[Moroco Mole]

Just loaded up 55 rounds of 125 grain flat nose in 38 special .2 grains from max then realized, I forgot to check my zero my scale was off by .7grains to the heavy. COULD PROBABLY CHANCE IT SINCE I am shooting in a .357, but to be safe....Guess I'll be pounding the bullets out later on today.

 

[Moroco Mole]

I DONT EVEN WANT TO TELL how this happened.
Think I seated one a bit to deep.

Not even going to try and pull this one. Not sure what to do with it.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Good thing is you caught the scale being off before shooting, If you have a kinetic hammer you will be able you get that bullet out if you tell us how you did it

OK I'll fess up. Manualy indexing my turret. Sized and primed.Turned to powder through neck sizing die. Put in powder.FORGOT TO TURN TURRET.Put the bullet in the case and ran the powder through die back down on it. WHEN THE BULLET KEPT GOING DOWN,REALIZED I HAD NOT TURNED IT TO THE SEATING DIE.

Beat on it a while in the kenetic would'nt budge. Think I'll just throw it in the pond and let nature take its course.

 

[Moroco Mole]

This week Be playing around with the berries plated 125 flat nose, that were given to me. In my .357 6 inch. Could'nt find a formula for any of my powders with plated.The lee book said that plated berries are just a thin copper wash on lead so...
Started at 4.2 of Universal (minimum sugestion), for none plated lead.As I went up the groups stayed about the same then got worse.No signs of preasure. JUST ON A WHIM dropped the load to 4 gr.(.2 grain below min. Upped my oal from 1.444 to 1.450.Tightend up my crimp so I could just barely see marks in the bullet when I would remove it.
Just got back from the range.
Shot 7 rested at 10 yards. One flyer went low about 3 inchs and the rest landed in a quarter,... ok, ok silver dollar, size group. THIS IS THE BEST I have ever shot with a pistol at that range!!!
Need to find out if it was a fluke. Looking forward to loading up 3 sets of 7 in 4.0 to 4.2 grain, each. See how they shoot in my Taurus 66 6inch.
But its most time to go to work. And I am down to 5 flat nose125's left.
Well going to snow on my day off,tomorrow so got an excuse to buy some more and load them up.

 

[Moroco Mole]

I'm running just under 1.5 thou neck tension.
the oal is 2.680 before chambering and 2.656 after chambering.
this allows the nose to slide in the rifling and engrave about the first 1/16" then set the bullet back in the case as I close the bolt.

LIKE SHOE HORNING IT IN THERE? FOR A PERFECT FIT??

 

[Moroco Mole]

yeah.
with cast it is all about fit and alloy flow.

when I design a rifle mold I take into consideration the amount of lead being displaced by the rifling and by the amount the bullet is going to be squeezed down going into the barrel.
all of that lead has to go somewhere so I design the wall angles on the lube grooves to accept the amount moved.
sometimes a roll crimp groove isn't needed for crimping it is there to take up the lead flow from the lead on the nose.

anyway what I'm doing here is using the engraving of the lands to center the nose of the bullet.
the slide back into the case also allows the base of the bullet to pick up the case and hold it straight.
[actually the case is sliding forward onto the held in place bullet]
so when I fore-form the round it is held as straight as possible to the center of the barrel.
this eliminates run out which helps accuracy.

Thanks for taking the time to explain. You put the final piece in a puzzel I was pondering for about 20 years .
Now, Robet Freys ( former world record holder of 1000 yard group) shooting tecnique makes sense. Puts the round in the chamber closing the bolt slow, then opening it up real slow looking at the round.Then slowly closing before shooting.
He must have used about the same techniques as you do in loading, pre fireing , and seating the round.
Then loading again with no or verry little crimp.Then let the custom made chamber decide the overal length (and also provide the protection from over pressure), just before fireing.
The lights have come on!!!

 

[Moroco Mole]

Ok, I'm new at this, so bear with me. I probably am asking a stupid Question.
My disk measure with Universal powder (Red dot don't do this) weighs out about .1 to .2 grains lower than what the Lee book says it should. Is it OK to up the size in the disk to the starting weight when trying to work up a new load??
Or should I start with the recommend disk size?
Also, with faster powders, is volume or grain weight more critical?

 

[Moroco Mole]

Bought a box of various sportsman fodder.
Got it at auction for
$1 a couple weeks ago, I saw a Lee die set peeking out of it(nobody else knew,or cared what they were).

Sorted some or them and looked up some #s on the net. Got a set of Lee carbide 45acp. A Set of 9mm regular missing a primer extractor pin in the sizing die. And a set marked.380 in a heavy blue cardboard box don't know what brand is but they fit my Lee turret and load 380 OK, just have no powder through option.
Going through the box some more while waiting to go to work. Throwing out the rusted and broken or extremely wore stuff.Just found some Lee powder measure spoons.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Was that a Lee die missing the primer extractor pin, and is it a rifle, or a pistol die. New pins cost $2 for a pistol and $3 for a bottleneck if a Lee.

Yep, 9X19 AUTO.LEE DIES.FIGURE I should order a couple pins for it and an extra pin for my .38 spcl.u
Unless they are the same.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Probably just order 2 lee pistol primer pins .1 for the .45 and one for a generic spare.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Went to range today picked up about 200 blazer 45 acp brass after 2 guys with high point rifles left. put them in the washing machine to get the mud off. Switching primer pin from my .38 die to the 45 die right now. Getting ready to punch some primers. Will be going to pick up some bullets later.And trying to find a used .45acp something for under 150 so I can shoot them.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Local shop has a Norinco with 2 mags and a leather holster, for $180 on consignment. It looks like it barely has been shot, been kept well oiled,but must have lived most of its life a truck gun(realy ugly cosmetic damage). Also possible sight knocked of center .Trying to talk them into $150+tax.
Had a high point 9mm, loved it , but have heard the .45 is not that accurate, and one I tried before did not impress me. So waiting for them to get feed back on the Norinco.
If not, I' ll just have 100 rounds (4 sets of 25) of .45. Loaded with different powder weights. I will put it back for testing in what ever gun I get.
The ammo will keep.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Loaded a series of Tubb's Final Finish bullets for my new .223.

For future reference.....
Can I load .223 on a Lee turret? Or do I need to get something like a Rock Crusher?
Thanks!

 

[Moroco Mole]

Thanks! Going to be looking on the ground for some 223 brass when I go to the range, so I will be ready for the AR when it gets done.
Called on the Norinco.I can get it held for $150 this week ,he will pay off the owner. Then give the dealer his 20% that he would normally collect from the owner next week.I must sign a paper stating that I know it is unsafe and am buying it for repair or parts.No biggie, just a formality.
Slide functions,barrel clean,safety works, gun goes click when I pull the trigger,no cracks on frame or slide. Just scratched up from neglect. and also gunked up from too much and wrong type of oil. And needs new grips.
My wife says I am crazy. I buying bullets and a gun, So I can use the dies I got In the Dollar box to load for it.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Brake it down 1 step at a time. Don't patronize him. He will get it.
Good thing, what you are doing, we must be willing to pass the torch to those willing to take it.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Loaded up 35 rounds of .38 +.5 grain from my former recipe to see If I can do better at 25 yards with my .357. My former load was OK for shot shells at 21 ft but have worked my way up to and trying to zone in better at 25 yards.
As far as my .45 rounds...they are going to have to wait a while to be tested as My choice of 1911 is currently apart and I am counting the dollars to repair it, properly.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Out of my berry's plated .357 bullets. Have some .358 regular HBWC but saving those for Red Dot powder. It seams to work best with those for 21 ft plinking.
Have about 100 of lead HBWC's same size that measure .355. Maybe shrunk in the die? or for 9mm revolver?
Just to use them up...
Thinking of loading them up with some universal. Then take my .357 revolver steel plinking. Maybe, load them in the morning.Probably not going to be that accurate but who cares just for blowing off steam.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Well my 100 oddball .355 hbwc's are used up, My wife and I had a blast shooting cans and pans. loaded them upin .38 cases with a medium charge of universal. They grouped about 6 inches at 21 ft out of the 357, and dirtied up the gun a bit, but good enough to hit what we were shooting, and the lead cleaned out.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Still wishing for a chronograph.
I wander if we could measure fps be having someone use a stop watch.Shoot a steel plate at 2000yards. Start it when you pull the trigger stop when you hear plink. Subtract the time it takes for the sound to get back. Then divide 6000 by the remaining time is seconds to the hundredth. This would give you feet per second.
Of course the stop watch operator would have to be realy good.
Never mind, just me rambling.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Going to load up 10-65 grain v-max for the .243 with H-4350. Trying to create something with a little 'truer to my scope' trajectory than a 58 grain flat nose Winchester factory ammo, for 200 to 400 yards, get me within 3 inches, or so with a Winchester .243 bolt action.
Traded my lee powder through carbine.380 pistol dies for a set of .243 lee pacesetter rifle dies( I have 700 rounds .380 practice loaded up, and don't see ever needing the die again in the near future).
I just fitted the Winchester with an old Tasco 3-9x40 scope with 3 fixed horizon recitals for a 30/30.
Had 40 or so V-max, from a busted open box that could not be sold, gave to me to try. And I have only universal, red dot and H-4350 powders.
So, looking at some loading recipes, for the 10 empty brass I have with the H-4350.
See how they do.