Author Topic: What Bullet Size?  (Read 956 times)

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Offline Patriot_1776

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What Bullet Size?
« on: October 13, 2004, 03:06:00 PM »
Veral, I'm new to wanting to try cast bullet shooting (I don't cast my own though...).  So my question is which size in diameter should I go for in contrast to measurements I would take from my barrel/cylinder chamber?  My confusion rests on what is better for accuracy; lets say my barrel and chamber configs run at .455" exactly.  What diameter of bullet should I go for, for instance: Would a bullet of .4555" be best, or one of .456" or a little larger?  My idea is the bullet's "grab" on the rifling is what could help with accuracy.  Thanks for your time, which I know is precious, in developing an answer to my question.  Patriot
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Offline Veral

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What Bullet Size?
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2004, 08:12:33 AM »
Let me start your answer by stating that it is near impossible for you to try cast bullets and learn anything about the performance which LBT offers and which I talk about in this forum without casting your own bullets, or having someone handcast and custom size for you.  There are only a couple of casters that I'm aware of who use LBT molds which were cut by LBT.  When I was put out of business for those 4-5 years interlopers stepped in with "LBT molds" which aren't.

  (Please take this kindly if you are commercial caster and reading it.  I have no intent to harm but only want to keep MY potential customers from harm.  In this case believing all cast bullets are the same. ) To be a profitable commercial caster today, producing the normal gun shop cast bullets, requires that the final seller get a price that is barely over the retail price of bullet alloy.  In other words, the caster makes his money by purchasing large volumes of alloy at low whosale prices and applies the cheapest lubricant he can purchase that will stay on until the bullets are sold.   High quality is impossible, and can never be made possible, because the purchasers of these bullets simply do not understand cast and purchase the lowest price they can lay hands on.  

  So, answering your question as you expect would be repeat of several answers I've already given in this forum, and since you are new to cast, you should read everything which appears to be informative in this forum.  You'll find that I try to give broad answers to cover many aspects and tie the many factors together, which govern cast bullet performance.  So this forum will educate you quite well.  Also read the information given in my catalog, and purchase my book Jacketed Performance with Cast Bullets.  With all that information, you have a good chance of getting fair results with commercial cast bullets if you hold velocities down to a point where leading isn't a problem.
Veral Smith