What's more, I did it my way.

[Dick Dastardly]

And, what's more, I did it my way.  Good song, good words.  That's what happened last
Sunday at LodI's Winnequah long range Black Powder Cartridge Rifle (BPCR) match.

I'm fairly new to this great sport, but I'm learnin' fast.  I learned something yesterday
that'll stick with me.  That is that the engineering and design work that went into the
development of the DD-45-70-500 Mk II bullet is sound.  Problem is, I didn't quite trust
the bullets I was shootin'.

We started at the 1000 yard line and shot 15 shot relays there and at the 900 yard and
800 yard lines in that order.  For any pards that have shot at paper from the 1000 yard
distance comes the knowledge that those targets look small and that any wind can
really work on your bullets in flight.  It was my first time shooting at this distance.  I was
green, my gun is fairly new and I had no idea what my sight settings ought to be.  I got
some great help from experienced shooters and got on paper.  I ran out of sight ladder
and had to use an estimated hold over, but I did manage to get a few shots on paper
for score before time ran out.

When we moved forward to the 900 yard line, I did have enough ladder, but I shot
worse.  I was getting so much help that I forgot to "do it my way".  Hey, I'm shooting Big
Lube™ bullets.  I don't need to use a blow tube or wipe between shots.  Ok, there's
learnin' goin' on.

At the 800 yard line I told my spotter that my score was so dismal that I'd like to do an
experiment and to please indulge me.  I shot a couple of quick fouling shots with some
mismatched ammo, then shot three sighters.  After the sighters my spotter asked if I
wanted to wipe or blow tube my bore.  I asked him to wait and watch.  Then, I shot for
score.  No, I didn't win anything, but my score was a LOT better.  What was happening
was that the Big Lube™ concept was working.  The gun was running with a fouled bore
and shooting great.  I just hadn't had confidence to let it run.  When I did, I soon learned
what I've known all along about my SASS main match guns.  You don't have to clean
them to maintain accuracy or function.

I'll be shooting lots more long range BPCR matches with Big Lube™ bullets and as I
learn how to read the wind, tame my release and use more precision in my handloading
my scores will start to climb.  Just like my SASS shooting, I may never win the privilege
of buying a belt buckle, but I'll get more and more respectable scores.  And, the bullets
with the huge lube canyons will move right along with me.  I won't be blowing or wiping
but I will be concentrating on making more holes in the black part of the targets.  And,
what's more, oh so much more, I'll do it my way. . .

DD-DLoS

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Sing it, Frankie!!!!!!!!!

[Silver Creek Slim]

That's great to hear, DD.
I'll be going to Ackley, IA the first weekend of October to shoot at the GAF Muster with the DD-45-70-500 Mk II boolits. I've been told there will be a target at 1000 yards. We'll see how they do.

Slim

[Dick Dastardly]

Thanks Slim,

I had a personal invite to that shindig, but business conflicts prevent me from being there.  So, for me, it looks like next year.

Hey, at 1000 yards, a barn looks small.  I hope your targets are big and the wind don't whirl around too much.

DD-DLoS

[Adirondack Jack]

Sounds like ya dun good, DD.

One of these days ya need to teach me all yer secrets about lube fer BPCR bullets.  I am disadvantaged, as there exists no Big Lube bullet for the .50-70, and with the 36 inch pipe on the old Remmie Roller, I've not been able to see a star on the muzzle yet.  I gotta git me some real, honest to goodness 20:1 fer my next batch of bullets, and find some better lube for the Lyman 435 than what I spun up with criso and beeswax.

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Jack,

My new formula Pearl Lube jest mite make it to the end of yer tube.  But till I kin get some in yer hands, try this.  Go to yer neighborhood pretty good health and natural food store and buy some small gel caps.  Fill 'em gel caps with a good soupy lube and put 'em under yer boolits, but on top of an over powder wad.  Try not to crush 'em if ya kin.  That way, ya get a good squirt of lube in addition to the lube in yer groves.  It jest mite make the difference.

I did this with my ol 8mm06 with cast boolits and lube sprayed out the muzzle.  It made 'em skimpy Lyman boolits act like Big Lube™ 8mm boolits.  Heck, I put five in the x ring first time out.  It's slow loading, but it works.

DD-DLoS

[Mad Mucus]

GOOD STUFF !!!

DD,
I'm likin' what I'm hearing and experiencing with your Big Lube Bullets.

AJ,
I'm looking to try a new lube mix, 50%beeswax/50% lanolin grease(anhydrous) and a little Wintergreen oil to stabilize. The liquid lanolin spray I'm using before and after a BP session is working wonders and should pair up well with this lube. No need for clean-up till  just before the next outing. 

I'm getting a great lube star on my Marlin 24" tube using 4parts beeswax, 3 parts copha, 1 part olive oil + Wintergreen.

Mucus

[Adirondack Jack]

Good info here pards.  I'm copying this stuff for the .50-70 file.

Also playing with a new (to me) concept for rust protection and bore seasoning.  Olive oil, it's not just for salad any more.  I will report back on results.

[Mason Stillwell]

Hey Dick

I wasn't shooting 1000 yards . BUT I did manage to pull off plainsman at the Verde Valley range Wars and after 30 shots a spritz of Moose Milk and one patch and my little rifle was clean as a whistle. I did not miss one rifle shot.

I am SOLD on the Big Lube Boolit

Mason

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Mason,

I'm glad to hear that they flew for ya shootn' Plainsman.  Which one were ya shootn'?

For ranges inside 400 yards, the DD/PRS 45-70 390 does a great job and don't beat up yer shoulder near as bad.  It's also a better choice for deer.  Cuts has a post where they were wearin' out the X ring with it at 200 yards.

For ranges over 400 yards, I prefer the big DD 45-70 500.  It handles the wind a mite better and that spitzer nose don't drop velocity as fast.  Not that there was all that much velocity to begin with.  I'd like to hear from someone shootn' it out of a 45-90 or 45-110.  I'm ponderin' havin' my roller reamed out to 45-90, cept brass for that is a LOT more expensive. . .

DD-DLoS

[Silver Creek Slim]

DD,
I read on article by Iron Duke recently stating that some of the BPRC .45-70 shooters are using FFFg to bump up the velocity instead of going to .45-90, etc.

I loaded some 500's last night. I settled on a Goex FFg 65.5 gr load with a orange juice carton waxed card wad between boolit and powder. While working on the load, I started with 58 gr then compressed with my drill press. Not enough powder, so I kept adding in same increments and compressing. I stopped at 71 gr, added a waxed card wad and boolit. I couldn't seat the boolit enough to chamber the round. So, I pulled the boolit and waxed card wad, and seated another boolit. I could then chamber the round. I didn't think I could get that much powder under that boolit. BTW, I'm seating the boolit a hair's width off the lands which makes the brass just touch the back of the driving band. I'll hopefully test 'em on Saturday at 600+ yards.

Slim

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Slim,

That's real close to the load I'm usin'.  I've been puttin' in about that much Swiss FFFg and topping it off with a Circle Fly 1/16" over powder wad.  I had plenty of lube all the way to the muzzle and cleanup was just as easy as my main match rifles.  Since I don't like the tall price of Swiss, I'm thinkn' of switchin' to Schutzen or Wano when I reorder.

The thing I had to do was to settle down and concentrate on my shooting and forget about all the fussing with the bore.  As soon as I did that my accuracy immediate started improving and continued to improve.  Apparently this bullet wants to get shot thru a bore fouled by another like it.  That would be consistant with the Big Lube™ main match bullets we have been shooting.  Mason had great luck shootn' that way and that's where I found the sweet spot.  I'm startin' to think we may have found the Holy Grail of BPCR shootn'.  That is "shoot dirty and shoot accurate".  Cuts had similar results out to the 200 yard line from the 390 RNFP Big Lube™ bullet.

I'm gettn' excited.

DD-DLoS