bullet diameter

Support for the 1863 shooter. Discussions of powders, loads, bullets, etc.
Post Reply
loophole
Posts: 179
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 4:15 pm
Location: asheville

bullet diameter

Post by loophole »

I have a lot of experience with cast bullets in cartridge guns, including 45-70 cartridges loaded with black powder.
My favorite 45-70 bullet is a tapered 490gr lyman. The base band is about .001" over groove dia. I've gotten decent accuracy with bore dia. bullets cast soft but I think they need to be 1 to 2 thousands over groove dia to give best results.
What size do y'all find works best in a "63? My armisport mics .548 groove dia., and it doesn't do worth a hoot with any of the undersize bullets I have used, including the x-mas tree bullet from buffalo, which is about .544 at the base.
How much over groove dia can you go without problems?
How do you get consistent seating depth with over groove dia bullets in a paper cartridge?
If at first you don't secede, try, try again.
If at first you don't secede, try, try again.
ndnchf
Posts: 258
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2003 4:03 pm
Location: Virginia

Post by ndnchf »

I shoot the 475gr. ringtail bullet from Buffalo Arms
in my Pedersoli 1859 Infantry rifle and it shoots really
well.
http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,4942.html

My groove diameter is .544", this bullet is a tad larger than the advertised .542". I seat the bullet with a short starter. It seems to engage the rifleing and stop at the same point every time. The chamber of mine holds about 54-55 grains of FFG.
Never trust a man who wears both suspenders AND a belt.
loophole
Posts: 179
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 4:15 pm
Location: asheville

Post by loophole »

I take it, then, that you're seating the bullet with the larger rear band just touching the rifling, and getting good accuracy?
I'll try this approach.
If at first you don't secede, try, try again.
ndnchf
Posts: 258
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2003 4:03 pm
Location: Virginia

Post by ndnchf »

Yes, it is working pretty well for me. The trouble I have is the lousy barrel sights that my eyes have trouble with :wink:
Never trust a man who wears both suspenders AND a belt.
Rich Siegel
Posts: 610
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2002 7:53 am
Location: Maine

Post by Rich Siegel »

If memory serves me right, my Shiloh barrel's groove diameter is aroung .544 and I use a Rapine Christmas tree bullet with the last band being around .549. I tried sizing the bullet closer to groove diameter but the gun shoots best with the bullet unsized.

Rich
Todd Birch
Posts: 2133
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:01 pm
Location: Somewhere in the Cariboo ....

Rapine Mould #544475

Post by Todd Birch »

The rings on my Rapine "Christmas tree" bullet measure:

top - .529"
middle - .534"
bottom - .545"

Truly, a 'one size fit's all' proposition. Accuracy in my Shiloh '63 Sporter is excellent. Diameter variance will occur depending upon alloy.

I glue one of Charlie Hahn's rolled paper tubes over the base ring for a reduced powder charge and hand lube the bullet.

Paper cartridges that fill the chamber hold a LOT of powder, making most brass cartridge BPCRs wimps by comparison. I've had good results with 90 gr loads, but recoil gets my attention, even with a lace on recoil pad from BA.

I intend to make one of my '63s my main hunting rifles next year. I've taken enough game with the 45-70 and 50-70 to need a new challenge.
"From birth to the packing house, we travel between the two eternities ....." Robert Duvall in "Broken Trail"
Post Reply