Casting for bp...ww vs pure lead...question

[icehunter121]

The patching is the main thing that engages the rifling and imparts spin to the ball. You can often see the weave pattern impressed into a recovered or pulled ball. At the same time patching acts as a gas seal and also cleans by pushing the fouling down with every reload.

The ball also obturates or expands on firing to fit tighter into the grooves. Think of the powder charge igniting as a hammer that squashes the ball a bit wider. This is the primary effect when using unpatched conical bullets such as maxi or mini bullets. Its also why using the softest lead possible is recommended.

U got me to wondering here now. I was shooting at a inpromptu target and was way low and a 8 inch group.The past shooting this rifle with hornady balls and .015 patches at 50 yards I could get 3 shot 1.5-2 inch groups.( at 50 yards) Maybe this ww lead is going to be to hard and instead I end up with a shotgun like pattern.

I am gonna shoot some 10 and 12 thou diam. patches and do a serious test for accuracy at 50 yards off a bench.I am gonna work this out like I would for any of my centerfires. It will be interesting to see just how accurate I can get this rifle to be.

 

[icehunter121]

Oh and I vote that this thread should be stickied. There is some good info coming out of it for a beginner just like I was a couple of months back.I am still a newbie and learning,by trying different things out and posting results from a newbies stand point probably would help out other newbies also.

 

[plinker 777]

X2 This Newbie concurs...stickie.