Swaged Bullets?

[RMulhern]

Has anyone here tested the swaged bullets in .45 caliber offered by Buffalo Arms? If there is a posting on this subject I'd appreciate being pointed in the right direction!

Thanks!

[Gunny]

Sharpsman,

While I have not tested the swagged bullet from Gullo, I have done a lot of testing of the bullets from Buffalo Bullet Co. in Los Angeles. Gullo's bullet, and I have seen them, is a very good looking bullet. He uses a method of cutting the GG into the bullet and this is a very labor intensive process. Last time I heard they have to hand handle these bullets 10 or 11 times in the process. This makes the bullets a little pricey, but they are very good looking. The swagged bullet from Buffalo Bullet Co. has the GG knurled into the bullet, this process does not make quite as "Good Looking" bullet, but they will shoot very well. I have shot severeal 100's of these bullets in testing and they are a good shooting bullet. Not better than a cast bullet but as good. The advantage to any of these swagged bullets is you don't have to cast, and that is the only advantage that I can see. As I said they shoot good just as good as a cast bullet but certainly no better. If you don't want to cast this would be the way to go and it would not put the shooter at a disadvantage.

Gunny

[RMulhern]

Thanks for the reply! I have no distain for casting bullets; been doing that since about 1950! Damn...more years than I like to recall! Basically my question was based upon the question in my mind as to how the grease grooves were being put on the bullet. I have quite a bit of machine shop knowledge and in my "congested mind"....small as it may be...I have not been able to come up with a logical reason/method as to how lube grooves could be made WITHOUT destroying the basic shooting qualities that any good bullet should have; such as being able to retain "roundness"! I can "go"...with the swaged PP.....but I think I'll pass on the lube groove stuff and just keep on casting! I guess I'm just blessed as I rather like producing a batch of good cast bullets!

Semper Fi!

[Lead Pot]

I swage a lot of my bullets,both with grooves and patch.
I have a .458 swage die with a two diameter ogive I use a lot for a sharps with a long troth for makind a grease groove bullet with out a step (like a bore rider).I know it is a long prosses casting lubing than swaging,and you can get away with swaging a GG bullet with out distorting the GG with the lube in it before swaging.It trues up the base with a sharp edges and the weight,or I can cut grooves in the bullet.
I found that bullet with out a step will shoot just as good in a chamber with a long troth,when you load with the bullet engraving the lanz, as a chamber with out a long troth.

Kurt

[Rick Crabtree]

I found them very uniform and very accurate.

[Vic]

I've used the Buffalo Arms swaged bullets, about 500 of the 575 grainers, and a couple hundred of the 545 grain. I'm new to BPCR and haven't started casting yet. I've been impressed with their uniformity, weighing 100 will typically give me 50 that are within .1 grain, and the rest within a couple more tenths. I sort them so that each group of 10 bullets will weigh out identical, at least to the degree of accuracy of my Pact BBKII electronic scale. The 575 grainers, with 70.0 grains of Goex Ctg, can hold around 1.5 inches at 100 yards from my Shiloh No. 3 heavy half barrel (45/2.1), and shot around 2.5 MOA at the longer distances during my first BPCR shoot last November (That was my fault, I believe - - I had done all the load work up shooting from a bench, resting the rifle on the foreend, and did the BPCR shoot with the barrel resting in the crossed sticks... After the shoot, I went back to the range and found out that shooting with the barrel on the rest opened up the group quite a bit... So now, I'm experimenting with various resting points along the barrel/forearm, to see what works best, and will use that rest point in my next shoot). I bought another 500 of the 575 grainers and am doing more load work up. The bullets are so uniform I'm planning on seeing just how good a load I can work up with these bullets before I try casting. I suspect I'll have to get pretty good at casting before I can drop 50 out of a 100 that are within .1 grain in weight...

[KHR]

Vic,
you have brought up an interesting issue, where is the best spot for positioning the gun on cross sticks? I havent tested yet, I expect position to be really affect harmonics.

So to the experts, where do you position your cross sticks, barrel, forearm, where?


keith

[Stan Koslow]

KHR,

You asked a question that is not spoken to much. X sticks are a favorite and I learned it with stick guns in the ML disipline. Many people think you can get lazy on this . You can't. You have to have good sensitivety with regard to preasure and hold, as it is much easier in my opinion to torqe. I like two inches from end. I want my sticks to bend back in recoil and follow and shoulder a perfect 90 to target face. Shoulder and head must do the same. One fluid motion. I have never done well with sticks planted like a pillar or thick sticks. Your set should be exact. Take your time to set them perfect. Lay your bbl in the sticks while standing and drop the butt to level and then slide under the gun and into position. This helps in eliminating torqe. The weapon is firmly suspended, no more.

Watch your wrist as it is easy to 'bend' a bbl and cheek preasure from top and side. More important is that the head does not float but is tucked up. I like chin in the shoulder. You can take a lot of recoil this way. The tighter you can get the better. Think like a pill bug.

A little talcom powder on top of your bbl will sometimes show you the bbl's sweet spot after the shot. The further toward the end the better if your gun allows. The further toward the forearm a fulcrom affect takes play. I suggest you try hard grips and preasure and watch your strings change. That way you can trouble shoot when it counts. Some people find this form mystical and frustrating but with practice it is as good (I think better) than a conventional bench. My two bits.

[Buckskinner]

Stan

You sure post some good tips for the guys on shooting procedure!

I thank you and your willingness to share your experience!
Gary