Tumbling Primed Brass

Depends, if only going to be used for practice and some shootem-up-bang, bang stuff. I would load them a little lite and use them. That way, any misfires are not going to mean a thing.

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.

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.45 Auto Rim tumbling problem

Originally Posted by olbear I'm fairly new at .45AR shooting (have a SW1917 & a Webley), I prefer .45AR to Moonclips too, but found the SW1917 just doesn't like ANY lead bullets I've tried (tumble/sideways @ 25yds). Good luck, & post any new ideas you come up withLike many old, vintage .45 revolvers, your 1917 may have an oversize bore. If you're shooting bullets intended for the .45 ACP autoloader, you're not getting a tight fit and that is murder on accuracy.

Slug the bore and measure to find out what you have, and measure the cylinder throats as well.

If the bore is much over .451" that is part of the problem. When you measure the cylinder throats, drop a bullet with your fingers into the chamber from the rear. If the throats are right, the bullet will drop right through with a slight nudge from your finger. If they let the bullet drop right through with no resistance, they are oversize. If you have to tap them through with a dowel and small hammer, they are too tight. That will contribute to the problem by swaging the bullet too small, so it tends to rattle down the bore rather than grab the rifling the way it should. Combine that with an oversize bore, and you'll be lucky to hit the side of a barn from 5 feet.

Tight chamber throats can be opened up a bit, and if the bore isn't too oversize you can usually find cast bullets that will fit it fairly well. In any case, use Auto Rim cases, so that you can get those bullets to fit right, as they are more flexible than the ACP case in those old revolvers.

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Tumbling 458

Boolit Mold Join DateNov 2011Posts12

Picked up a Chas Daly Superior in 458WM a while back and having some trouble getting it to shoot worth a hoot. Rifle was supposedly NOS and I only planned on shoot cast boolits.

Started with a load of Unique and the lee 340 grain bullet lubed and sized in a .458 sizer. Ten round and none of them hit the 30"x30" target backboard at 50 yds!. The 45/70's I have all love this boolit so was really surprised by the 458's performance. Next tried the same load using Lyman 457124A boolits (what does the A stand for?) lubed and sized the same as the 340's. These all hit the backboard but were more of a pattern than a group with several key holing. I wasn't really surprised as my 45/70's don't like this boolit either.

Today I tried some Lee 405's, unsized and tumble lubed and 20 gr Trailboss. Fired ten rounds. All hit the backboard but it also was a pattern and eight tumbled, one almost tumbled and the other made a round hold.

Looking for a little direction as I have always heard the 458WM was a great shooter no matter who made it or what you fed it. Do I need to go with a larger boolit, heavier boolit, shoot it faster, or ??

Thanks for any help!

Not sure but I think you need to size them bigger like a .459 or .460.

If none of them hit the backer you have no idea if they grouped or not. Move closer until you find out where they are hitting, you may find they are shooting fine, just not to the same point of aim as the sights are sending them.

I just searched for Charles Daly Superior and most of the hits were for an O/U shotgun, is yours and O/U rifle configuration? If so you may be running afoul of barrel regulation issues, assuming O/U rifles act the same as S/S ones do. If it was regulated for .458 Win factory loads that could be the problem.

Last edited by Alan in Vermont; Today at 10:27 AM.

Boolit Mold Join DateNov 2011Posts12

I did the poor mans boresight before shooting the 340's ie sighting down the bore and aligning the scope that way. None of the 340's were to be found. The Lymans and the Lee 405's hit the backer but key holed and patterned as opposed to grouped. As noted, the 405's were unsized as dropped from the mold. Guess I'll try some of the 340's and Lyman's unsized and pan lubed to see if they will do any better.

Rifle is a Mauser type bolt action, aka Remington 798, Zastava M70 and probably a couple of others as well. Charles Daly sold these under their "Superior" name for a while.

I may try and scrounge a couple dozen jacketed bullets from friends and give them a try as well.

Have you sized the bore?
Sounds like you might not be driving them hard enough too. ??

It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.

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Slug your bore, measure with a micrometer, measure your boolits, and get back to us. Until we know those facts we are all pissing in the wind!

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There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

I'm curious about twist too. my 16" twist 45 cal BFR shoots 200 grain bullets like a shotgun, 340's tumble, and 400+ shoot straight.

If your twist is fast enough that might be playing a role, you might need to slow them down or go much heavier.

I will follow this thread. I have a few 45-70's that I like very much and have a desire to get a 458 Win Mag. I really need to get one since it would be a shame for the 50 pieces of brass and a die set to go to waste.

Yep, undersized boolit.

Rob, I still have a .458 Win Mag for sale, with dies, bullets, and more brass......

The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!

You are such a meanie Ric! I had almost forgotten that....

Boolit Master Join DateAug 2012Posts785

I'm curious about twist too. my 16" twist 45 cal BFR shoots 200 grain bullets like a shotgun, 340's tumble, and 400+ shoot straight.

If your twist is fast enough that might be playing a role, you might need to slow them down or go much heavier.

I'm with Whiterabbit on this one.

RustyReel, for sure do a few things first. Clean all the copper, fouling and lead out. Slug your bore to get groove diameter. Then, find out or measure the twist. Also, your idea of trying some Jbullets would be an excellent idea so see if the rifle will shoot at all- to eliminate some other bugger at work here.

If the groove diameter is .458 and the twist is standard 14" then--- try some 405 gas checked bullets- not too hard an alloy of BHN 12 or so sized to .458-.459 and pushed to a reasonable velocity of not more than 13-1400 fps. Then try a comparable gas checked bullet, same specs and maybe pushed even a little slower. I'd try 22 gr or so of 4759 or 5744 powder with fluff dacron filler to achieve those velocity results.

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Boolit Mold Join DateNov 2011Posts12

Thanks for all the advise guys. I only get to the range every couple of weeks and don't always take this rifle, but I'll keep you updated on my progress. Thanks again.

I'd bet a yankee dollar your boolits are undersized for your bore, and that you'll play hobb trying to get the 340 grainer to shoot well. Take the 400 grain boolits, and Try 'em as cast, over 24 grains of 2400 with a 3/4grain dacron filler. I think you'll find that will shoot better. That Lee 340 grainer tends to cast small, at least mine does.

_________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.

Forget your bore, fit your throat. You will most likely need .460+

The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

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Tumbling brass - deprime first or after tumbling?

what is the best tumbling method?

There isn't one. Rather, it comes down to one's preference.

Well said 462 , I personally tumble with primers out. Lizard litter and NU-FINISH car polish. Works for me

Boolit Bub Join DateFeb 2013Posts23

I deprime first. So the first time I got media stuck in the flash hole with a primer inserted before I noticed the block, I decided to experiment and fill with powder anyway. Well primer popped out the media and ignited the powder just fine.

Boolit Mold Join DateApr 2013Posts17

For pistol brass, I normally tumble with the primer in the case since these can be loaded without using case lube.

For rifle brass, I normally tumble with the primer in, them resize and deprime. I tumble aain to remove the case lube so the primer pockets get cleaned a little, but not much. After the second tumbling, the brass gets trimmed also.

If you are using stainless pins and water, you will want to deprime first or you will trap waer in the primer pocket. The pins do clean the primer pocket pretty well.

We do it differently, Pistol is easy.. but rifle you can deprime, tumble (for me in SS media) and then I come back and size after I uniform the flash hole and primer pocket (but I shoot LONG distances). Once sized, I'll toss it back into the tumbler and tumble for about 30 minutes to cut the lube. One caveat, with uniformed primer pocket (large pistol and rifle), you need to watch for pellets in the flash hole. It does happen from time to time with properly uniformed flash holes.

Boolit Mold Join DateApr 2013Posts17

I deprime first. So the first time I got media stuck in the flash hole with a primer inserted before I noticed the block, I decided to experiment and fill with powder anyway. Well primer popped out the media and ignited the powder just fine.Regardless of the fact it worked for you, it's a dangerous practice to fire ammo with the flash hole blocked by media.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

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Stainless tumbling pins

Where do you guys get your stainless pins for wet tumbling? How much would I need to buy?

I think someone on here does sell them. I got them from buffaloarms.com myself.

There you go. Support another member if you can!

Phil you sell them? Well how much partner?

I don't need any now, but maybe in the future.

To the OP...generally about 1# of pins for 1# of brass.

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the BB knows

I have a Thumblers model B and use about 7 pounds of pins for my BP cases in 44WCF and 45-70. They come out brighter and more shiny than when new if you add about 1 teaspoon of Lemi-Shine with the Dawn/Oxy. Also don't use too much water, just enough to cover the pins and brass with about 1/2 inch of water above the load. Later David

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Phil you sell them? Well how much partner?

I don't need any now, but maybe in the future.

To the OP...generally about 1# of pins for 1# of brass.

$7.50lb $6lb with the purchase of one of my drums,I dont want to hijack his thread or advertise
here please just PM mw

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Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

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