Lucrezia and paper patch bullets

[Eric Johanen]

Today I finally got out to give Lucrezia a run with the Accurate Molds 50-590 2 diameter paper patched bullet. Bullets are spot on for size and weigh 587 grains with my mix. Patched with the BACO 25% @ .0023 they are a nice snug fit in the fire formed brass. I used 95 grains of GOEX 1 fg with a .060 vegi wad, 1/8" felt wad and a milk carton poly wad. Bullet was seated to .420 where the nose comes into contact with the rifling. I'll be using this bullet for hunting and steel pounding so it gives good protection to the bullet and is well supported by the case for hunting conditions. Shot the barrel sights at 100 yards on the 25 yard timed and rapid fire pistol target. Sighter's were: right side, left side and finally centered up for a group of 3 inches high by 4 inches wide. Last 5 shots went 1&3/4 high by 1&7/8 wide with 3 X's, a 6 O'clock inside 10 and a outside 10 at 3 O'clock. Not to bad for the range conditions today. 1'st wrap cut clean and the 2"nd wrap nicely stitched but not fully cut. Next time out I'll up the charge to 105 grains and 110 grains with just a .060 poly wad and see if the accuracy and patch cutting are improved. Working with my Sharps rifles this summer has really been fun and I now have them shooting really well. Steel and long range targets will really get a pounding next season.

[Don McDowell]

It's always fun playing with new bullets and the like.

[Eric Johanen]

Looking at the target a little more and with the exception of two shots the elevation would hold right about 2 inches. Initial shots on the left and moved the rear a bit too much to impact on the right. Twitch left and shots centered up. The load did not shoot badly but I'd like to get both wraps cut so I will bump up the charge. I think this bullet will deliver the goods and it does load nicely into the fire formed cases. I have used up the last of my cleaning solution and am about to switch to the 7 to 1 distilled water and NAPA oil and will see how it works. Damp patches do feel a bit more slippery. I took some time this afternoon to patch up more of the 50-590P's and will get out next week to run them. This 50 90 is proving to be a very accurate rifle.

[Eric Johanen]

Today things started to work with the Accurate 51-590P. Fired unsized Starline brass, CCI LR primer, 110grains of GOEX 1 fg, one .060 poly over powder wad and one 1/8th inch cork wad, Bullet wrapped with 100% cotton rag bond paper. I do need to seat just a little deeper next time out as the cheater was used to chamber these cartridges. I used the cork to take up some space. Next reload I'll put up some with just a .060 poly and some with a .060 poly and a .030 vegi wad with the bullets seated 1/8th inch deeper. No lube and wiped with 1 damp and 1 dry patch. With lowering the rear sight a little I held line of white on the NRA 25 yard Pistol Target posted at 100 yards. 1'st one into mid 10 ring at 9 O'clock. Wiggled a little too much and the next 3 landed in the 9 ring between 1 and 3 O'clock. Wiggled a smidge back to the left and dragged wood to place the next 2 at 8 O'clock in the bottom of the 9 ring and then got things together for the last 5 rounds: X at 9, X at 6, 3 10's between 5 and 6 O'clock. 10's and X's group went 1.5 vertical and 2.75 horizontal. Not too bad and a bit more tweeking and I believe I'll have a usable load here. Flipped up the ladder and shot 2 rounds at the SR target (200 yards) Out side 9 at 4 and just off the 9 ring at 4. Third round the trigger puller screwed up and shot a low right in the 6 ring! I rough filed the bottom U and notch on the ladder and am pretty close. Need to dress the right side of the U as it is a bit taller that the left side and deepen the V and I'll be there. Used a 6 O'clock hold no line of white for the 200 yard target. Other than cleaning up the sight I'll not go any lower until I have a chance to test the Accurate 51-550 and the BACO 512 625 Creedmoor. Pretty good day on the line!!

[Eric Johanen]

Tested another load yesterday. Starline brass, CCI LR primer, 105 grains of Swiss 1 fg using a orange juice carton card, 1/8 inch DGL lube wad followed by another orange juice carton wad and the Accurate 50-590p paper patched bullet. 1'st card compressed followed by the lube wad kept in the fridge to solve the lube transference problem with the case. 2'nd card wad snugged down onto the lube wad. Cut the lube wad with the case mouth...next time I'll use my 3/8'ths inch lube wad mold again kept cold to avoid transference. After 3 days there was no indication of lube migration into the paper patches. After firing, the paper was clean and dry. 25 yard timed and rapid fire target posted at 100 yards and benched rested. 6 O'clock hold placed the first 2 shots middle of the black just at the top of the 10 ring. Sight change to line of white placed the shots into the bottom of the black just above the front sight. Light was a bit diffused with the barrel sights in the shade and that caused me to print two groups. 1 group of 3 shots centered in the bottom of the 10 ring and the 2'nd group just to the left with 2 X's and 1 10 touching at 9 O'clock and the rest into 1 nice large hole at 9 O'clock between the outside 9 ring and the 10 ring. (Group of 6 shots into 1.25 horizontal X .5 vertical). I think this load shot pretty well! Just closer attention to proper sight alignment. Wiped between shots and there was a very nice greasy lube ring at the muzzle. Fired 5 shots at the SR target posted at 200 yards and a 6 O'clock hold resulted in a fist sized group just a bit left of center at the top of the front sight. Could work for well for a hunting load. These loads were put up with the short brass and did leave some perfect paper rings. Next time out I'll use the full length brass and see if the paper rings disappear. Lucrezia is proving to be quite accurate and a real pleasure to shoot.

[Eric Johanen]

    Lucrezia, my C. Sharps 50-90 went to work today at 200 yards. Bench rest using the 300 yard reduced target. Wiped with 1 damp and 1 dry. Humidity on the range was 80% and the light was pretty good. I used the load with 105 grains of Swiss 1 fg and a lube wad with the Accurate 50-590p. Flipped up the rear sight and shot with a 6 O'clock hold on the black. First shot cold bore a 6 at 11 followed by a 6 at 12. Next 2 shots were misses over the top. Next shots using a line of white and shot a 5 at 9 and a 8 at 11. Put the ladder down and wiggled the rear sight a bit to the right and shot 6 O'clock and a 5 and 2 6's in the white at 6 O'clock. Held up a full blade into the black and started printing in the black. Shot a 8 at 7:30 a 7 at 5:30 and inside 8 at 6. Held half the black and 9 at 5 and a 8 at 6. Then a inside 9 at 5 and a outside 10 at 5 10 at 5 and inside 10 at 3. Last one I mucked up and pulled it out into the 7 ring at 2:30. With a bit of practice I believe I can shoot 50 and 100 yards burying the blade in the notch for impacts a bit high close and just above the front at 100. Full blade in the notch held center of the target and good hits at 200. The bottom notch of the ladder is still a little high so will have to file that down and clean up the notch. I am going to switch from a slot to a shallow V for a sharper sight picture. The "Big Fifty" seems to shoot pretty flat out to 200 yards and will put her on steel next season. Working with this load and another using the BACO 625 grain Creedmoor Lucrezia is really going to be "Pure Poison for sure!!

[Hanz]

Sounds like a lot of fun.

Do you have a photo of a loaded cartridge you can share?

[Eric Johanen]

Hanz, I shot them all up. I will post a photo the next time I load them.

[Don McDowell]

Here's some 50-90's
   

[Eric Johanen]

Don, those look to be seated deep enough to avoid fouling interference at the chamber mouth. Would you give your load details please. Have you tried to see how many rounds you can chamber and just fire away? One thing is for sure there is a big difference between target ammo and hunting loads. Most of my rifles I'm working up both types, one for the range and one for the field. If the bullet can be seated deep enough and if enough lube used in the grease wad it can be done. I'm thinking of ordering a tapered bullet for my 44-77. With Orville's chamber say .431 at the base for about 1/4 inch then a taper to .428 at the ogive and a radius continuing to a round well supported nose. Should have promise for a long shot string.