That’s awesome. Can’t wait to hear the results.
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That’s awesome. Can’t wait to hear the results.
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I loaded some tests with two similar cartridges today. The 7.5x55 and 284 Winchester. Nothing special, but at least I did something at the bench. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...47a915aa22.jpg
7.5x55. 165gr Hornady BTSP and IMR4350.
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284 Winchester. 145gr Speer Grand Slam and IMR4350
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I sent a pile of work ups down range yesterday with a little help from a friend. 4-5 loads of 5 shots ea in 6 rifles , 2 different cartridges in one and only 6 rounds in another. So about 140 rounds all toll .
2 things I'm feeling it a little bit today , but I've been nursing the 1000 stroke lube sizer shoulder ache for a few days anyway .
The other is that through some slight of hand hocus-pocus I ended up at the range with a 45-70 load that was a warm 45 Colts load and a 45 Colts rifle load that was a mild 45-70 load . Before anybody gets all excited 9.0 Unique in a 45-70 case with a 255 gr RNFP cast bullet isn't quite the top of the standard Colts load but it is 1000 fps MV in the 7.5" BH . A 300 gr cast over 9.5 gr of Herco is a spectacular light show at dusk and into Ruger loads in the sense that it's in-between but over max standard data . It's hard to find 300 gr Colts data but not bad to reduce 454 data from experience. I need to work the Colts load a little more but I think it's going to get me where I want to go which is about 1050 out of an 18" carbine and over 850 from the BH .
Other loads included;
360-228 XCB in a 358 Win over 8.5-10 gr of Unique.
25-85 Herters at 90 gr over the same in 257 Roberts.
260-120 FP NOE over 12.5-14.0 Unique in 25-06'.
7mm 168 RCBS over 41.5-43 gr of H4831 .
Colts rimmed 45 Schofield with a 451-228BB NEI and 6.0 Herco , probably well over the Schofield book data but since my 45 S&W is a 1917 SW I think the 18kpsi loads will be ok .
That’s a bunch of shooting! Was there anything that stood out? How did the 7x57 do?
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2 of us shot 6 rifles into almost identical groups .
It was weird that brass that wouldn't feed as Colts did as Schofield and brass that did as Colts wouldn't as Schofield. It was hanging up in the rails . I was pleased that the 230s and 300s made round holes and hit the as close to point of hold as they did in the berm . That has been a struggle with the carbines as the bullets would upset and tumble when they came down through transonic. Loosely I think that if the 230 was super it had enough spin to stay stable or at least not depart line and the 300s were still under .
Based on dusting on the back of the targets I've exceeded desirable impact velocity for the 7mm 168 it's probably upwards of 2400 fps which is odd given the twist rate for my past experience. I don't think this rifle and that bullet are going to work out as a couple .
Dad's 25-06' is just going to have to have the windage moved it's hitting center on the 8.5×11 tall target holding the bottom left corner at 50 yd .
It's just not up to the 120s but I'm going to give them one more go before I give up . Maybe W857 I know the 4831 will exceed the desired impact velocity by 7-800 fps even at start loads and I'm maxed out with Unique.
Sounds like a very productive range day. You’ve got a lot of good data from it.
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A fellow on another forum ran the 25-06' loads through a load calculator. He says they should be 2000 fps MV which makes them 28-32 kpsi . Zilch . Zip , nada for lead fouling. This is the 3rd set of loads so real close to 100 rounds .
A little back tracking and the 7x57 was into jacketed speeds only a couple of gr below start loads for the 175 gr grand slam or hot cores .
That’s great for the 25-06. What’s the next step for the 7x57?
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Looks like a retry neck sized . My sizers , 1 ea Lee and Lyman are squeezing the shoulder before they hit the neck . Not the first time I've had a full figured chamber that made huge gains for necking.
I scored a Lyman die set for 284 Win and ran them in there full touch on the shoulder.
Both the 257 & 25-06' went through the 6.5-257 AI with just a kiss from the 25 cal expander. It actually leaves the ID at .255 anyway without an expander.
The thing is that every rifle we shot last Saturday shot almost identical groups. I know for a fact that the 45-70 and 45 Colts were within their nominal operating windows and expected performance. The 358,257&25-06' are capable much smaller groups . So I don't know where that leaves me with the 7×57 . It may be that that's all it's going to do with this bullet or it might just be a matter of dialing in the happy place . It's been suggested that this chamber, and the 06' too, will come around with a little jump , a running start if you will . The .287-154 Hunter is completely different but has a .2 ish jump if I want the lube groove covered . It offered instant gratification but needs 2450 to hit the numbers.
Can’t wait to hear the next adventure.
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I have another tray of workups for the 25 .
I'm exploring ;
Brass . After more digging I came up with 20 EW42 matched cases , a few WW and a few Super X. I loaded 5 ea with 12 gr Unique, plain base , and gas checked in the assorted cases .
Powder .
Throwing caution to the wind I started 1.5 gr below 120 jacketed data with the 125 gr cast and IMR 4831 with previous OAL . The idea being maybe this is just one of those barrel and bullet deals where it really wants to have a full snort and run wide open . Basically the load should pick up velocity where the Unique leaves off and about 8,000 psi less pressure with a longer push . The approximated velocity should be around 2400 to start into 2600 fps .
Herco data is like hens teeth . 300 gr data for 45 Colts is almost as bad .
Unique however runs from 6-7.0 for standard and up to 10.2 for Ruger/Contender up to about 25kpsi . The loads are primarily for that stupid 1-32 twist in the Rossi M92's . The SWC , 250-255 gr , in particular and to a lesser degree the 255-265 RNFPs don't return to subsonic well . I'm after a just barely sub sonic with enough heft to do what it needs to do . Anyway I started off with 7-8.5 gr of Herco that delivered round holes at 50 yd but probably only about 600 fps MV so I have this batch loaded 8.7 , 9.2 , and 9.6 gr mostly because thats where the measure hit . Typically what Herco data there is takes about another 1/2 gr over Unique for the same velocity in pistols ,it gains a little in longer barrels wo gaps . The Herco is slower and slightly bulkier . It should get me right into the window of 975-1025 fps .
If it works out I'll have to buy a 300 gr mould .
I looked in an old Alliant pamphlet I have laying around. It has 7.2gr of herco with 300gr xtp for 670fps at 12,500psi. I don’t know if that is helpful or not.
For years when using herco the rule was to use unique data plus 1/2 a grain.
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I downloaded "the complete 45 Colts" manual and Lyman 38 to go with the real copy of the 43 , 48 , and 50th , 3 printings of the Hornady 68',72', & 82' , Speer #12 ....... The limited data , there's data for duplex and triplex loads in 454 in the Ackley book but Herco and 300s is nil ..... An experiment in a slower neatly wedged between 2 workhorses . That and I have about 5-6# of the stuff for the cost of about a gallon of gas out of route on a 800 mile road trip .
The last 4 weeks or so, I finally got some reloading done. First I loaded 414 9mm with 115gr Rainier HP and Ramshot Zip. Next was 486 9mm with 124gr Xtreme HP and Titegroup. Last was 466 10mm with 165gr Rainier HP and Autocomp. I loaded all these on my 4 hole Lee turret press and using my RCBS Lil’ Dandy powder measure. Today I sonic cleaned and annealed 261 pieces of 32 Winchester Special brass.
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Yeah, I have got to get back at it. So much life happening lately, my Mom passed a few weeks ago and my fifth grandchild was born on Thursday. All on top of adding a new puppy (who is quite a handful, lol) to our household a while back. I am hoping things settle to a new normal soon so I can get back in the shop. I have a new bore scope ready to see if I can see anything that is making my LRPV so finicky as of late. Also I am in the market for a new Marlin 1894 from Ruger that was just officially released/announced last week. I also have a snub-nosed 357 that I have done very little with since I bought it. So many projects, so little time.
You definitely have had a lot going on. I’m very sorry to hear about your mother, and on the other hand, congratulations on grandkid number 5 and the new puppy. What kind of pup did you get?
You definitely have a lot of work to do, but it will all be there waiting for you when life irons itself out.
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I got out to shoot a little yesterday. The 57' M70 I had taken completely down to to clean up 30+ yr in the field and a scope change shot well . Just a few old Cramer , Pope designed 150 gr cast about 1000 fps to make sure the barrel and scope were pointed the same direction. Then a few 4350 fueled 312-155 Lees approaching 2500 fps MV. Not stellar brag worthy groups but good enough for for meat in the freezer if it's coyote or bigger inside 250 yd .
Dad's 25-06' ......... In an effort to figure out the flat line groups I loaded 7-10 in 5 different cases of the 260-120 NOE with 12 gr of Unique. Of course the second runner up for most unlikely to aquire showed the best results , Winchester Super X. Also present was formed EW 43 , W-W , FC , and current Win.
The cast bullets are the NOE 260-120 FP, my alloy scales at 125 gr ready to load . This test set was fueled by 42,42.5, 43, &43.5 gr of IMR 4831 taking in to account the additional case intrusion and extra weight, the loads seem to show a direction. Down . All of the powder burned , no leading , and we got a lesson about case length. Another Prima Donna .......just what I needed. The 42 gr load put 2 touching in 2 groups and the one I threw away . Case length is the only difference this was from weigh lotted new virgin Remington 1972 25-06 brass . 2 of them were 2.510 with the remaining 18 2.483-2.486 . The .510s look to be out in the ball seat .
The next tour I guess will be 41.6 , 41.8 ,42.2 , 42.4 gr . It'd be an accomplishment to get the 25-06' with a 1-9" shooting 2 MOA at 2500 fps .
Went back did a bunch of measuring after neck sizing in a 6.5-257 AI die with a the .257 expander in it . I took all 19 survivors down to a uniform 2.485 . I was surprised to see 10 so long and only 2 that didn't even get a kiss . I'm glad I wasn't shooting a full bore 4350 load at 3200 fps MV...... It's good to finally have a place to work from that might do what I promised Dad .
Well I do not post much but was busy casting ZInc bullets for my 38/357 - 9mm - 300 BO - 30-06. Went through about 50 lbs of zinc. I have been casting and shooting Zinc bullets about 4 years now. They are working great. Mostly for target shooting.
I haven’t been able to make it to the bench much this summer. I just sporadically sit down here or there whenever I get a few extra minutes. I don’t even remember what I posted as the last thing I’ve done. Let me check. Ah yes, I annealed my 32 Winchester special range brass that I’ve been collecting. I got the Hornady brass sized and trimmed and it’s ready to load, and now I’m halfway through the WW brass. When I’m done with it I’ll move on to the RP. I’m leaving the FC and misc brass as just deprimed and clean, to save for later, I’ve got enough of the other headstamps.
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I loaded 19 more with the IMR 4831 , there's only about 1.5 lbs left but the change over to H4831 should be painless , 41.0-41.9 in .3 steps if I see "the pattern" I'll go on up next time from 41.8-42.7 in .3 steps .
With the bigger cases, a pound and a half of powder gets gobbled up pretty quickly
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I have been casting and shooting Zinc bullets for a little over 3 years now. They are 60% lighter (147gn lead = 90 gn Zinc) (180gn lead = 113gn Zinc).
It's tricky. It's the same as the deal with the Barnes X and GMX etc . You kind of have to start with the fastest powder that will give a full or near full case for a bullet weight in-between and sort out the bearing length .......as I understand what I've read about it. So in the case of the 180/113 in a 308/06' where it's one of the bore ride spritzers , you use something like 4350 start looking for a 165 as a maximum load and work from there . If you have something more like the 309291 or 299 that requires deeper seating you'll want to start with data for a 130-145 and the bottom 1 or 2 powders.
The zinc has lower friction than copper but doesn't move , as in engraving, as easily as lead or copper.
Using the light weight data can over pressure because of case space and initial movement and the dimension data might not reach pressure at all .
When in doubt with 30 cal and up fill it up to the bottom of the neck with 4831 and see what happens. It was designed and used for both the Orclon (sp) and later bottle necked 20 mm cannon .
Doing a little test. Last hunting season I worked up a load in 9.3x74R with new Hornady brass, R-P 9 1/2 primers, PPU 285gr RN, and a healthy dose of H4350. The load shot 1/2” groups at 100 yards and velocity was 2325fps. This morning I loaded that same load except instead of new Hornady brass I used once fired ( not by me or my rifle ) FL sized S&B brass. I’m looking to see what effect the change in brass has on accuracy and velocity in this rifle.
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32 Winchester Special and 30-40 Krag are there for scale.
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Got a few test loads made up for the 375 Whelen Improved today. Hornady 35 Whelen Brass. R-P 9 1/2 primer. PRVI 300gr RNSP. And Winchester Staball Match powder.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...4222068f56.jpg
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I shoot a 35 Whelen, those things look painful, lol.
Been working on a few different things lately. The most fun has been the new 358 Winchester I got.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...1cb00447eb.jpg
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Also working on loads for a new Charter Arms 44 special revolver. So far the most accurate loads have been 44Russian brass with a 240gr cast bullet.
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I finally got some shooting done so now I have some projects to continue and rounds to load. I took my 35 Remington, 45/70, 375 Whelen, 9.3x74R, 284 Win, and 7.5x55 to the range yesterday and gathered some good data. It felt great to finally get out and shoot. Now it’s time to load up the next round of development for each of them.
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Have you ever had a day when you should’ve never sat down at the bench?
Yesterday evening I went to load up a few test rounds, I powdered unprimed cases with ball powder, what a mess. I fixed that problem and proceeded to seat bullets with the wrong caliber seating die. After I fixed that problem I took a deep breath, ate some dinner, and retired to the couch. I got about a tenth done of what I wanted to get done last night, but for safety sake, quitting was my best option. Ugh.
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Yup, have had this happen as well. Best thing you can do is walk away and try again some other time.