The firearm thread

[The Pastor]

Sounds good - what is it? (make? lead? 36g?)

falcon sp high power 36 gram lead shot

[AD345]

I don't know much about firearms

I'm not wild about them anyway

But...


THIS is cool.

[sAsLEX]

No comments so I guess I'm off on a tangent to NZ thinking here.

Try http://www.fishnhunt.co.nz/forum/YaBB.cgi for some more gun talk!


Ahh ten pages of reading on this thread after a short holiday to the SI, lots of racing seen but no rifle taken regrettably.

Flights are booked for two weeks of roar hunting in early April though!

Must get the .308 properly dialled in before then........ or maybe the Winchester....

THIS is cool.

R+.

[pritch]

"I have a packet of 270 cal 130gr core-lokt psp projectiles (22744XC) but can't find reloading information confirming the Cartridge Overall Length (COAL). Any help appreciated"

Guess that's what you get for buying brand X components...

Hornady manual gives 3.275" for their 130 gr spire point
Sierra quote 3.300" for their 130gr Spitzer boat tail.

Those are fairly close, the Lyman manual quotes what appears a hollow point so the measurement is shorter @ 3.210"

Seating depth away from those figures will affect pressure.

You really need to work out the correct seating depth for your own rifle. The powder loads need to be adjusted accordingly.

[The Pastor]

here is my new old side by side, anyone know anything about it? I payed $200 for it, (also $200 for the stoger p350 pump above it) off TM but owner didnt know much about it.

[Mr Merde]

As you do - you buy a bag of projectiles reloading one's own ammo... and you reach for the books to get the Cartridge Overall Length (COL or COAL depending on who you talk to...)

... and it's not in the book... so - no probs says I, I email Mr Remington.
"I have a packet of 270 cal 130gr core-lokt psp projectiles (22744XC) but can't find reloading information confirming the Cartridge Overall Length (COAL). Any help appreciated"

The response...
"Unfortunately we don't publish data for the loading of the projectiles we release. Load data for a comparable bullet will suffice when looking for a COAL to work with however."

So... did I miss something here or do I just have a reasonable guess at it, ignoring all the advice I've read thus far about bullet seating depth being very important... ???... where's my "WTF" stamp???

Overall length is an important factor in reloading but is not that hard to work out.

What is really important is headspace.

How I have always found out the OAL for all the wildcat cartridges and most of my common calibres is the following;

Resize a case
Dont prime it and dont put powder in the case.

Run you bullet seating die out so that it is just seating the bullet in the case with only just enough tension in the neck to hole the bullet firm

Seat a bullet in the case. It should be way over sized now.

Take that "dummy" round and chamber it. (gently)

This will make the bullet catch on the rifling and push back into the case.

This will give you a bore riding length.

I then set my die to seat at this length plus an wxtra 1-2 mm,

Upon firing the bullet will have this little jump to the rifling.

Your OAL should be for this bullet, set.

Chris

[pritch]

I then set my die to seat at this length plus an wxtra 1-2 mm,
Upon firing the bullet will have this little jump to the rifling.
Chris

That's the only bit I would wish to ummm discuss?

I wouldn't have been game enough to type that anyway. I thought about it, but had decided that I don't trust my tryping (two fingers, search and destroy) sufficiently to give loading instructions to someone I don't know.

A compromise might be to photocopy the relevant pages. Really though, anyone contemplating reloading should have at least one reputable manual.
Then again I can't convince my clubmates of that so why should I try here?

Tight groups

[Mr Merde]

That's the only bit I would wish to ummm discuss?

I wouldn't have been game enough to type that anyway. I thought about it, but had decided that I don't trust my tryping (two fingers, search and destroy) sufficiently to give loading instructions to someone I don't know.

A compromise might be to photocopy the relevant pages. Really though, anyone contemplating reloading should have at least one reputable manual.
Then again I can't convince my clubmates of that so why should I try here?

Tight groups

Hardest part for me is trying to explain something I have done as a matter of course for years.

Trying very hard to get it correct. Walking through the steps in my mind as I was typing, hernce the disjointedness of piece.

I did back it up with a PM to the relative person asking him to contact me directly if he was the least bit unsure of any step.

Yes I agree with having a good reloading book. I have about 20 of the things and still I buy more. I also subscribe to about 6 magazines (NZ and US). You can newver have too much information.

Chris

[Wolf]

Hardest part for me is trying to explain something I have done as a matter of course for years.

Trying very hard to get it correct. Walking through the steps in my mind as I was typing, hernce the disjointedness of piece.

I did back it up with a PM to the relative person asking him to contact me directly if he was the least bit unsure of any step.

Yes I agree with having a good reloading book. I have about 20 of the things and still I buy more. I also subscribe to about 6 magazines (NZ and US). You can newver have too much information.

Chris

Well, it made sense to me and what I know of reloading could be written on a postage stamp.

If I get it aright, it boils down to "let the weapon's chamber size determine how far down the projectile needs to be seated then push it down one or two mm more to allow a margin of error."

It seemed perfectly logical to me.

[Mr Merde]

Well, it made sense to me and what I know of reloading could be written on a postage stamp.

If I get it aright, it boils down to "let the weapon's chamber size determine how far down the projectile needs to be seated then push it down one or two mm more to allow a margin of error."

It seemed perfectly logical to me.

Thats about the gist of it but there are other considerations.

Some barrels handle seating differently.

I know in LRBP some shooters seat the bullet to the rifling whilst others have found that that small leade is better.

Playing with bullet seating is getting into the more advanced reloading skills. You should be very carefull and keep records.

Basic reloading is quite a simple skill to aquire but un fortunatewly it is a very addictive skill and I have found myself wanting more and more from it.

last night I put together 150 12 gauge shotgun shells.

I then proceeded to cast 200 .44 mag 205 gn bullets from a mixture od lead and tin 20:1. lubed them last night and tonight I will be loading them ready to fire this weekend.

[ManDownUnder]

That's the only bit I would wish to ummm discuss?

I wouldn't have been game enough to type that anyway. I thought about it, but had decided that I don't trust my tryping (two fingers, search and destroy) sufficiently to give loading instructions to someone I don't know.

I get the feeling I need to say up front - I'm new to reloading - and I know it. I'm also a safety chicken so am erring on the side of caution, checking and double checking everything. I also happen to be loving it!

For the sake of completing the conversation (occurring in public anyway)... I have the Hornady manual and am reading tons on reloading, starting with a small charge (per the reloading manual), 130gr Hornady SST bullets, Winchester brass, and am currently dialling in the 270 WSM on a totally consistent standard load.

The only variables from round to round are the imperfect chambering of the brass (which are being fire formed as I work my way through the first batch of 20), and the primers that came pre-installed into the brass when I bought it off Trademe.

As a fitter... I have the gear to measure the brass etc... even bought me a 2-3" micrometer for that very reason (nice to buy toys huh?) and I'm working at getting familiar with the rifle, scope setup, fire forming the brass and will work towards developing loads for the beastie. To that end I bought the Remington projectiles off Trademe fully expecting to simply find the COAL data, load up 10 or so of those at low power, development loads, and see how they go... working my way up through both the COAL in 5 thou increments as one book suggested, and THEN adjusting the powder to best suit that COAL. (commentary on that approach is VERY welcome)

It should be noted I have load data for 130gr projectiles from the Hornady manual, and keeping an eye on the various high pressure indicators... which I expect to be well short of - and thus far I see no problems.

My problem came after I bought the Remington projectiles - I couldn't find 270 WSM COAL data... anywhere... and have to admit I expected to just find it. I know that I don't know enough to work it out for myself (well - I didn't till a couple of kind PMs came through - cheers guys) but I'm still reluctant to just do that myself due to potential overpressure situations.

Chris - I'll probably hit you up for some one on one tuition at some point re this.

At the mo - I've shot 5 rounds through the thing - shoot and CLEAN LIKE HELL. Fouling has noticeably reduced so now I'm onto the 3 round cycle which I will probably repeat, then the 5 round one and the barrel will be broken in, and reasonably zeroed for 200m (I say reasonably because I'm new to reloading so I don't expect the rounds to be wonderfully consistent, and I only have a 100m range to shoot and am estimating projectile speed - and therefore have to rely on a guesstimate on how high they should be flying at 100m

Hope that clarifies a few things? Pritch, Mr Merde - cheers guys - I appreciate your caution on this and your PMs. I'm in the same boat re safety and am painfully aware of me doing this in isolation at the mo.

I made an initial batch of 20 rounds (recipe per a previous post of mine), and when I'm through those I'll be seeking some personal advice re COAL for the Remington projectiles, and general wisdom on load development. Ultimately I want loads that can reliably drop goats and deer. Learning reloading along the way is just a bonus! Any pointers and all cautions appreciated.

[ManDownUnder]

Only have an air pistol, Wouldn't mind owning a few ww2 era rifles.

-Indy

Just found this. AJ - can't say you weren't warned...

[Swoop]

The discussion on the "gap between projectile and lands" will occupy a group of shooters for ohhhhhh an evening (perhaps longer!).

Also beware of the under-loaded case. Too little powder is also "a bad thing".

[Wolf]

The discussion on the "gap between projectile and lands" will occupy a group of shooters for ohhhhhh an evening (perhaps longer!).

Also beware of the under-loaded case. Too little powder is also "a bad thing".

Especially if immediately followed by "any powder at all".

[Mr Merde]

The discussion on the "gap between projectile and lands" will occupy a group of shooters for ohhhhhh an evening (perhaps longer!).

Also beware of the under-loaded case. Too little powder is also "a bad thing".

Seen revolvers with the topstrap blown away caused by firing rounds with too little powder in the case.

Acts like a small handheld bomb in this case