What casts bullets did you use RELOADING this week?

[L Ross]

After spending a couple of rainy days in reloading room cleanup I finally got the area clear enough to get to my Lyman 55 and the drop tube mounted next to it.
Filled the 55 up with 1 1/2 fg Swiss and went to fiddly town. Good grief, I forgot how tedious it is loading good quality BPCR ammo. Thank goodness I had Sandford's Hidden Prey on the Blue Tooth speaker. Having just been up on the Iron Range for a funeral the book was all the more vivid in my mind.
I have 76 rounds of .45-70 loaded with 69.5 gr. of Swiss, with .085" compression, the Lyman 457677, and a Mike's hard laminated paper wad. After about 15 rounds I remembered to align the index marks on the bullet noses with the notch filed in the case rims.
I'll probably load until I get at least 100 rounds ahead, then confirm the numbers from my notes written in 2008. I have a bunch of .40-70 SS loaded but apparently I bought a new MVA Soule sight in 2016 and put it on the .40-70 and have no notes about it at all, none. I cannot remember if I have even shot the combination. What happened as I recall is I started shooting good cast ammo in the .30-06 then picked up a couple of .308s. None of my shooting friends wanted to mess with black powder and we fantasized we were going to compete in the CBA Military Matches and never did. Then the .308 loaded with the Gold Medal X dies performed so well and I put good glass on the .308s.
Then my buddy and I went off on a .22 rim fire tangent with a couple of highly accurate .22's.
Then my other buddy moved closer to me and to two large flowages on the Wisconsin River and I started to teach him how to fish and......

 

[glassparman]

Nice! I load for BPCR as well. 45-70 for my Trapdoor and 8mm Kropatschek.

For those who have never shot BPCR, it is truly a different experience.

Mike

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I loaded up a box of the new Accurate 36-135y bullet.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Last night I pulled some 357 Maxi cases and then some excellent MP 185 HP Hammers and decided ol faithful 2400 powder and Winchester SR primers made my ingredients for a box of shells.
Fine looking Cartritage thats been a good shooter. My load isnt a hot one, my 14" 'tender was moving it, about 1500 fps. In my 24" it should be closer to 1650.
CW

 

[462]

Several months ago, I had my son-in-law buy me a pound of HS-6 from the San Jose Bass Pro. Reason number one was because I've never tried it, reason number two was to experiment with it in the .45 Colt Uberti Cattleman, reason number three was because data showed it to be useful in many handgun cartridges, and reason number four was because powder is not available locally.

Tried it in the Cattleman and it didn't do anything that 6.0-grains of Bullseye or 7.7-grains of Unique haven't done. Just loaded some .357 Mag. test rounds, for Friday's planned range session, with 9.0, 9.5 and 10.2-grains and Lee's 358-158 RNFN.

I haven't loaded the .357 with a 158-grain cast bullet and any powder other than the tried and proven 13.5-grains of 2400 in the last 15 years. If the test is successful, what's left in the can will go a long way toward saving my last three pounds of 2400.

 

[L Ross]

Tuesday I loaded about 60 rounds of .30-30 with the RCBS 30-150-CM and 14 grains of IMR-4227. These are for the Tom Horn Match up in Virginia, MN next week. I also loaded 100 .38 w.c.f. with the Lyman 401043 over 33.0 grains of KIK 2 fg black with a card wad. Virginia has a woods walk with 10 targets including a running deer and a charging bear. If you don't put a bullet on the bear you are eliminated. They also have a running Moose at 100 yds. First shoot a plate off hand to release the moose, then put as many hits on it as you can as it traverses the range.There will be 30 prairie dog targets for .22 from 25 to 100 yards off hand. I'll use my 1931 Marlin Model 39 for that.
Lastly I finished loading 162 Lyman 457677 over 69.5 gr. og Swiss 1 1/2 fg.Ready to go ammo wise now.

 

[462]

I haven't loaded the .357 with a 158-grain cast bullet and any powder other than the tried and proven 13.5-grains of 2400 in the last 15 years.

Edited to add missing words.

 

[Glaciers]

Well continuing with loads for the Marlin 45-70 with the Lyman 457-191 and unique. I left off last week at 12.2 grains and wanted to bump up to 14.3 grains of unique. Only had 10 bullets left so need to fire up the pot.
Also loaded the Arsenal 235 grain sized .460 increasing the unique charge to push this bullet closer to 1200 fps.
Both bullets are powder coated. Both with the previous loadings were improving as powder charges increased.
But, shooting them will have to wait until next weekend so I can get better sights mounted on the rifle.
Dave up the hill is digging up some taller front sights and some taller Weaver rings. The only rings I have are the low Weaver rings, medium might work, high will for sure.
Dave is going to throw in a Marlin model 27 pump 25-20 that needs some help. The mag tube has some problems, can’t remember as it’s been a couple years since I’ve looked at it.
Today I’m going continue loading up the 38-55, going to try bumping up the 2400 loading and then try 4198, and R7

 

[L Ross]

Loaded up about 75 rounds of .44 w.c.f. with black powder yesterday featuring the Mav Dutchman's Big Lube Bullet filled with NASA lube. I can shoot up to 30 rounds without having to clean the barrel using this combo. Otherwise I fouled out right at 13 rounds consistently using a more conventional bullet and either homemade or SPG.
I'm such a slave to history, it just seems wrong to shoot an 1873, even a replica with smokeless. Yet having to run every round through a drop tube is so fiddly and awkward I end up with a tight spot in my neck shoulder junction and a headache afterwards.
I recently did the same in .38 w.c.f. for a Marlin 1894 and a Winny 1892, but as far as lever guns go the old 66 and 73 system are the slickest feeding actions ever. It is all in the elevator.
Headed up to Virginia, MN this weekend for a shoot and I want to be able to get multiple shots off on the running moose and charging bear targets.
I loaded RCBS 30-150-CM's in the .30-30 for the Tom Horn Match with 14 grains of 4227. I have a 1925 version of the 94 with a 26" round barrel that is a fine example of American workmanship. I actually shot a deer with factory ammo in that rifle one time! I chrono'd Federal Classic 170 grain with a 5 round average of 2,375 fps and about fainted. The doe I shot walking quartering toward me at 50 yards did more than faint.

 

[Rushcreek]

I loaded 60 rounds of 6.8x43 with the Lee 278135 R bullet over the last of the AA2015 that I had.
I shot 4 rounds at 110ish yards resting on the Mules steering wheel…
Lil’ Ugly will hunt!

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Lyman 452664 loaded into some 45 Colt cases.

 

[462]

RCBS 30-180-SP (188.5 to 188.9-grains lubed and checked) and 13.5-grains of Unique, for Friday's shoot. Not particularly zippy, but particularly accurate. The mould now resides elsewhere, but the stash will last for many years.
The dummy round. A future accuracy test will determine the necessity of the top groove being lubed.
Hmmm . . . that rascally bullet moved . . .

 

[popper]

Loaded a jug full of the 41-165 I cast the other day. 2 coats BLL & some WSF.