Yesterday's Weapons Forums

It took forever but I finally reworked some .348 Win and some Lebel 8 brass. The .348 I buggered up the cutting to size so I ended up with several different sizes and my first time to the range I was more concerned about how the different size cases performed than I was about shooting groups, so it was all on blank paper at 25 yds. However even with a too light load I could see I'm going to like this gun!

Last Sunday I tried again with a heavier load (still want to go a bit higher) and played on the 50 yard targets. The 100 yd positions were all taken and I was having too much fun at 50 to wait for a spot.


50 yd target 1.jpg [ 27.39 KiB | Viewed 5733 times ]


I was using the Speers #4660 .44Cal .430" 240GR lead Semi Wad Cutter over 9.5 GR Unique. No issues with overpressure and still a wee bit aenemic so next time out I think I'll move up to 10.0 GR.

The Lebel I sized long enough to get the 2.2" OAL using the crimp groove on that .44 cal SWC, but buggered up the crimp. Two of the cases collapsed at the neck in the press, and two more some how collapsed using the tube magazine. Most I fired single shot, but four went through the magazine and elevator just fine. Those two were probably due to being too delicate with the bolt and ending up closing it when the lifter wasn't properly aligned so I hit the edge of the chamber.


Collapsed necks.jpg [ 20.46 KiB | Viewed 5733 times ]


Anyway, this is one fine gun!

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Excellent groups for first try!!! SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

nice shooting , interesting case deformation , one day id like to hold one of these - i will not hold my breath on getting to shoot one , congrats

Tried again last week with 10.0 Gr Unique but it still seemed a bit anemic. So This past Sunday I tried 10.5 GR. Felt better, and about the same accuracy on the 50' but I couldn't even find my shots on the 100'.

I had prepared some targets at home, with 'target dots' (1" red dots) stapled 6", 8" and 10" below the bull, so I would have something to aim at. But whether it was the extreme cold, the wind, the bright sun, the snow blowing or just my eyes, I couldn't even see them at all, and even the big crosses were a blur. After about 10 shots that I couldn't find I gave up on the 100 and just blew the rest away free standing on the 50'. I think I did the crimping problem licked, as I loaded 8 in the mag and they all cycled just fine, with no bullets slipping further into the cartridge.

I saw no pressure problems on the cartridges with 10.5 GR, but about every third or fourth shot I really had to slap the bolt hard to open it. A couple of times it was hard to open, but if I left it to cool down until I checked the target with the spotting scope, the bolt opened easily. Is that the start of overpressure or just the chamber or cartridge shrinking or swelling in the extreme cold (-15 C, -25 with the wind chill). Should I drop back to 10.0 Gr or just not go any higher than the 10.5?

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The time/pressure curve on Unique powder has a tight radius. Meaning you can go from mild to holy crap! in no time flat. AA5744 is a good one for cast bullet loads in the old BPCRs. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

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Actually the best results I got were with Pyrodex BP sub and the dedicated hollow base Vetterli boolet. Also a .030" Walters wad between powder & boolet.

I never did weigh the charge - just loaded to where the boolet would slightly compress the charge and seated same. But it's dirty & I loathe cleaning BP or sub. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

Thanks NebrHogger. I'll add that to my (tiny) list of possible loads.

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Them that know, know that they know. Them that don't know don't know they don't know.