Lead "flashing" at rear of bullet after sizing?
I am sizing .258 Hunter supply down with a .255 reamed die (lubed) so they are probably coming out closer to .2555-.256. I have a tiny paper thin bit of flashing at the rear of the bullet. Will this lead to inaccuracy as it seems to me it would be the same effect of not having a good crown on your barrel. Does it blow off when fired? Is there a good way to trim it off. It really isnt that much. I also noticed the hunter supplys if you set them on a table standing up arent standing perfectly straight. You can see varying gaps between the bullets. Is this normal and I am fretting over nothing or should they not be like that?
Thoughts?
All Replies
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
Jeremy,
Good news and bad news.
Good news, I used to get 45 shots per fill with less than 10 FPS deviation, bad news is I was hooked up to a 44 cf scuba tank.
I always shoot tethered for long range.
Charlie
I might give ya a call friday night. Def no grease on the valve…dont want airlock. Dont think its the valve at all. Think it had more to do with the bullet barrel combo.
Hammer should be dry or a light wipe of oil on the barrel. No grease.
Inconsistencies is hard to tell. Could be your chrony. When I tested the valves all shots were from high to low. No up and down in the same string unless I was trying for a curve.
Don’t be afraid to call me.
I can get 950 out of dougs valve but keep in mind that was pushing a .251 through a .255 (but still choked) that was 24″, 23″ now :).
I like the lyman base since it wont be prone flashing at the rear of the bullet when sized since there is gas check space. I just wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be pushing the bullets into an innacurate region but it sounds like they can get close to sonic and still be ok as long as you are 1050 or below. I shouldnt have that problem out of a 23″ barrel and 3200psi anyway.
Ready for Friday so I can get out and see where the gun stands.
One thing I did do was open the lead in for 87gr so there is a little jump to the lands with the 65 gr. I am going to have to try seating the bullet flat with the barrel and then pushed in with a homemade pellet start up to the lands and see where it likes to shoot best.
RC, how many FPS deviation would you say it would take to get a 1.5″ spread at 100 yards? I was seeing quite a bit before the barrel chop and my bullets would group in pairs of two (tried different scopes and a feather light hold on the gun and saw the same thing since no wokguard) but noticed quite a bit FPS between the shots. I think for 3200 psi fill, I had 7 shots which took me down to 2650 (i think or 2250). I was wondering if the FPS inconsistency was causing part of the inaccuracy. Thats why I asked about the barrel lapping and lube…hoping to smooth that out. I lube barrel riding hammer in and out as well.
930 FPS with the 87 in a AF is pretty darn good.
I shoot three bullets, the 71 grain 257420 HP @ 1120 FPS, I have to turn the rifle down by limiting PSI to 3300 PSI to keep it subsonic.
81.5 grain NOE SWC @ 1085-1100 depending on the temperature.
101 grain NOE with a very small metplate @ 985 to 1000 FPS again depending on temperature.
I lube almost everything with 30 Wt Silicone oil.
I have my Haley set up as a two barreled and two scoped rifle, the 1-14 I use for the 71 grain HP and the NOE 81.5 grain bullet and have a Leupold vx111 4.5×14 in Burris mounts, the 1-14 barrel I use for the all three, velocity is a few FPS less due to the faster twist. I have a 30 mm Leupold vx111 4.5×14 LR in shimmed Burris rings and its lowest elevation setting is at 200 yards, I use it exclusively for the very long range shooting 550 out to 750 yards. Bth barrels are 36 inches.
RC
If I can get that accuracy type of at 100, I will be satisfied. Sounds like your setup is similar to mine, minus me not having a wokguard and having a little longer barrel.
What fps do you normally like to shoot? I was getting around 930 with the 87gr (bullet was undersized though. I was trying to target 925, but with these lighter bullets I may be pushing a little faster. What do you lube the bullets with if you lube?
I had the same valve with a 17 inch .255 Lw barrel on an extended frame Talon.
Initially I started off with a LBT mold that cast out at 56 grains and .256, then I started shooting the 257420 and sizing them down. I was getting 830 FPS with the 257420 in the 17 inch barrel and a 3200 PSI fill.
Accuracy was not too bad.
Your on the right track, but if it does not shoot well simply get one of the RL TJ barrels. I know if I had known he was going to produce them I would have never have sold that rifle Mischief has.
RC
150 yards 257420 sized to .256
I have dougs 250 valve. If this doesn’t get good results the next step will be a tj barrel. Figure it doesn’t codt me much to try this option first.
Looking at millers formula the stabilization was .98 with the 87 gr. The 70s should be 1.6 or greater. Millitary recommends 1.5 to 1.7. Hoping to get a little shooting in friday to see where I stand. You are right about being cheap and quality better for sure.
And when you get tired of sizing so much buy one of those RL 257 barrels and a 250 valve from Doug, or a 257 barrel and 257 valve from Doug.
The less you have to size a bullet the better your accuracy will be, as you are seeing with the HS bullets.
Thing is Jeremy once you start pouring bullets, shooting gets a whole lot cheaper.
It costs me around $2.75 per hundred and I pay abut twice for lead what I should pay. If I buy my lead from RJ Porter the cost drops about 45%.
There is no air gun or PB that is that cheaper than that to shoot.
RC
Found a 257420 mold…on order.
Thanks RC. I need to shoot the 63 gr and see how it shoots now that the choke is gone and I have some .2555 bullets for the .255 bore and a lead in cut. If they do good, a lyman mold will be on order once I figure who has the best price and wont have an unknown lead time.
Leaning before sizing……………… well I would suppose that speaks to quality control Jeremy, one more reason to cast them yourself.
As far as helping you with your projects by responding with advice and information, it is my pleasure to infect as many as I can with the air gun cast bullet virus. 😛
RC
I have a case trimmer I can modify. They are leaning before sizing.
Jeremy,
That is one of the ills of sizing too far, trailing lead or as you call it flashing.
I had that on my 257420’s that I used to size down to .256 for my LW barrel, I started using Imperial sizing wax and it stopped, your mileage may very tho.. There are various tools that can remove that, but one of the simplest is a utility knife blade. I made a tool from a Lee Precison deburrin tool, I cut it off right in front of the tapered end with a dremel cut off wheel, inverted it and reattached it with JB Weld, it allows you to debur bullets that are normally too short to debur if the tool is unaltered. Noe also makes a tool for removing flashing or trueing up bases with flashing.
Are those HS bullets leaning before or after your sizing?
RC
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
I’m going to be punching hogs more than paper so I guess its the first shot that counts, right 😉