Opinions on button rifled barrels + cast

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mbogo3

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On an earlier post [re- barrel on a Win 92/44-40] I have a button rifled specimen with a .4286" groove and a 1-28 twist.Will I be able to use cast bullets in this /what size as well as any advice on lead hardness? Also barrel break in suggestions if you would.
 
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If you don't push the cast bullets fast it will work. I used reduced loads and good bullets in cowboy action shooting. I tried slightly faster loads but the bullets just skidded down the fine rifling and the barrel leaded badly and the accuracy dropped off. Hard lead and good bullet lube helps.

I guess it depends on what you want to shoot with it... heavier loads I would use jacketed bullets.
 
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I figured a 100 yard deer/black bear historic poker. If a guy hunts close cover over trails for deer and over baits for bear it should be fine.Just need to figure out what size bullet.I am having the barrel installed as we speak and should have it back in about two weeks time or so. Mine was made in 1910.Where any of the 1892's only for black powder or was it the barrels that limited it's fodder? I have some 200gr .429 Gold Dot /cavernous HP's
 
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Well the smith must have been bored as he has it together already,will pick it up tomorrow afternoon!
 
Cast bullets should always be groove diameter or larger, Up to .003 larger doesn't seem to hurt. Mick McPhee believed that no bullet sizer worked better than the barrel or so he said to me. A cast bullet which is under-sized will gas cut and strip.
 
Go over to the Marlin forum http://ww w.marlinowners.com and take a look, they have load data, and remarks about how to load and how fast to push them. I have a 444 Marlin...lots of data.
 
I was a member there for years and they wiped the sight and now a lot of the older guys can't seem to get back in? Contacted them and they either don't answer or don't care.
 
Cast them .003 over bore diameter and powder coat them as well as using a gas check and you will be amazed at how well that button rifled bbl will shoot and the velocities that can be achieved without leading.

Powder coating is your friend when it comes to cast bullets.
 
The chamber neck will be the deciding factor as to what size bullet I can use although that can be enlarged a little if needed. Brass neck thickness also comes into play as Win + Starline is .007 and Rem .008 Not familiar with powder coating what is it a dry lube?
 
mbogo3 said:
The chamber neck will be the deciding factor as to what size bullet I can use although that can be enlarged a little if needed. Brass neck thickness also comes into play as Win + Starline is .007 and Rem .008 Not familiar with powder coating what is it a dry lube?
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There is a whole whack of information on powder coating cast bullets a bit further down in another forum. Bullet Making.

Basically you bake powdered paint onto your cast bullets in a toaster oven or even your regular oven. It's cheap and easy and some say they don't have to lube the bullets or use the gas checks. I will be playing with that this spring to see if it makes a difference with rifle bullets.

I tried just powder coating cast lead pistol bullets for my 45 LC. No lube or gas check and a lead hardness of 24 Brinnell, as measured by my gauge. The barrel of my 1917 S&W also has very shallow rifling. I'm load at about max for this pistol at the moment but that will change. It's accurate and doesn't foul. I'm impressed.

If you have a powder coating facility close by, go talk to them for a few pointers and ask if they will sell you some of their overspray from their booths. They just sweep it up or collect it in the bottom of a bucket in their dust collector. Makes for some varied colors but so what. If you like solid colors some people insist that BLUE gives the best results. I've used blue, black, red and pink because I was able to pick up small quantities cheaply. I never noticed a bit of difference between them.
 
I've heard of using teflon plumbers tape to wrap bullets like paper patching.This must be done in the direction so it tightens with the rifling or the tape shreds.This allows cast at almost jacketed speeds and bumps up bullet diameter for undersized bullets like .280 Ross and .22 HP I'll look into powder coating a little further.Thanx
 
bearhunter said:
There is a whole whack of information on powder coating cast bullets a bit further down in another forum. Bullet Making.

Basically you bake powdered paint onto your cast bullets in a toaster oven or even your regular oven. It's cheap and easy and some say they don't have to lube the bullets or use the gas checks. I will be playing with that this spring to see if it makes a difference with rifle bullets.

I tried just powder coating cast lead pistol bullets for my 45 LC. No lube or gas check and a lead hardness of 24 Brinnell, as measured by my gauge. The barrel of my 1917 S&W also has very shallow rifling. I'm load at about max for this pistol at the moment but that will change. It's accurate and doesn't foul. I'm impressed.

If you have a powder coating facility close by, go talk to them for a few pointers and ask if they will sell you some of their overspray from their booths. They just sweep it up or collect it in the bottom of a bucket in their dust collector. Makes for some varied colors but so what. If you like solid colors some people insist that BLUE gives the best results. I've used blue, black, red and pink because I was able to pick up small quantities cheaply. I never noticed a bit of difference between them.
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Nope...stop right there. Never ever use overspray floor sweepings, they also contain all the fine floor and cement dust creating a very efficient sandpaper scouring action when it travels down your very expensive barrel. I do visit commercial sprayers but only use color over-buys that they have in the original can/box , sometimes they give it to you just to get rid of it but sometimes I get charged a bit for it but at least I don't have to pay the shipping from the east.

If you already have boolits coated with floor sweepings I would throw them back in the pot and skim vigously to make sure I got all the grit out of it.
 
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