Author Topic: Slugged the New Handi (Read 613 times)

Haywire Haywood · « **on:** January 14, 2005, 02:11:29 PM »

I was going to get a 460 sizer for the new 45-70 'cause I remember DJ saying they like the fat bullets but thought I'd better slug the barrel before I start throwing the greenbacks around. Lo and Behold, the thing slugged .456-.457. I've always heard that NEFs always had oversize barrels. My 458 sizer will do fine I think. It seems fairly short throated too. I loaded some Saeco 412gr RFs to the crimp groove and they engraved on closing. The trigger is nice tho, haven't put a scale on it yet but it feels better than both my 357 and the BC.

Ian

JPH45 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2005, 02:20:37 PM »

What did you use for you slug?

Haywire Haywood · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2005, 02:40:11 PM »

I've got one of those "Slug Your Bore" kits from Midway. It has several sets of soft lead slugs ranging in diameter from .452-.462. I bought it for slugging my 45LC but the bigger ones have come in handy for the BC and now the Handi. I'm told (and I've done it) that you can use any fish sinker large enough to fill the grooves when you drive it thru. Grease it up first. My kit came with grease just for the purpose.

Ian

JPH45 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2005, 03:20:51 PM »

I asked for a couple reasons, DJ has suggested using a .490 round ball for the slug, cheap and fairly easy to come by. Second, your thread reminded me to do something, whihc was take my bore gages and find my bore diameter, .451. This is good. One side of the gage is larger than the other so it doesn't give a reading I trust of the groove diameter, but I got a repeatable .457, but it could be .460 for all I know.

I've ordered that 38-55 barrel, and from everything I have read, this barrel has some weird dimensioning going on and can be quite a challange to get to shoot well. So I'm about to move up a level or two in my cast bullet shooting. Up till now, if the bullet could be made to shoot well at any reasonable velocity I was happy, but I want to get a 2000 fps load or better out of the 38-55 so I'm gonna have to up the ante in my casting efforts and the 45-70 seems a good place to start at present.

I made up some 20:1 last weekend, and found it casting undersize, went back and checked out bullets from past sessions and sure enough, undersize. On another board, DJ said that mold release made his molds drop undersize by .001, I was seeing .002-.003. I cleaned out my 340 mold and sure enough, it started casting .4565-.4575, can't get any better than that. Went out and shot three, and fired a 2" group where 3 was the best previous with that load, my eyes and iron sights. Gonna shoot some more tomorrow and see how I can group 'em. The last I was shooting that bullet was with a scope (that wasn't busted) and I was getting 2" 5 shot groups with 3 in clover leaf to 3/4" clusters, but no rhyme or reason to the order that made the cluster

I've rambled enough Ian, and can't seem to get where I wanted to go, sorry to take up so much of your post,

John

Haywire Haywood · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2005, 04:25:47 PM »

I tried using RBs to slug something, can't remember what exactly but I recall I didn't have any luck with them. They didn't seem to have enough bearing surface to grab and turn. Maybe the RBs weren't big enough to start with.

About your mold casting undersize, there is a post somewhere I read about coating a bullet from that mold with a mild abrasive and spinning it in the mold with a drill. I've never done it but I think they said that you can enlarge your mold a thou or two that way. Seems like it would round every square corner in the mold. I dunno. Haven't tried it. In fact I haven't cast anything worth shooting since last summer. I fell out of shooting for a couple months in the fall, moved to a new house in December and haven't set my casting stuff up yet. I just ordered a box of 400gr RFs from Midway to make do till I get the casting bench in the barn set up... it's gonna be awhile.

Ian

jgalar · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2005, 05:35:05 PM »

I use egg sinkers, some wheel bearing grease and a wood dowel cut into about 6" pieces. It only costs a few bucks.

Deadeye47 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2005, 08:29:18 PM »

Quote from: jgalar

I use egg sinkers, some wheel bearing grease and a wood dowel cut into about 6" pieces. It only costs a few bucks.

That! Is a dern good idea!! Thanks jgalar...geeze I love this forum.....