This should bring on some interesting comments. As you know, I have been experimenting with .395 cast ww balls loaded in 444 Marlin brass and also in shortened Federal Upland plastic hulls. I've been shooting them in my 3" chambered Lee Enfield Ishapore convert.
Reading here and there gave me the idea to somehow expand the ball then size it to fit the barrel better. I measured the barrel at the muzzle and came up with .409. So, how do I expand the ball? Simple. Put it on a solid steel base, i.e. vise, and whack it a couple of times with a 1/2 lb. Chinese hammer, then resize it to .410. I rooted through my goodies and actually came up with a .410 LEE bullet sizer die!!!!!
My theory is that, no matter which way the ball/slug turns, it will contact the walls of the barrel. I loaded four Upland Load hulls today.
Left 2 are resized; middle 2 are flattened; right 2 are as cast. They sit nicely in the plastic hull.
Reading here and there gave me the idea to somehow expand the ball then size it to fit the barrel better. I measured the barrel at the muzzle and came up with .409. So, how do I expand the ball? Simple. Put it on a solid steel base, i.e. vise, and whack it a couple of times with a 1/2 lb. Chinese hammer, then resize it to .410. I rooted through my goodies and actually came up with a .410 LEE bullet sizer die!!!!!
My theory is that, no matter which way the ball/slug turns, it will contact the walls of the barrel. I loaded four Upland Load hulls today.
Left 2 are resized; middle 2 are flattened; right 2 are as cast. They sit nicely in the plastic hull.
