Rainy weekend = casting 44 productivity

[cohutt]

3 44 mag molds on loan from generous fellow GPer.
+
Monsoon weekend
=
Productive boolit making

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp014.jpg

[cohutt]

First, the oddball Lee 200g~ish HP single mold

3 alloys cast

One ww+, one 50/50, one 30:1

The 3 alloys cast from 205-210g

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp008.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp009.jpg

Lars in the grooves, sized .430

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp013.jpg

[cohutt]

Next, RCBS 300g GC.
Alloy WW:Mono 4:1
Weight was 299.1 ave

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp004.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp005.jpg

Hornady checks installed & Lars

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp011.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp010.jpg

[nitesite]

'hutt, dose are wondermous looking.

I wish I had the money and all to be able to do that.

[cohutt]

3rd, NEI 310g plain base.....

Alloy was ww:lino 5:1

Dropped consistent 326-327g (the label on the mold box says it would drop 309g bullets with linotype)

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp006.jpg


Ready to jump in some starline:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp012.jpg

[Blackdog]

Those are a bit heavy-for-caliber in 44mag. What kinda firearm (handgun? rifle?).

[Steve Koski]

Cohutt shoots them in a 2" snub. He aint askeered of nuthin!

[cohutt]

Dang blackdog, don't be ruining my fun with facts.

A 629 classic (my hog hunting backup), a SBH and prolly an excuse for a nice lever rifle.

I've shot 300g xtps over 19g? H110 and kind of liked them in small doses.

[AdamN]

Yep 300 XTP's are nice. Them HP bullets are really nice..

Good lookin stuff all around:yesnod:

[BigSlick]

Nice work cohutt ;)

Glad ta see someone pouring some

[mbradst]

Looks like some potent piggy medicine Cohutt.

[Blackdog]

Haven't fired anything over 240 gr in my SRH. Might hafta try some of those GC 300 grainers.

Definitely been jones'in for a 44 mag rifle. You been looking at any one in particular?

Well, they ain't as purty as those legions of 44's, but I managed to make a small pile of 45acp projos last evening.

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo44/Blackdog_08/Silverboolits.jpg

[The10mmKid]

Cohutts casting is like a potent onion . . . . . . . .





They both bring tears to yours eyes.


Beautiful work indeed,
da Kid

[CZ93X62]

Pure artwork, Cohutt. Sublimely beautiful.

I got a free day to play in the garage yesterday, since Marie wore herself out rock-hounding on Saturday. I cleaned guns that I fired on Friday and Saturday while the furnace warmed up, then poured bullets for 41 Magnum (Lyman #410032) and 45 Colt (Lyman #454424).

[cohutt]

Funny how some days the lead flows perfectly and other days it just won't work no matter what. Even though you think you are doing thinks exactly as before something is off.

Most of those 320s were on their third (and final) trip through the pot - i had a few from last week that were ok but the more i inspected i just wasn't satisfied, most bullets had something wrong. I recast some friday night but it wasn't going well so i shut it down.
Saturday I increased temp of both lead and mold a little, finally got perfect fill with just a shade of frostiness- perfect finally.

The gas checked RCBS spit out perfect boolits from the first cast. Sunday the 30-1 mix hit perfect from the lee HP mold. (Sure is easy to size 30-1 vs WW)

Blackdog i also ran about 500 le 200g 45s out of a lee 6x mold and cut my teeth on a new to me star sizer. They weren't as pretty as these so they didn't get any billing but will be loaded and shot long before i make a dent in these 44s.

[jawjaboy]

Nice Bro C. Real nice. :yesnod: Made me water all up.
.

[JW6108]

You should be ashamed of yourself if you shoot up those shiny Lee's.

[cohutt]

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp016.jpg

[AdamN]

What the heck is that in the foreground, your lucky rabbits foot?

[cohutt]

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bullet%20porn/bp015.jpg

[The10mmKid]

Hey Cohutt,
I noticed your markings in the case and your load data record.

My questions are;
Does one have to work up a load for each bullet casting session?
If the hardness varies from pot-to-pot or ingot-to-ingot, does it cause concern?

Thank You teacher,
'da Kid

[cohutt]

Hey Cohutt,
I noticed your markings in the case and your load data record.

My questions are;
Does one have to work up a load for each bullet casting session?
If the hardness varies from pot-to-pot or ingot-to-ingot, does it cause concern?

Thank You teacher,
'da Kid



I don't work it down to the detail such that i work up loads for each pot or casting session. I keep my lead alloys segregated according to type; i have experimented previously with various end alloys and kept decent records. When i sit down to cast I repeat the mixes that work for the caliber/load I am casting for.

In the case of the 44s from these molds, I am in uncharted waters. I haven't cast 300+g 44s and have never used gaschecks in any caliber. These are harder alloy that I have used in 240g plinkers previously since i intend on pushing them harder and maybe even hunt with them one day.
The HPs are new to me as well; I cast 3 different alloys for it- something a little stiffer that WW, 50/50 ww/pure and 30:1 pure:tin. I figure the HP would be most effective with the softest alloy that shoots accurately (without leading).

So since all these are new loads from just about every variable they are documented very well and will be evaluated from velocity, pressure signs, accuracy, leading and maybe even wet newspaper penetration/expansion or something along those lines.

If I'm lucky enough that thes combos (my best guesses going in) aren't disasters in any of the categories above I'll refine the winners a little more. If i get a bunch of keyholed targets, stuck cases, leaded barrels etc I'll regroup and start over.