Sizing bullets

[Gunlaker]

Sam, before taking my new Shiloh .40-65 to it's first match last year I went through three different bullet moulds and put probably 800 rounds through it. First I tried a Hoch nose pour mould and the rifle really didn't like it. Ten shot groups were probably in the 3.5" -4" range at 200m regardless of powder charge. Then I tried the 400gr BACO Money bullet. It shot some nice groups at 200m, but most were still in the 3" range. I then moved to the Saeco #740 bullet. An old design, but quite popular. It shot extremely well at 200m. I settled on 58gr of FFFg Express and it sounds like typical Internet BS, but it's shot a lot of ten shot groups at 1 to 1-1/4 MOA at 200m. The bullets are a slip fit in fireformed cases, shot as cast in 18.2:1 alloy ( I mixed that ratio up accidentally but I'm sticking with it ). The bullets fit the fireformed cases so well that there is a suction pop if you pull a bullet out. The rifle won the first match it went to. I suspect that the Money bullet would likely beat it for consistency by the ram line, but I developed the load at 200m and only shot it a handful of times at 500m. I'll try and figure that out his year.

I'm a really big believer in shooting as cast bullets with zero neck tension in fireformed cases, if your chamber dimensions all work out. I think that this rifle is a fortunate case where all of the tolerances stacked in my favor.

I hope some of that is of use getting your .40-65 working well. I couldn't be happier with mine.

Chris.