9.3 caliber

[crash87]

Veral, I recently acquired a Ruger N0.1 chambered in the 9.3X74R. I have a few questions concerning shooting cast bullts with this rifle.
Bullet weight?
I'd like to stay with the "midweight bullets, 270-285gr" I already shoot a 250gr in a 35 whelen and just want to, up it a bit, just because I can. I really don't see hunting anything more than Whitetail deer, out to 100yds and Black Bear, much closer, with this rifle. With that said, what profile do you think would be best, LFN or LCFN or??? and FWIW I have a throat length of about .210".
Gas checks?
While I don't see anything for a .366 is it possible to get another diameter to fit. I would prefer to shoot a checked bullet.
Sizer die?
The closest thing I have seen is a .363 diameter sizing die. My bore measures .3655" (measured utilizing a .375 push thru slug,) I've read, I believe on this forum, where you mentioned a way to open up a sizing die with your lapping compound and a felt bob in a drill. Would this be an option? and/or could this be done simply enough?
                                Thanks Veral, Kevin

[Reverend Recoil]

I suggest you make your own 9.3mm sizing die.

I shoot paper patched 0.358” bullets in my Ruger No.1 9.3x74R.  I honed a Lee bullet sizing die to 0.368”.  The hone was made by cutting a 1” slot in the end of a piece of 5/16” steel rod with a hack saw.  A strip of 400 grit sand paper was slipped in the slot and wrapped around the rod for a tight fit in the die.  The hone was powered by an electric  hand drill.  Progress was checked by sizing and measuring lead slugs.  The final 0.002” enlargement was finished with 600 grit sand paper.  This complete process took less than an hour.

Paper patching SAECO 0.358” 245 gr. cast bullets to 9.3mm has worked well.  No custom mold, gas checks, or lubricant is needed.  They have killed several large boar hogs.

[crash87]

Although it has merit, I prefer not to paper patch. Your description of enlarging the sizing die is what I was looking for and it will be what I will be doing. Out of curiosity, What does your bore dia. measure on your No.1? Thanks Kevin

[cjensen]

Crash, I'm not Veral, but I have an LBT LFN 250 grain .367 gas check mold for my double rifle in 9.3X74R.
I have a STAR sizer and had a die made for it.
I had a neck expanding "M" die stem made for the brass.
Per Verals instructions I informed him I would be using .375 gas checks and he cut the mold to accommodate them.
I am using LBT lube and pushing them around 2400 fps.
No problems what so ever.

[Veral]

  You got some pretty good answers here already.  However, it is much faster to open up a lee die using grit from the LBT lap kit on two bullets.  Push them through till there is little resistence, drop them in your melting pot and start with a second set.  Before each set, push a couple bullets without lap compound through and measure the second one to get the sizer diameter.  You can probably open up a sizer .005 within 20 minutes and it will be more precise than if you polish it out with emery on a 'butterfly', which is an old machinest term for a split rod and abrasive paper.

  I'll make any weight and diameter bullet you want, and .375 checks will be required on many, depending on what your individual gun measures.  I strongly recommend that you lap the barrel using the LBT lap kit.  Doing so will dramatically shorten the process of making the gun shoot cast.

[Reverend Recoil]

The bore of my Ruger No.1 measured 0.366".

[crash87]

Thanks Veral, cjensen, & Reverend, I now have some direction in which to proceed. Yes Veral, I certainly will be Lapping the bore. I kind of concider myself a veteran at the practice as I've "had" some practice on a few of my rifles and revolvers. Thanks again, CRASH

[Veral]

  I just cut a mold for a 9.3 rifle with groove diameter of .371 and throat slightly larger.  The customer will get beautiful results immediately, with the first loads he puts together because the bullet will fit with precision.

  Does it really matter to this customer what size any other 9.3 rifle has?  His is in fact a 9.42!!!  The bullet is set up for .375 gas checks, and his only 'speical' requirement will be an oversize expander, which he can probably get by without.  Had this customer bought any production mold, and even if he shot the bullets unsized, his close range targets would have had keyholes with a buckshot pattern, and at long range, the targets would last forever as the bullets would never hit them!  No matter if he experimented till doomsday.

  It's a lesson to remember.  If a cast bullet is even a half thousandth undersize performance will be at least compromised, and probably abominal.  Anything oversize is better than undersize, as long as rounds will chamber easily.  The point here is, buying a bunch of molds which don't have a diameter guaranteed to fit the gun of interest is far too often an attempt in futility, and way more expensive than getting something that you know will work from the git go!

  I love to stand up here and preach this message, because I know it is so important that  it has been the main thrust of LBT for 30 years, while, in all that time, most other mold makers don't give a rip.  They don't have to because of customer ignorance!