bore slugging -vs- wright size bullets

D

danyboy

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I finally slugged the bore of my Mauser 71/84.
I got .4475" between the grooves
.433" between the lands
I was using .446 cast sized bullets with not much accuracy and was wondering if I could use .45 jacketed muzzleloader bullets or would it be too big for this size bore ?
danyboy
 
I too have a M71/84 and it slugs to 0.446". I shoot 0.446" bullets dropped from the RCBS 44-370-FN and they shoot well in it.

The largest bullet you could go with would be 0.450", 0.451 as the max with softer alloys. There are many bullets that can be sized to those diameters. It would be interesting to try the Lee 0.450 Minie, and you could size any of the bullets designed for the 45/70 down to 0.450", but that's about the limit to still leave lube grooves, and to the strength of most presses. I have used hard lubes in my press, but like the Lee Alox lube.

My M71 on the other hand slugs to 0.454" and shoots 45/70 bullets well. I did have to open up the neck as I didn't want to use heeled bullets, or soft lead bullets that would obturate the bore as in muzzleoaders.

Brass is made from 45/70 - a bit short, but not a problem.
 
wright size bullet

Andy,
Do you think I could machine my bullet mould to increase its diameter to .448 ?
Danyboy
 
The short answer is no.

The best you could do with that mold I think, is use a soft alloy that would obturate under pressure. Better to use a different mold. That 0.446" mold, once surplus, will bring you some decent money ($50+). :)

I suggest the Lee 90467 "Minie" mold that should drop 300gr wheelweight bullets at about 0.449", which you could use unsized. I have the 0.454" Minie and it easily sizes right down to 0.446" with sufficient lube grooves left. It has a hollow base to encourage obturation. I have yet to try it though. About $35 from Higginsons.

I'll send you some to try. Us Mauser M71, 71/84 shooters have to stick together. :wink:
 
I believe there are jacketed bullets available in .452 diameter.

You could contact C-H and see if they make (or could make) a draw die for taking the .452s down to .448. Their dies work in a reloading press, and I believe they cost a little under $60 US.
 
i think in that old gun you should use blackpowder one card wad compress your powder at least 1/16 in. and a soft 1/20 lead to tin bullet , blackpowder obturates bullets a lot easier than smokeless, this is not all as hard as it seems, email me if you want and i can coach you along, i have done a lot of this kind of shooting and your old gun probably is no different than the various sharps, rolling blocks, etc, that i have played with,, wade. whlehto@shaw.ca
 
Based on your slugging the proper fitted cast bullet diameter is .450".

The slug you are presently casting can be bumped up to .450" using a die of that size in a lube sizer tool, preferably a RCBS.
 
Most cast bullet shooters would agree that in most guns, going one or two thou above the bore size is the best way to get an accurate bullet. It doesn't always work, but that's the nature of shooting. Lots of other variables.
I have a rifle that has problems chambering rounds that large for example.
You can play with alloys, different powders and primers, seating depths, and finally fillers and card wads with each diameter change. Lots of shooting ahead!
 
bore slugging

This is all nice but where would I get a .450" full length sizing die. I looked everywhere (RCBS, Lyman,etc...). How would I seat a .450" die in a sized .446 case ?
danyboy
 
Re: bore slugging

danyboy said:
This is all nice but where would I get a .450" full length sizing die. I looked everywhere (RCBS, Lyman,etc...). How would I seat a .450" die in a sized .446 case ?
danyboy
Click to expand...

From my casting post under Gun Show Sellers;

Lyman NEW lubrsizer H&I dies. .450, .352, .257, .243 each $20.00

As far as the larger diameter bullet seating in the standard seating die it likely will but if it doesn't there are work arounds. More likely the over size bullet would not seat in a standard chamber; but then we are talking about a military chamber, usually oversize to allow for crud.
 
bore slugging

I meant the full length resizing die. Mine is actually .446 so if i try to seat a .450 bullet in it it probably wouldn't fit.
danyboy
 
Re: bore slugging

danyboy said:
I meant the full length resizing die. Mine is actually .446 so if i try to seat a .450 bullet in it it probably wouldn't fit.
danyboy
Click to expand...

Not a problem as long as you bell the case (funnel the case mouth so the lead bullet goes in with out shaving).

A handy tool for this job is the common needle nose pliers.

Insert the sized case mouth over the closed needle nose pliers and turn and apply pressure until a funnel is formed. Using a Marks All or equivalent, you can make a mark on the pliers so each case is funneled the same.
 
Rich has a good idea there. I bought the Lee Universal Expander Die which does the same thing and probably no better (with practice). As he pointed out, you can sure get the .450" bullet into the .446" neck, but you will have to see if the chamber neck can afford the extra 004". It probably will, and a way to predict it is by measuring the diameter of the neck of rounds you have fired in that chamber. If a 446 slips in easily before sizing you might be in luck. Otherwise, inside or outside neck turning is in order.

I still like the idea of trying the Lee 450 Minnie sized to somewhere between 446 and 450. They are designed to expand (obturate) and seal and grip the bore.

Be prepared after all of this to still have a gun that isn't much of a shooter. Still, the fun is in the trying.
 
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