Author Topic: Bullet shape critical to load???  (Read 326 times)

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Offline benny

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Bullet shape critical to load???
« on: April 14, 2009, 04:25:37 AM »
Hello Gents,
I am getting ready to load up some "plinking" loads for my 41 mag using trailboss and w231.  some of the load data i have found just lists bullet weight without specifying a shape.  other data, such as the imr data for trailboss calls for a 215gr lfp.  i have 500 lasercast 215gr lswc's i was planning to use.  would the different bullet shape affect the load at all?

i am planning on a 210gr cast trun. cone bullet with the 231, which loads in the lee manual and handloader specify only weight, so i assume that will be fine.

thanks for the help.

Offline BBF

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Re: Bullet shape critical to load???
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2009, 05:30:16 AM »
IMO:
Cast vs jacketed  yes there is a difference
 Nose profile  no there isn't as long as the bearing surface is similar.

Seating depth and freebore do have an effect.
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Offline stimpylu32

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Re: Bullet shape critical to load???
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2009, 10:32:49 AM »
benny

For the round that your loading here , bullet shape does not have much to do with it , however if you were loading for a rifle and seating the bullet close to the lands , then bullet profile would start to come into play , as your COL would be diffrent between a pointed bullet vrs a round nose one .

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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Bullet shape critical to load???
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2009, 07:52:44 PM »
+1 on the bullet shape and OAL. I do not think it makes much difference in the actual seating of the bullet, unless you are using soft lead bullets or soft tipped jacketed bullets. I had some Remington semi jacked bullets and the seater left a distinct ring around the bullet. Not just a slight depression, it was deep. I ended up making a new seater for my die. I used a 1/4-28 bolt and cut the head off and rounded and shaped the end that the head was on to fit the hole in the top of the bullet. It worked real well. It was an older RCBS 44 Mag die that had a 1/4-28 threaded seater stem. I think you can send bullets into most die makers and have a custom seater made for a nominal fee. I have heard, but not tried, that you can make custom seaters out of epoxy. You coat a bullet with release agent and fill the cavity up in the seater (after you remove it from the die) and push the bullet into it, wiping away any excess material. Let it set and the remove the bullet. Voila you have a custom seater that perfectly fits your bullet. I think most trouble is with cast bullets and or pistol type bullets, because the bullet nose can vary so much. I have not had any issues with jacketed bullets in bottle necked cases, other than having to adjust seating depth. Good Luck and Good Shooting
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Online Lloyd Smale

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Re: Bullet shape critical to load???
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2009, 01:25:04 AM »
plinking loads it wont matter. If your pushing the top end of the pressure scale it could.
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