable product and they have EXCELLENT customer service, with an openly stated lifetime warranty.
Hard to go wrong. Just have patience if you get the one in 1000 lemon. IF that happens their customer service will make it right quickly!
And, if you do happen to send it in to customer service, maybe talk to Arnel about an action job for it [around $90 I believe?] and/or have night sights installed.
I sent mine in for nightsights [they use weird custom sight dovetail] and my 5" tactical came back SPOT ON!
I have more expensive 1911s, but I would not hesitate to stake my life or my families life on the RIA Tactical.
__________________1)Arizona Immigration law, that basically says that the state authority may not interfere in matters that are under Federal control.
2)DOMA, which basically says that the Federal authority may not interfere with matters that are under state control.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the myriad effects that this could have on gun rights.
__________________Now, if it was a hunting or personal defense load, that's another story, I would not trust them. Mainly, as mentioned, you don't know what kind of primer's in them so you don't have a clue how they would affect the load. Two, there is always a chance some of the corn cob could be stuck in the flash hole, blocking it.
"Due to unforeseen issues we are re-launching the Savoy Leather Holster Giveaway.
Voting will begin on Wednesday June 26th at 12:00pm EST and the voting period will run until Wednesday July 3rd 12:00pm EST
The Top 10 Album will be removed and reset at the start date of the contest to ensure all "Likes" are starting at 0"
So, I finally get you guys rolling and they shut it down!! \ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Casting Boolits\thefiringline\confused.gif "Confused")
I am sorry about that and if you guys will allow it I will post a new link tomorrow!
Thanks for trying guys!
This is a website similar to kickstarter where a person has an idea and asks the people of the world for funding to start the idea. They offer rewards for the funding. These 80% receivers and jigs are those rewards.
They are coming from the person making them. As far as I know nobody has ever vouched for quality or customer service.
It seems that since the OP only has one post, they're probably the ones trying to get this business started or else somebody related to that person. The fact that they're being duplicitous or shallow about it is enough to make me not want to invest my money into it, but the quality could be amazing for all I know.
I'm also not sure what you would have to do with a Mk-19 jig? Make it under a certain bore?
Boolit Bub Join DateNov 2009LocationSan Francisco, CAPosts23
Hello,I recently bought a Lee 2-cavity Makarov mold from Natchez. It had different alignment system the the other Lee molds I have. The pins look like what they put on th 6-cavity molds.
Has there been a thread discussing these new molds? Pros, cons?
Do they need lee-menting? Are they all going to be like this from now on?
Thanks.
Kirill
Yes, that's the new molds, much better than old horizontal pins.
I support your right to keep and arm bears.
Yes, that's the new molds, much better than old horizontal pins.I think the jury is still out on that one.As far as the workmanship, the new molds seem nicer.
As far as the molds opening/closing like they should, the old ones still seem easier to me.
I understand my new molds are still new, and I am not quite used to them, but I think everything is a little more sloppy.
Brandon
"When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat." - Ronald Reagan
Boolit Bub Join DateMar 2013Posts21The mold to handle fit is sloppy on my new design Lee 2 cavity. I need to set the mold on a flat surface to close it. It does cast well however.You may not post new threadsYou may not post repliesYou may not post attachmentsYou may not edit your postsForum Rules
Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"
