OAL questions

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Re: OAL questions

Postby RottenHam on Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:35 pm

Seismic Sam wrote:For the record, you are the FIRST person I have run into in 40 years of reloading who has made the assumption that all grooves need to be lubed, and failed to grasp the dimensional differences between lube grooves and crimp grooves. Sorry for the Spanish Inquisition, but you're reading text from a manual that has been a mainstay in bullet casting for a VERY long time, and you're coming up with mistakes that I have never seen before.


Then I guess my foray into bullet casting has been a new experience for both of us.
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Re: OAL questions

Postby Seismic Sam on Wed Jan 04, 2012 9:40 am

Yup. You are correct. In the Lyman manual, where they are talking specifically about lubing bullets, their statement that all the grooves must be filled apply to the lube grooves, (and there can be quite a few of those in some longer rifle bullets) is correct, but this is in a section that applies ONLY to the lube grooves. My guess is that you are reading text, and not internalizing it and visualizing the actual process that is being talked about.

As far as the 38 Spl, it is a black powder cartridge, so it's way too big for smokeless powders, and four grains of Bullseye looks like about as much pepper as you'd put on a fried egg. You absolutely need to use load blocks to charge 50 rounds with powder, and then after charging you MUST take the block over to an area under a strong light, and verify that the powder levels are the same. As part of this exercise, you also MUST deliberately double charge several cases randomly in the block of 50, so you can see how big the difference is, and it isn't a lot, but you can pick it up with light shining down the case mouths. You need to keep track with all the calibers you will ever choose if a double charge is possible or not BEFORE you ever load a round. Oh, and using a flashlight to do this is NOT permissible!! You need to see down the mouths of all 50 cases AT ONCE!!
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Re: OAL questions

Postby Snowgun on Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:09 am

For giving him such a hard time about lubing the crimp groove Sam, one would think that it would lead to disastrous consequences. :roll:

Ham sounds like he is paying attention to the more important aspects (powder), so I don't believe he needs to be raked over the coals any more for the Lyman manual's nonspecific vernacular. :)
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Re: OAL questions

Postby JJ on Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:15 am

Snowgun wrote:For giving him such a hard time about lubing the crimp groove Sam, one would think that it would lead to disastrous consequences. :roll:

Ham sounds like he is paying attention to the more important aspects (powder), so I don't believe he needs to be raked over the coals any more for the Lyman manual's nonspecific vernacular. :)


+1

While I see your general areas of concern, he is looking to learn. Yelling at people and degrading them non-stop does no good.

If you want to yell at someone, you want to hear about me shaking primer pockets completely loose after my second firing on the 243AI? Using a powder with zero supporting data other than start at 243 max charges?
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Re: OAL questions

Postby RottenHam on Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:52 pm

I've been very careful about powder charges. The Lyman handbook recommends seating a bullet immediately after charging to avoid double-charging so that's what I've been doing. My charging process is:

  1. Zero the scale with the pan on it.
  2. Set the scale for the number of grains of powder to charge.
  3. Drop powder from my bench-mounted Lyman #55 powder thrower into the pan.
  4. Put the pan back on the scale and verify that it is exactly the weight prescribed in the loading manual.
  5. Use a powder funnel to slowly pour the powder into the case.
  6. Immediately put the case in the press, put one of my wrinkled, improperly-lubed bullets into the case mouth, and seat the bullet.
  7. Repeat.

I also double check that the powder I'm using is, indeed, the powder called for in the manual. There is no music playing when I do this nor any eating or drinking. It gets my full and undivided attention.
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Re: OAL questions

Postby Rodentman on Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:12 am

Back to OAL. I just got 2k bullets from MO Bullets yesterday. A nice 36.5 lb box on the doorstep. 1k of these were their Cowboy #6 100g .313 for my .32 H&R Mag/.327 Fed Mag. I loaded 3.0g Trail Bpss in the .327 mag cases and seated the bullet to the crimp groove. OAL measured 1.517. Book says OAL s/b 1.475. Brass measured 1.2003. Book says 1.2000 so OK on the brass.

Rounds drop right into the cylinders of my 632 and GP100. Not even close to the front of the cylilnder. Therefore: I am not concerned about the length. The bullet is seated to the right point. OAL (I think it's from Speer-don't have the page in front of me now).
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Re: OAL questions

Postby Eric Marleau on Thu Jan 05, 2012 12:28 pm

Trail Boss is a great powder for low pressure loads.
I've loaded all types of powders for my Uberti 45 Colt, but will only use Trail Boss for my expensive AWA Peackeeper.
Just a sweet shooting powder.

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