.38-50 Hepburn

[Kurt]

Let me know how that works. It should make a very light recoiling load for the chickens.
That almost looks like Arnies design without a Hemi ball up front.


Here is that same bullet at Buff A with the .090 R Hemi nose
https://www.buffaloarms.com/371-310-grn-...1310e.html

[JKR]

Kurt,
It is Arnie’s design. He tweaked it for my 14 twist 38-55. Of course Tom had to make it with the flat point. Arnie designed it with the hemi point.

JKR

[beltfed]

Jim, Kurt
The BACO 371310E lists as "available". That says they may have run more than one of them. Matt Steckel had ordered it a few weeks ago after I designed it for him and for you, Jim.
Matt told me a couple days ago he should have the mold soon
It's length is for 14-15 twist 38s
Or could be a chicken bullet for 38-50s, 12 or maybe even my 10 twist
Arnie

[Kurt]

Arnie is getting around in the bullet moulds
I just placed an order at Buff A last Friday for another one of Arnies EDDPP altered for my Hepburn Chamber that has a mile of free bore and a very shallow lead throat. This is starting to get interesting with all these .38's starting to come into bloom
If this keeps up I will have to order a third wide bodied safe or maybe I should start selling some of my shooters.

[J.B.]

I've not a 38 to play with but its still interesting to follow. Certainly dont have the 'runs on the board' that some of you guys have but while I would choose a radius meplat over a flat , in reality it has not proven to be too detrimental in practice ..at least in my limited experience. 1/8" seems a lot and the ratio of the flat to the diameter of the bullet would seem more an issue perhaps with 38's vs 40, 44 and larger. Finally managed a shoot on steel out to 900 yds last weekend using a new Accurate dd 40 cal design with the 1/8" meplat and 1.33" overall in a 1/16" twist. I wasnt that happy with my wrapping but it must be getting better because I was hitting more than I was missing. Boy doesnt that make a nice change ! This bullet has a more shallow ogive blending into the flat...whilst another design I made up had a sharper taper to the flat. It still shoots..but I'd give the nod to the more blunt profile.. at least in this equation. Just took delivery of a BACo 45 gg mould for a friend and it went from sketches to schematic to delivered in less than a month. Its a work of art of course... almost sorry I had to forward it on. Still another brass Acc mould in the pipeline. I really should set up a shop.
J.B.

[Kurt]

Gavin,

I have all sorts of bullet moulds with different ogive shape. I favor the one to 1-1/2 caliber diameter radius ( a 1/2 caliber is a round nose ) over the long slender 2.5-3 calibers.
Yes the originals, almost a round nose, you need a little more twists on the sight staff elevation for the long range but they will reach that long range target.
Good to see that they let you get on the range. You must be getting some moisture finally.

Kurt

[JKR]

So far the Accurate bullet isn’t showing me any love.
I’ve run loads from 52 to 59 grains of Swiss 1 1/2. 59 being a full case and 52 as low as I can go without a filler to keep the bullet against the lands.
I’ve also tried paper from SC55W ( thinnest) to my KC 9# (thickest)
Bullets have all been cast at 16:1
I’ve only shot three shot groups at 110 yards. All are in the 2 to 2 1/2” range. I shoot then dash back into the warm shop to wipe. Not an ideal situation, but that’s how it is when trying to function at zero degrees. This could certainly contribute to the accuracy problem so I won’t test again until it’s warmer.

Using irons from the bench, I’m usually good for five shot groups that are 1 1/2” or better. I’ve had a few that were less than an inch with this rifle and a groove size, round nose, from Jim K’s 375 H&H mould.

I’m scratching my head trying to think where to go next with this DD bullet.

JKR

[Kurt]

Jim,

I also held off developing loads until it warms up. When it's below freezing I just cant get the control of the rifle and mostly I cant feel the trigger after a few shots fired with wet fingers.
I have most cases formed now and most of this I did in the garage with the doors down and the heater running shooting the corn meal loads with smokeless powder.
The few I shot loaded with black and bullets showed good results with just using old powder and bullets I saved when casting warming the mould up but it surprised me how well they cut the hole with most rounds fired with out fouling control, 4 shots sometimes without wiping the bore but this chamber has a very long bore diameter freebore. I guess the chamber is cut for jacketed bullets in mind.
I was able to shoot a couple loads with the 371-345 DD bullets but I could see a problem with the DD seated mostly in the case.
I loaded some with the wad flush with the case mouth and breach seated the bulet ahead the shell tight on the land and the group was cut in halve. This is something I expected anyway when I found the chamber had freebore.
This made me reorder a DD bullet with a longer DD band that will sit in the case and fit tight in the shallow throat lead.
I will work up loads when I get the mould and I might in the meantime recut the DD in this mould to fit the throat.
I should have had a reamer made like I did with some of my other rifles.
If I have to I will reset the barrel and use my reamer I will have made if this rifle won't shoot to my expectations.

[ian45662]

200 yard group.

[craneman]

Oh My!!
Well that sucks!
Last time I had a target that looked like that I had the wrong sight setting on here at home and was skipping them in!
Todd