It's been quiet here

[Kurt]

So I will make a little chatter
I been spending time learning how to use my new mill so I had a BA mould I ordered undersized at .428 to shoot dirty with in my .44-77. It's the BA Jim-428/490. With all the latest interest in Arnies DDEPP bullet designs I thought , well it is a good time to work on moulds.
I put the boring bar chuck in the mill and opened the base to .444" this added 6 gr of weight to the bullet and it's a snug fit for the fired .44-77 Farmers fired vase but it's perfect.
I put the scope back on the .44-77 Farmer with the 17 ROT and I got the scope zeroed and took 10 shots with the bullet I modified. And I think it will work.
I used a unsized fired case primed with a Fed GM match primer.
78 gr of the new lot of 1.5 Swiss.
The bullet is the modified Jim 428/490
This bullet gained 6 gr cutting that base.

   

[Distant Thunder]

Kurt,
That's looking pretty good! I really like that bullet shape and 2-D PPBs sure are working well in these modern chambers.
Sure is quiet around here, thanks for stirring the ashes.

I love my .44-77 !

[Kurt]

Jim,

I'm happy I was able to get the mill indicated to hit the center and not cut the base oval.
For just throwing a charge in the case it sure surprised me how well it was shooting.
I agree with the .44-77 it's a great caliber I should have spent more time behind it instead the big 50.
I think I will pull the .44-90 BN out and give it a try with this bullet.
I have a couple Postell .44 GG I think I will turn the bands off them and turn them into a .45 PP.
That bullet is the design Dave and I worked on when he first started cutting moulds. That nose has always shot well in my .40, .44 and .45.
I been thinking taking a thousand off and stoping at the start of the ogive. That bullet really needs to be .430 or .432 at the shank but I will wait till I get some snow to see how that undersized shank reacts. It should look like the one above using Arnies alloy mix.

[beltfed]

Kurt, that bullet is looking good in this first test.
Yes, quiet here, too re. shooting. Just had to bust a cap yesterday. Took out my "re-found in back of safe" new, unfired Armalite NM upper I had bought probably 5 yrs ago.
and got a quick zero in the back yard /50yds with some new reloads I had put together while loading some for my daughter-in-law's new AR.
I hope that I can slip over to the range mid week in the warmer days with the 38-50 to check out some loads that have been sitting, waiting
for probably two months.
Bad weather, and Honey-Do's have taken up much of my fall.
Arnie

[Kurt]

Arnie,
So far I like what I see. The real test results is seeing a recovered bullet how the imbalance between the base and the shank will show.
Even using your alloy mix there might be some runout as it travels down the bore, but it makes a fine bullet as it is for shooting with out fouling control. I have another mould of the same profile but the shank is for a snug fit to the bore I will change now that I see if I spend the time to get the setup indicated properly the results are worth while.
I think I will open up the shank another 1.5K per side but this would leave a 1 1/2 thousands step at the transition, but I don't think that would hurt a thing. I have a .45 prolate that has a increase like that and it shoots well.
Now I need a lathe again

[beltfed]

Seems to me a precision Lathe would be the way to go for cutting/modifying molds
arnie

[J.B.]

Thanks for 'stirring the pot' Kurt. Certainly looks like a nice design ...though I wonder how it will fair with the .428 shank ? We snuck in a shoot this last weekend and I shot paper patch for the 42 round match. It was all on steel and the wind was horrific on a range that shows very little fall of shot so we didn't learn a lot. The 44/77 was a treat as always though and both my Kal moulds...and a dd Brooks mould I have performed well. The scores across the board were well down ...but I just managed to snag a 2nd place. Not my proudest moment.. but hey.. I'll take it anyway. Certainly do love my 44. Doesn't look like 2021 is going to shape up well for international travel but I'm not giving up hope of a return yet. Sure do miss the chance to shoot with you guys.

J.B.

[Gussy]

Darn Kurt, now you have me thinking about reworking some old junk moulds. Made one into a nose pour just to do it. Never really thought about recutting one.

I have a swage nose punch that needs it too!!

[Kurt]

Hi Gavin,
Hey you can send some of those hot winds up this way. The ice is forming pretty early this fall as well as white ground.

Yes the shank is on the thin side, but the first time out with it at 200 yards it did well. That mould was cut for shooting dirty and I used to cast 3-400 a year just for busting bowling pins and incase someone asked me if they can take a couple shots that way they don't have to use the tube or wiping.

When I get enough snow I will see what they do in the bore when shot. I must have set up the mill close enough to keep the base true with the shank to keep it straight in the bore.

I sure missed not shooting and BSing with you convicts. I hope the red Chinese bug dies off so things loosen up again.

Stay well,

Kurt

[Kurt]

Jim,

like most of us that have been in this game have collected a bunch of undesirable blocks of iron and brass we call moulds I sure have and with the lack of not making the matches this last season I started thinking that Arnies DDEPP thing he has going and I had one of his designs made for the .44 calibers at BA and it shot very well from what little I have had a chance to shoot it that I would change some dust collectors like cutting the grooves out of some .44 GG moulds turning them into .45 PP and .45 GG into .50's.
I now wish I kept the Sheldon Lathe but the bench mill I have down in the basement is keeping me occupied and in better conditions than working in the hot or cold shed.
I just ordered one of the cheap Chinese bench lathes the WM210V Metal Lathe/850W 110V brushless motor all steel gear lathe/38mm spindle bore +125mm chuck mini lathe. I think this will compliment the mill sitting beside it. I know the quality control is not the best with these red machines but maybe if needed I have diamond and stone blocks I can smoothen the critical points if I need too. The 1 1/2 spindle bore got my attention and metal gears. It's 8X16 is enough to get a barrel in to turn it part way or cut one off to lighten it and reface it.
Any idea what Shiloh uses for a Dovetail? 45 or a 60 degree?
This should keep me busy and off the couch this winter.