DT, that original postel/creedmoor nose is a great favorite, and sometime try tho we may , we just can't improve on what came before.
I don't do a whole lot of load development, most of the time I get a load that looks like it should work, and then off to the match we go... Have on some occasions fired loads at a match that just thought they should be good, sometimes yup they was, and sometimes,,, holy molly what was I thinking

I actually am getting to a point where I think some of our efforts are not only NOT improving on what the ODG did, but rather are moving in a direction that is worse and some are much worse than what the ODG used.

We have an obstacle to overcome that the ODG did have at all, we have 120 years of smokeless high power developments that don't necessarily work at black powder velocities. As hard as it is to learn what works best for us it is very hard to unlearn what we've used for most of our lives and worked with smokeless powder and jacketed bullets at high velocity (rpm). There was even a time not that many years back when everyone was rushing out and having boattailed bullet molds made for BPCR! You don't see much of that anymore. Now I see a tendency toward very long slender and even pointed noses, often with total disregard for length and twist rate. The resulting marginally stable bullets can shoot very well in mild conditions only to come completely unglued when battling a nasty quartering head and or tail wind. Yes, a high BC bullet design is good and everybody wants it, but is it really the best design? I am not convinced.

Boy howdy I think you nailed it there. We from the baby boom generation were brought up on smokeless, high bc bullets and zooming velocity, and scoped rifles. It's sometimes hard for folks to move from that back to what our grandaddy's were sort of glad to get rid of. I once asked an old guy about what did he miss the most, thinking he'd tell me about factory loaded sharps and remington cartridges, and high quality bp.. His answer was King's semi smokeless... sure let the wind out of my sails.

Do not discount your years experience in smokeless era. The same principles of loading consistency and wind reading apply to BPCR. Albeit it seemed "easier" with white powder and store bought bullets. The ODGs had to be particular if not more so. Have read one account written first hand by an Old Buff hunter. In it he described getting ration of free US GOV. ammo from fort out west. Then breaking it down, the lead was remolded in his own mold. The Gov. issue BP was sold to some tenderfoot and the primed cases refilled with "GOOD" English imported powder. Hence the Ol' Buff hunter went forth in prime shape to ply his trade. It was noted market value of hides then were about $3. Often after paying his crew and business expenses the hunters were glad to break even or not. Have not found recipe for cooking Steel Critters yet but it sure is great to plant 532 grs. of PB on one at 500 yards. Aim small heard it helps

Aim small/miss small work's pretty well! At Arnie's Wisconsin Rapids match last month placing my paper patched bullet from the C. Sharps just a whisker off the right shoulder of the bowling pin at 600 made me feel pretty good about my load. (should of hit it but for a unseen condition that pushed the bullet a bit to the right). My pard Rick missed his first attempt by a hair and centered it on the 2'nd shot. Nice to see the splinters fly through the spotting scope!! Have not shot a greaser all season! The Accurate Molds 485 grain 2 diameter paper patched bullet is really working well at 200 and I do believe I could stretch the range out to 300 and still put meat in the freezer.

Bowling pin hit at 600 is a good hit!!

Kurt, that pin look's mighty small at 600 yards! Really have to center it up to have a hit.

Eric I wisch I would have known that shoot was going on I would have come up.

Interesting thread this one. I've just taken delivery of a dual diameter mould from Steve Brooks and hopefully be putting the product through some tests in the months to come. My main motivation was to negate..or at least reduce the neck sizing required on my 44/77 brass when paper patching. It seemed the logical step... That and ...of course... its been a few months since I've bought a mould and was in withdrawal

J.B.

I sure would like to see what one of those dual diameter bullets look like dug out of the snow banks