In the mailbox

[Distant Thunder]

I think it more slowly dawned on me as I was fine tuning my .45 caliber ppb for my Hepburn with it's 18-twist. I looked at the bullets, both gg and pp, that had been successful for me at 1000 yards and I noticed that the ones I could always count on were those that were 1.440" long or less with weights in the 520 to 530 grain range. Not necessarily the pointiest designs either.

When I decided to design a 2-diameter paper patch bullet for my 18-twsit .40-65 it really hit home. Research showed that I was limited to 1.240" long if I wanted a well stabilized bullet. Being that rifle would primarily be used for silhouette I wanted as much weight as I could get in that length so I could knock over the rams. Looking over old bullet designs, I believe the old ones are the best, it was pretty clear that the original Sharps round nose bullets were as good as it gets for maximum weight in a short bullet. So I ended up with that design at 1.250" long and 382 grains, it has been a solid performer from the first match.

I also don't believe those original Sharps round nose bullets give up as much to the high BC designs as paper numbers may suggest. That's just from my shooting that bullet design over the past few years. I would load that design in any of my rifles and take to a match anywhere and shoot with confidence. High BC bullets give up much of their supposed advantage at our transonic velocities.

I believe the best design to travel through the transonic zone and remain stable especially with twitchy winds is not necessarily the highest BC design. The requirements are just different than supersonic.

That's just another one of the things I plan to explore with my .44-77.

[Kurt]

   

This bullet design was in use long before that mould was made by the Sharps Rifle co. back in the 1870's over 150 years ago and it still works today. Even better with that cup case removed

[J.B.]

Love seeing those original style moulds and how simply and completely they dealt with cup base and sprue trimmers. How long is that bullet Kurt ? Looks fairly short compared to the torpedoes ( your term ) we've been discussing here. I'd be testing my gg & pp bullets now in Forsyth had the plague not struck. Bummer !

Gavin.

[Kurt]

Gavin,
I don't have that mould anymore but I been thinking getting it back. I don't remember the length and diameter but it was a .45 caliber and the cup base plate could be turned around and use it as a flat base bullet. I gave the last bullet to Bill rdnck.

[Distant Thunder]

Kurt,

Is anyone making this type of mold for sale today? I like to have one just for the simplicity of then.

[Kurt]

Not that I know of.