First go with the 300 BLK
- Thread starter Ian
- Start date
waco
Springfield, Oregon
If you could part with a few that would be awesome! Thanks Brad!
Dang, glad I got one when I did. I wanted a 4 cav but he only had 2 cav in stock.
Tom could easily make a good bullet but it won't have the small meplat on the nose. It would end up being a far shorter bullet for the same weight. I would suggest you email him on his site and ask for a suggestion. He will whip up a drawing pretty quick.
Tom could easily make a good bullet but it won't have the small meplat on the nose. It would end up being a far shorter bullet for the same weight. I would suggest you email him on his site and ask for a suggestion. He will whip up a drawing pretty quick.
Harder alloy might solve your accuracy issue. More powder might make it worse considering how soft those banana bullets must be.
I bought my first brass from a guy "off the grid" in Az. He claimed to hold tight tolerances....length varied quite a bit. The last brass I bought came from a guy down in Houston for $100/K shipped and was much more uniform. I have no idea how he can sell it for that!
I bought my first brass from a guy "off the grid" in Az. He claimed to hold tight tolerances....length varied quite a bit. The last brass I bought came from a guy down in Houston for $100/K shipped and was much more uniform. I have no idea how he can sell it for that!
Got 100 more bullets cast, sized, lubed and heat treated to 425°F for an hour then quenched.
Now to get them loaded and to the range this week.
I tore down the bolt/carrier group. Other than hardened carbon it looks good. This after 250 or so rounds of cast. No signs of lead at all. Bore looked very clean and bright. A dry patch showed some carbon but no lead. Relubed it all and we are ready to go.
Now to get them loaded and to the range this week.
I tore down the bolt/carrier group. Other than hardened carbon it looks good. This after 250 or so rounds of cast. No signs of lead at all. Bore looked very clean and bright. A dry patch showed some carbon but no lead. Relubed it all and we are ready to go.
Ian
Notorious member
That picture tells a lot, Brad. People who don't think smokeless powder at low pressure will bump a nose need to study on those pictures a bit.
A little harder bullets, probably not a lot harder, ought to get that a little bit more under control and improve accuracy, but you still want the bullet to bump to fit. Judging by the two front grooves, the front band might be wadding up a little going into the throat. I also notice a little bit of gas erosion on the base at the land engraves, which is to be expected. A soft, plain-based alloy with 1/4" of the base poking down into the powder space, fired from an autoloading rifle, ought not shoot worth a darn, and it wouldn't at higher velocity, but it just continues to amaze me what this little cartridge can do. I re-checked some bullets from the big batch I'm shooting now and they are stable at 12.5 BHN and shoot great.
NO leading? I seem to always get a little bit at the very back of the bolt bore in the carrier, and a little bit stuck to the bolt tail, but never any in the bore, chamber, or throat and only a teensy tiny bit on the baffles of my muzzle brake. I need to pull my frankenrifle down again and check how it's doing, IIRC it's been about 400 rounds since I even touched it other than one or two times I squirted some oil in the bolt carrier vents. It ran like a Swiss watch all weekend with zero maintenance, about 60-70 rounds fired a few here and there at a time.
A little harder bullets, probably not a lot harder, ought to get that a little bit more under control and improve accuracy, but you still want the bullet to bump to fit. Judging by the two front grooves, the front band might be wadding up a little going into the throat. I also notice a little bit of gas erosion on the base at the land engraves, which is to be expected. A soft, plain-based alloy with 1/4" of the base poking down into the powder space, fired from an autoloading rifle, ought not shoot worth a darn, and it wouldn't at higher velocity, but it just continues to amaze me what this little cartridge can do. I re-checked some bullets from the big batch I'm shooting now and they are stable at 12.5 BHN and shoot great.
NO leading? I seem to always get a little bit at the very back of the bolt bore in the carrier, and a little bit stuck to the bolt tail, but never any in the bore, chamber, or throat and only a teensy tiny bit on the baffles of my muzzle brake. I need to pull my frankenrifle down again and check how it's doing, IIRC it's been about 400 rounds since I even touched it other than one or two times I squirted some oil in the bolt carrier vents. It ran like a Swiss watch all weekend with zero maintenance, about 60-70 rounds fired a few here and there at a time.
The new bullets are cast from same alloy. Heat treated as they were I expect 18 BHn. Will be interested to see how they look after impact.
I saw no sign of lead on the bolt tail. Lots of carbon. A little solvent got most of it, steel wool got the rest.
I saw no sign of lead on the bolt tail. Lots of carbon. A little solvent got most of it, steel wool got the rest.
Ian
Notorious member
I didn't get to do it this weekend, but on my agenda is to file the noses on a few of the ACE 230 bullets (the one NOE is copying now) and see if they will function reliably at .180" meplat diameter. If they won't, no point in buying an Accurate mould unless you plan on pointing the cavities yourself. I really really really want an ACE Mod II mould with a crimp groove in front and a .299" ogive break, five cavity aluminum, cut by Accurate. I also want a blue Unicorn to ride to work!