Boolit casting

[Joeaksa]

Hey Mark,

The picture is not the best in the world. Pls put a 30.06 then a 5.56 round with these so that the guys who have never handled this can see the size difference. These rounds are massive...

Joe A

[Jeff Higgins]

Here is a photo showing relative size of a number of common (and not so common) cartridges. These are all ones I'm currently reloading.



From left to right:

.357 mag 158g cast, .357 mag 158g JSP, .45 ACP 200g cast, .45 ACP 230g cast, .45ACP 230g JHP, .44 Special 250g cast, .44 mag 300g cast, .45 Colt 270g cast, .45 Colt 300g cast, .223 50g V-Max, .220 Swift 60g V-Max, .220 Swift 60g Sierra, 6.5x55 160g Sierra, .30-'06 180g Failsafe, .30-'06 200g Partition, .375 H&H 300g Sierra, .45-70 400g cast, .45-70 400g Speer, .45-70 540g cast, .458 Win Mag 500g Hornady, .45-2.6 Sharps 550g cast.

[nynor]

what in the world is that bullet to the left of the .308 moly bullet? (i think it is .308...)

edit: ah... 6.5x55 160g Sierra. that is a LONG bullet. i've seen some guys shooting that particular rifle at the range. they were deadly accurate.

[Drdogface]

OK Joe...

Here ya' go but Jeff really beat me to it in spades...

Right to left.. 50 BMG, 416 Rigby, 45/90, 38/70, 270 WSM, 223, 30 Carbine, 38 Spcl, 22 Magnum

I have several rifles that shoot all but the 50BMG and 416 Rigby but have shot the Rigby...once You really need to lean into that one shooting off hand. I wouldn't dream of shooting a 50 BMG off hand. Guess I left out the 45/70 this time... oh well.

[Drdogface]

[QUOTE=Jeff Higgins;7157187]Here is a photo showing relative size of a number of common (and not so common) cartridges. These are all ones I'm currently reloading.

Jeff,
Quite a collection and amazing that you reload all those, meaning you must have arms that chamber each one which is even more impressive. Hats off to you, Amigo

[Jeff Higgins]

Thanks, Mark - there is indeed a fine line between "hobby" and "addiction".

Funny, when I think about it, there are only four calibers shown in that photo for which I only have one firearm. All the rest feed at least two arms, if not more. Many more, in some cases...

[Drdogface]

That's some kinda nice gun collection... I'll send you my address and you can put me in your will

Pleasure chatting with you. You are always a good source of info on gun stuff.

[Jeff Higgins]

My pleasure, Mark. It's always fun chatting it up with a knowledgeable fellow enthusiast. Not many bullet casters around, especially ones that wade into the deep end of the pool - the black powder cartridge rifle game.

I well remember the firestorm Mr. Theodore stirred up with his early experiments with that .38-70. You asked me if I was familiar with his efforts some time back in another thread. I didn't realize you were one of the guys playing around with that number as well. I've tried to make bottle necked black powder rounds shoot well, so I have some inkling as to what you guys were going through. My hat's off to you.

While I do have to say I came down firmly on the more "traditional" side of the controversy regarding the use of some of the ideas you guys came up with being employed in competition, I very much respected the advancements in BPCR technology. I have to think that if black powder in cartridges had enjoyed a bit longer run in the mainstream, that is where we would have eventually wound up. Oh well, we'll never know. All I know is that "smokeless powder is a passing fad".

[Drdogface]

Jeff, I had no idea that you knew Dan Theodore but then I guess most avid BP shooters know him.. He's been a good friend for many years and I always enjoyed shooting with him. I had to give up prone shooting because of severe arthritis in my left shoulder...the one you really lean on. I had a great time then, though, and under the tutelage of Dan several of us got better than we otherwise would have. The conversion from 45/70 to 38/70 never stopped costing us barrels of money though...LOL...It does shoot will but not as good in wind...which we always seemed to have plenty of. I still do have the rifle but have not fired it in a long while. I may try to get into lever rifle silhouette which is just as much fun. No more Creedmoor though. Got to Master Class in that before I had to quit which made me happy as heck. I had good spotters...

Dan, as you may recall, went thru a bunch of criticism re: his 38/70 with people challenging it's originality as an old caliber and not a wild cat. He weathered it well, but I don't think he ever won any big matches with it. I should look for a BPCR (Browning) bbl and turn it back into an 45/70. The one I took off had a ring in the chamber so it's gone. Also messed around a bit with his version of 38/50 which he made from 30/40 Krag brass. It wasn't as good.

Guess we'll talk down the trail.. Always a pleasure...