gunsmith
Wildcat
Registered: 07/06/08
Posts: 73
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| | 07/16/08 at 09:57 AM | Reply with quote | #7 |
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Well, first off you are using bullets made by a company that has a quality product for the average shooter, but I do not use, and neither did Elmer, that style of bullet. For them to operate the Master Caster, the moulds have to have a rounded lube groove. This does not allow for proper balance of the bullet.( Very technical, but hang in there with me.)
You need to use RCBS 250 K, or and original Lyman 429421 mould. I think someone else is making one, but off hand I do not know there name. I have found that jacketed bullets never shoots as well as properly cast bullets cost a lot more, and wear out the barrel faster. I do not use them. And do not use gas checks. Elmer once again was right, they do not expand to fill the grooves properly, increase pressures, and decrease accuracy. No reason for them other than to sell gas checks.
Use these steps.
1. Cast a bullet
2. use it to slug your barrel. Make sure it totally upsets by placing a peice of wooden dowell under the bullet when it is in the barrel, and then giving it a firm whack, then remove the dowell, push the bullet the rest of the way down the barrel, looking for hard spots. I have found that this way I get a real reading of the diameter of the barrel, not just the lands. It is amazing how off some barrels are.
3. do the same with the cylinders of your sixgun, labling each bullet as per cylinder. I number my cylinders, but you can put magic marker numbers on them to keep straight, and it easily removes.
4 the size of the cylinders should be .001 to .002 over the size of the barrel. in a 44 magnum, or special.
5. size your bullets .001 over the size of your cylinders. You should have a press fit when you insert the rounds in the chambers.
6. lube your bullets with a good lube, adding graphite to the mix. This eliminates leading.
7. For long range shooting, use 2400, or a powder of a similar burn. I use 2400 as it is readily available, Elmer swore by it, and it REALLY works well.
8 Your expanding die is a little large for my tastes. Mine is .424. The bullets leave a little wasp shape, as Elmer called it, but this alignes the bullet better with the cylinder, and allows for a better burn of the powder by increasing neck tension. if you have too much deviation of velocity, this is the way to get thing in line.
9.good crimp. Use the crinping goove for what is there for. Watch for over crimping, this does no good as it destorts the bullet.
10. Use a regular primer. not a Magnum primer. The Magnum primer seems to have too hot a burn, leads the face of the cylinder, and causes vertical stringing. Just mine, and Elmers notes.
11 Start with 18.5 grains 2400, and work up to 22 grains. (with a 245, 250 grain bullet in the 44 Magnum, 14 to 17.5 in the Special. Make sure you weigh the bullets ( I have an RCBS mould that comes out at 270 grains. Shoots well, but I have to cut down on the powder charge a lot.)
12. enjoy.
This is what I found works well. Right out of Sixguns.
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God Bless Elmer, He showed us the way. It is up to us to carry on. Chivas Regal for everyone, and powder smoke in your lungs. |
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