Author Topic: 44 mag BPCR  (Read 535 times)

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Offline loophole

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44 mag BPCR
« on: April 27, 2005, 04:09:05 AM »
I have a Browning low wall in 44 mag.  I wonder if there is a simple way of working up a BP load without having to buy a mold and cast bullets or buy them lubed with SPG--too expensive and I want a heavier bullet than those sold for the .44-40.  I'm thinking about using the Hornaday swaged 240 gr. bullet over a lube cookie and card wad, and about 30 gr of FFFg.
I think the problem will be the lube--the cookie should work, but will be time-consuming to load.  How about a lubed felt wad?  
Does anyone have any experience with this type of load?

Offline leverfan

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44 mag BPCR
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2005, 12:32:38 PM »
I got too lazy to cast and loaded some .454" Hornady 255 grain bullets over black powder in 45 Colt.  I make my own lube, and I just scraped the bullets over a cake of lube (Hornady swaged bullets have a concave base that holds the lube).  Then, I stuck a scrap of wax paper on the lubed base to keep the lube seperate from the powder, and loaded them up.  It worked fine in pistols, but I don't know if that would work as well in a longer rifle barrel.  If you try it, could you let me know how it goes?
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Offline sharps4590

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44 mag BPCR
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2005, 03:00:31 PM »
This is an interesting experiment.  I too would like to know how you come out with it.

Regarding the lube cookie you could acquire an extruder which makes them much easier to handle.  You can also pan lube the bullets with SPG which I think would be the easiest of all and a lot quicker.   It's a little messy but no more so than fooling with a cookie with your hands. It also wouldn't take up any case volume which is at a premium in handgun cartridges.

Vic
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Offline leverfan

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« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2005, 08:17:36 PM »
sharps-

You really can't pan lube the Hornady lead bullets, they have no grease grooves.  There's just a shallow cross-hatch pattern pressed into the shank of the bullet to hold a dusty, dry lube that prevents leading.  I don't know if that would hold enough SPG to do the trick, which is why I just used cookies.
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Offline sharps4590

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44 mag BPCR
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2005, 09:54:14 AM »
lever...

I know what you're talking about, the cross-hatching, but I'd forgotten Hornadys were that way......if I ever knew it was Hornady who manufactured them.  Anyway, I've seen them but never used any.  I don't know if they would hold enough lube either.  Perhaps with the quantity of cross-hatching it may hold enough lube.  Might be worth a try.

Knowing full well that each load and firearm is an entity unto itself, I'm curious about your putting the piece of wax paper between the lube and the powder.  I understand the why but I've always read and been told to make sure no wad of any kind adhered to the base of the bullet.   Seems as if you're almost gluing the wax paper to the bullet base.  Many winters ago when I first started shooting cast bullets and BP, the few times I didn't take pains to keep a clean bullet base and the wad stuck to it I got flyers.  If you're willing to share, how did those loads shoot and what's your secret?

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Offline leverfan

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44 mag BPCR
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2005, 10:10:01 AM »
Quote from: sharps4590
lever...
Many winters ago when I first started shooting cast bullets and BP, the few times I didn't take pains to keep a clean bullet base and the wad stuck to it I got flyers.  If you're willing to share, how did those loads shoot and what's your secret?

Vic


No secrets, here.  I figure it was a combination of factors that made it work all right.  First, the ranges fired were under 25 yards, so small problems with accuracy didn't have time to become big ones.  

Second, the lube that I used is pretty good for most purposes.  I've got the recipe around somewhere, but the basic ingredients are dark lithium grease, bee's wax, olive oil, and a little bit of unscented, undyed soap base to keep things from seperating into layers as the lube cools.  Although it's a fairly soft lube, it doesn't melt at normal outdoor temperatures.  However, it seems to almost completely liquify under the pressure and heat of firing.  That makes it a bad glue for holding bits of lube or wad on my bullets, which is a plus.  It all leaves the bullet right after the bullet leaves the muzzle.  

The lithium isn't traditional, but I like it for it's high melting temperature.  I would normally use crisco or tallow, instead of lithium, for black powder, especially if I can count on having cooler weather.  In this case, I used the lithium based grease, and it worked fine.
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Offline sharps4590

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44 mag BPCR
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2005, 12:52:52 AM »
thanks lever....it's been a good day already, I've learned something.

Vic
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There is no right way to do a wrong thing