Author Topic: Light frost and cast bullets (Read 1300 times)

roger rabbit · « **on:** January 14, 2003, 12:34:54 PM »

Need your experienced advice/comments on the following situation. Got a 1914 vintage Win. 1894 in 32-40 for CHRISTmas. Barrel has what I would term light frost. Spent all afternoon on CHRISTmas day cleaning with Shooters Choice, JB and Flitz from breach end. First try with jacketed bullets was surprising (actually I nearly fainted). Accuracy was amazing. Fire-lapped with 10 rds low velocity and 400 grit. Accuracy even better. Slugged bore and it was smoother and measured the same .3210. Light pitting still evident as I expected. I want to minimize lapping but still have 800 and possibly 1200 grit to go. Assuming light pitting remains, which I expect it will, would I be wasting my time and money casting for this gun? If not, would I be better off trying a gas-check mould in view of the pitting? The jacketed loads at BP velocities have been half inch or better at 50 yds with the original barrel sights. Thanks in advance for your comments.

sjc1 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2003, 01:06:30 PM »

First off, you have yourself a real shooter there!
Give it a try with some cast bullets. I have a Model 94 in .32 Special that has some light pitting yet it shoots cast bullets well. Like yours, it shoots jacketed bullets very well.
Try a 170 cast bullet sized .322" or .323". Seeing your bore slugs at .3210" you want to have your cast bullets .001" to .002" oversized, at least I have had my best accuracy with oversized cast bullets. If I use a bullet that is sized to bore diameter I usually end up with very poor accuracy.
I rarely use gas checked bullets. I feel that a cast bullet that is properly sized .001" to .002" over bore diameter, along with the proper hardness, does not lead at the velocities I load them to. At higher velocities (over 1600 fps) they may lead but I like to keep the speed around 1600 or less.

roger rabbit · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2003, 03:31:04 PM »

Thanks for the encouragement. Did not know what to expect from a cast bullet vs some pitting. After more research the .32 special looks interesting. I'm sizing down .32 cases to properly crimp in the jacketed cannelures although I can't see where crimping is really necessary. Recoil is nil with the octagon barrel. I will go ahead and try a plain base cast bullet as you suggested.

Billy Marr · « **Reply #3 on:** January 15, 2003, 03:30:51 AM »

You have shooter. since you have smoothed out the bore some cast bullets that are over sized by .001 should work very well for you.

roger rabbit · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2003, 06:58:41 AM »

Lead it will be then. Guess I did crow a bit but then I've eaten too much crow on a couple of guns lately. Thanks from Waco.

Cheyenne Ranger · « **Reply #5 on:** January 15, 2003, 07:46:01 AM »

Something to consider: The first bullet you load in the magazine tube will be subjected to the recoil of all the others. Plus the spring pressure. So it is possible that all the above can push the bullet deeper into the case. This would hamper loading, at best, and increase pressure, at worst. If you are loading "light" loads it probably won't be dangerous but still it could cause the bullet strikes to vary.
All this to say I would put some crimp on them just to be sure.
just my thoughts....