Author Topic: Which load recipes to use (Read 833 times)

Black Jaque Janaviac · « **on:** January 24, 2004, 05:19:24 PM »

Just curious what the general advice is on paper patch load recipes - with respect to smokeless loads.

I know to look for 100% density loads, but do you just use the same max charge as listed for copper jacketed bullets? It's difficult to find 100% density recipes for cast bullets.

Another thing, of course I didn't think of this until after the fact, but when you cast a lube-grooved bullet for use with paper patching, you use a softer lead alloy than what the mold was designed for.

I weighed by "158" grain bullets and they come out closer to 162 or 163 grains when using pure lead instead of #2 alloy or wheel weight. What do you think? Not to worry?

JBMauser · « **Reply #1 on:** January 26, 2004, 01:01:57 PM »

The way I understand it with soft lead in the mould is the variance in Dia. not weight we need to keep an eye on. If you load to jacketed loads your concern is speed and it's effect on deforming a softer lead pill. Once patched the bullet is jacketed and can be driven as jacketed. But the softer lead can only take so much speed/energy before it gets funky in flight. So to recap you can push it faster than cast but not past the funky point. (grin) I do not recall what that point is. Somewhere around 2800fps. to go faster you need to harden the alloy. To hard and the bullet does not objurate as well and performance suffers. Did I get this right gang? JB

SINGLETREE 45 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2004, 04:28:01 PM »

Sounds good to me. :agree:

Black Jaque Janaviac · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2004, 04:44:31 AM »

Man, sometimes I reread posts of mine and I wonder "what the hell were you typing?!"

OK, to put it more succinctly, is it OK to use the regular "jacketed bullet" load recipes for paper-patched bullets?

There, that's what I was trying to ask before. I don't know why I had to ramble like I did.

Kragman71 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2004, 03:02:26 PM »

BJJ,
I,too,get easily confused,and am not the greatest at explaining things.
But,yes,you can try a recommended jacketed bullet load with a paper jacketed bullet. Work up to the load,in the usual way.
BJM mentioned 2800 FPS as the max for pure lead cores.It is a grey area,some suggest the velocity is as low as 2200FPS.
I have achieved the 2200FPS figure.
I believe that the length of the cast bullet is an important factor.If you lengthen the bullet(which increases the weight),you will have to harden it.
Pointed bullets also require more hardness.
I don't swear to any of this,but it comes from a good source.
Frank