Go Figyah!

WiskyT · 05-20-2010, 19:17

I got a Lee six cavity 9mm 120TC mold for 9mm and wanted to see how it would do for some light loads in 38spl. The bullets drop at 125 grains at 0.357" and it has a standard lube groove.

So I don't have to size them and the loaded rounds drop in my tight chambered Rugers even with thick TZZ brass. So far so good. All I have to do is cast and tumble lube them before loading.

3.5 grains of Bullseye shot real nice with light recoil out of my airweight 442. The cases were a bit sooty so I bumped it up to 3.8. Less soot, still light recoil and good groups. 5.0 gave me a little leading and some keyholing in the shallow rifling used on the 442. I got light leading but no stability problems in the Rugers with their longer barrels and deeper rifling.

I loaded a bunch at 4.0 and brought them with my 4" GP100 to the range last night. WOW!! I shot a 2.1" six shot group at 25 yards double action off-hand! I wanted something for the occasional PPC match and I think this load will do just fine. Most groups were close to that small and would fit in the 10 ring of the targets we use (B27 I think) at 25 yards. I had some fliers because I'm not that good ALL the time. I have a bad habbit of messing up a follow through or allowing the gun to move around too much when I do the long DA pull.

This bullet turned out to be more than just a plinker and it should be considered for target work. I think the lighter recoil helps in the same way most of us shoot a 22 better than a centerfire. I did have to jack up the rear sight a bit, so the gun hits high with 158's now. I can live with that since it's still on paper and close enough for defensive work even at 25 yards with the heavier bullets. Fixed sight guns might be an issue though.

GioaJack · 05-20-2010, 19:39

And fifteen signed witness affidavits... notarized, of course.

Jack

WiskyT · 05-20-2010, 19:44

That didn't take long did it? I should have known you don't know what a nice group looks like. If I have to drag out the USB cable, you'll be kissing my ass in Macy's window.

WiskyT · 05-20-2010, 19:56

.....

Colorado4Wheel · 05-20-2010, 20:06

Don't tell Jack but I just got two new Lee bullet molds. One 102gr for .380 the other 125gr 2R for 9mm. I really liked that mold before when it worked. I'm going to get it right this time. The last one I had came kinda tight in the pins. This one is much better.

GioaJack · 05-20-2010, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by WiskyT

.....

Where oh where to begin... oh yeah... I know;

Dial on caliper is blurry, can't read the measurement.

Powder stippling around the bullet holes indicating close range impact.

Close examination reveals that holes are actually .22 caliber cleverly enhanced with Photoshop or similar computer program.

Fingerprint analysis of target and top strap of gun indicate it was handled by someone named Bob Munden... no other prints on target or gun.

Conspicuous absence of witness affidavits or even unreasonable facsimiles thereof.

No notary but leeway will be allowed due to the lateness of the hour.

NEXT CASE!

BTW... A troubling disturbance rippled through here a while ago... is someone trying to keep a secret from me. It's fruitless to try and keep secrets from a trained investigator.

Jack

WiskyT · 05-20-2010, 20:25

The only disturbance around here is from all that red cabbage you ate.

Lee molds rock!!FTW!!

GioaJack · 05-20-2010, 20:34

Alright, alright... good shooting... I couldn't do that at ten yards with a scoped rifle off the bench.

There, I kissed your ass... tell me the secret, tell me the secret, huh, huh, huh, tell me the secret.

(I didn't say I was a good investigator... just a trained one.

)

Jack

DEADLYACCURATE · 05-20-2010, 20:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by GioaJack

Where oh where to begin... oh yeah... I know;

Dial on caliper is blurry, can't read the measurement.

Powder stippling around the bullet holes indicating close range impact.

Close examination reveals that holes are actually .22 caliber cleverly enhanced with Photoshop or similar computer program.

Fingerprint analysis of target and top strap of gun indicate it was handled by someone named Bob Munden... no other prints on target or gun.

Conspicuous absence of witness affidavits or even unreasonable facsimiles thereof.

No notary but leeway will be allowed due to the lateness of the hour.

NEXT CASE!

BTW... A troubling disturbance rippled through here a while ago... is someone trying to keep a secret from me. It's fruitless to try and keep secrets from a trained investigator.

Jack

dudel · 05-21-2010, 02:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by GioaJack

BTW... A troubling disturbance rippled through here a while ago... is someone trying to keep a secret from me. It's fruitless to try and keep secrets from a trained investigator.

Jack

Really? Did you know the butler was seen with your UPS cutie?

2wheelDuke · 10-22-2010, 22:56

Have you slugged the bore on the gun? That's what really makes a difference. Somebody already mentioned leading, were there any issues there?

WiskyT · 10-23-2010, 06:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2wheelDuke

Have you slugged the bore on the gun? That's what really makes a difference. Somebody already mentioned leading, were there any issues there?

Slugging the bore is a waste of time. Slugging a 5 groove barrel is like chasing your tail. Just use the biggest bullet you can fit in your chamber. Or, try a few rounds of bullets that you have. In this case, my 0.357" bullet shooting a tight group tells me what I really want to know, all slugging my bore would do is tell me what diameter the slug is. Of course, with a 5 groove barrel, you won't really know the size of the bore either.

You can have three different people mic the slug froma bore like that, twice each, and get six answers.

Bello · 10-23-2010, 06:23

i just like the title of the thread definitely a jersey'n!

GioaJack · 10-23-2010, 09:32

Apparently Wisky's life has become so boring and lacking in positive direction he's been forced to resurrect dead threads that were wrought with suspicious and unproven claims at their inception.

Tis a pity to witness his life sink to such depths.

Jack

El_Ron1 · 10-23-2010, 10:18

Quote:

Of course, with a 5 groove barrel, you won't really know the size of the bore either.

fredj338 · 10-23-2010, 10:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by WiskyT

Slugging the bore is a waste of time. Slugging a 5 groove barrel is like chasing your tail. Just use the biggest bullet you can fit in your chamber. Or, try a few rounds of bullets that you have. In this case, my 0.357" bullet shooting a tight group tells me what I really want to know, all slugging my bore would do is tell me what diameter the slug is. Of course, with a 5 groove barrel, you won't really know the size of the bore either.

You can have three different people mic the slug froma bore like that, twice each, and get six answers.

I would tend to agree, BUT, it does matter, especially in relation to the cyl throats. With cyl throats smaller than groove dia, the bullet will lead badly in the first 1"-2" of bbl, & accuracy will suffer, as the bullet swages down then bumps back up. With oversize throats, less of an issue, but too large & accuracy will suffer as the bullet expands on firing then swages down to groove dia. Rugers, at least the BH, tend to have smaller throats & opening them to groove dia helps w/ bith accuracy & leading @ any vel, any alloy.
Despite what jack says, 2" groups @ 25yds is good shooting, at least for me & my older eyes.

The question is, was that 25yds or 25 feet?

WiskyT · 10-23-2010, 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredj338

I would tend to agree, BUT, it does matter, especially in relation to the cyl throats. With cyl throats smaller than groove dia, the bullet will lead badly in the first 1"-2" of bbl, & accuracy will suffer, as the bullet swages down then bumps back up. With oversize throats, less of an issue, but too large & accuracy will suffer as the bullet expands on firing then swages down to groove dia. Rugers, at least the BH, tend to have smaller throats & opening them to groove dia helps w/ bith accuracy & leading @ any vel, any alloy.
Despite what jack says, 2" groups @ 25yds is good shooting, at least for me & my older eyes.

The question is, was that 25yds or 25 feet?

Yes, if you're having a problem then comparing the throat to the barrel is a good problem solving system. But in most cases there won't be a problem and just using the biggest bullet you can get away with, or the biggest bullet you have, works great.

Those undersize Ruger 45 Colt throats were to help weak jacketed bullet loads make it out of the barrel from what I've read. Nothing like a 250 jacketed slug at 12kpsi with a large throat to get a bullet stuck in the bore. That's the problem with trying to make a gun do something it wasn't ever meant to do. The 45 Colt is a low pressure lead bullet cartridge.

fredj338 · 10-23-2010, 10:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by WiskyT

Yes, if you're having a problem then comparing the throat to the barrel is a good problem solving system. But in most cases there won't be a problem and just using the biggest bullet you can get away with, or the biggest bullet you have, works great.

Those undersize Ruger 45 Colt throats were to help weak jacketed bullet loads make it out of the barrel from what I've read. Nothing like a 250 jacketed slug at 12kpsi with a large throat to get a bullet stuck in the bore. That's the problem with trying to make a gun do something it wasn't ever meant to do. The 45 Colt is a low pressure lead bullet cartridge.

Good point on the smaller throats. Mine were 0.450", way too small for a 0.452" bullet. After opening them up, accuracy was tiwce as good & leading half as bad, almost none now using soft 25-1 alloy LHP @ 1000fps.

chris in va · 10-24-2010, 09:33

Oh sure, you run out and buy a mold that works as dropped. Me on the other hand, had to go through five different boolit styles, water/air drop tests, sizing dies and various OAL's before they would go straight through my CZ.

WiskyT · 10-24-2010, 11:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris in va

Oh sure, you run out and buy a mold that works as dropped. Me on the other hand, had to go through five different boolit styles, water/air drop tests, sizing dies and various OAL's before they would go straight through my CZ.

Did you attend the C4W casting academy? I've bought six molds from two makers and all have been fine through all of my guns.

GioaJack · 10-24-2010, 17:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by WiskyT

Did you attend the C4W casting academy? I've bought six molds from two makers and all have been fine through all of my guns.

Oops, sorry.

Jack