Author Topic: Help needed w/.40 Snover/Browning BPCR  (Read 1237 times)

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Offline Rigby275

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Help needed w/.40 Snover/Browning BPCR
« on: December 02, 2010, 02:48:56 PM »
Hi all -

Today I got everything together to start loading for my "new" Browning .40-65 BPCR.  ;D

I cast a dozen test bullets (Lyman Snover, ~8.7 BHN) which came out .4115 dia., 411.5 +/- .5 gr.
Seated unsized (no powder) to top of 1st groove w/an oal of 2.848, the top band enlarged to .413ish.
Pulled the bullets and seating had sized the body to .4085.

Run thru a Lyman .410 sizer except top band, they come out .4095.
I seated, smoked a bullet and chambered it.
No 1st band enlargement, but it shows about .050" rifling marks.

Is this normal?
I understand from TexasMac's posts that the chamber is 2.125" & freebore in these rifles is .4115" X (I think) .125", and the band on the bullet is only ~.115 long.
BTW - this case is 2.115 long (.010 under), so was to be used for seating trials only.

Whaduyah reckon's the deal?
Should this bullet seat over the top band?  ???

Any insight's appreciated.

regards,
I won't intentionally shoot your sacred cow.:grin:

Terry
Labor fellat

Offline cooper

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Re: Help needed w/.40 Snover/Browning BPCR
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2010, 05:25:19 AM »
Rigby, I am not really sure what question you're asking, but I shoot the Snover in my Browning 40/65 and can tell you what I do.

My bullet casts at .410" and I shoot it unsized.  It touches the beginning of the rifling at an overall length of 2.88", so I seat it to 2.87" OAL.  I use reformed Win 45/70 cases, and 60 grains of Goex Fg will be compressed about 0.24" (use a compression die), and it gives me a MV of about 1150 fps.  Accuracy averages 1.5 MOA.

I prefer to shoot unsized bullets, but if you are going to size your bullet, I would size the entire bullet to .4095" and see what OAL is when you do that.  It might be a bit longer that what you're getting now.  I don't like blackpowder bullets to actually touch the rifling, even if that may give me better accuracy, because after a few shots, as the black powder fouling builds up a bit, it becomes hard to chamber a round.  I use a blow tube.  If you wipe between shots, then, of course, this won't be a problem.

BTW, that Snover design in 40 caliber is an outstanding bullet.  I think it is the best long range 40 caliber design available in a non-custom mould, and if your Lyman mould produces a good bullet that shoots well, I wouldn't look any further for another bullet.

 

 


Offline Rigby275

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Re: Help needed w/.40 Snover/Browning BPCR
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2010, 10:33:56 AM »
Thanks cooper -

My question was why I got rifling marks w/seating that should have been well short.
I've since found that it's simply close enough fit to mark the soot but not the bullet.

I think I can seat to oal of 2.93ish if needed, tho' would likely do well w/less neck tension, so mebbe a .410 expander.

But I haven't shot it yet, so there's a lot to discover when the weather allows.

regards,
I won't intentionally shoot your sacred cow.:grin:

Terry
Labor fellat

Offline .22-5-40

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Re: Help needed w/.40 Snover/Browning BPCR
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2011, 04:09:56 PM »
Hello, Rigby275..Those Lyman sizers aren't always the size they are marked..if that .4095 bothers you..you could polish it out with wet & dry on a split dowel in drill press..or lathe if available.  That black powder will obturate it to fit the bore though.  I too have problems of case mouth re-sizing bullets smaller..you might try to obtain larger expander plug.  You didn't say...are you using a Lyman "M" die for case-mouth expanding?  I once had problems with a 6mm... I bought a .25 expander plug (Lyman sells seperate) and took to local precision grinding shop..they centerless ground to specified dia & instead of sharp step...blended in shallow angle for nice smooth mouth expansion.  Best of luck!