56-50 Resizing

[Fox Creek Kid]

I am trying to use up some bullets I cast from a custom mould that I had made before the Rapine 350-T mould was available. Interestingly, with the bullets from the Rapine mould I do not need to resize the brass, only bell the mouths & load. With this other bullet I have to resize or the bullet spins in the crimped case. The downside is that with brass that is resized a person gets blowback pretty bad. I annealed these last year and I need to again as that stops blowback. How many here resize every loading?

[matt45]

Howdy, Fox Creek Kid,
I resize each time, mostly bacause it supports the brass when the de-capping goes on.  No real neccesity, considering the strength of the case.

I found the blowback can be minimized with a very positive crimp, and a magnum primer.  Once I switched to 777, the problem was eliminated, by virtue of the hot load

[French Jack]

I rsize my brass for each reload.  I have not had any problem with blowback.  I do use a firm crimp and my preferred primer is the Federal Large Rifle Magnum. 

Since you advised that you had had a few other problems with your Spencer in the beginning, I wonder if your chamber is a bit oversize?  Is the measurements of the custom bullet consistent with the measurements on the Rapine?  Could be the custom is smaller and maybe a tapered bullet. 

I purchased a .515 sizer from Lee, and I have had excellent results with it.  Works better and is more accurate in my gun than sizing to .512 ---- Are you using bullets 'as cast' or sized?  However, if the Rapine bullets are satisfactory, why use anything else?

[Fox Creek Kid]

Are you using bullets 'as cast' or sized?  However, if the Rapine bullets are satisfactory, why use anything else?

I shoot "as cast" after pan lubing. They are the same diameter. The difference is that the Rapine bullet has a larger driving band. I don't like to throw away bullets, French Jack. I want to use 'em up.

Matt45, I don't use BP subs. They are not anything like real BP. There are no fouling issues nor lube troubles with "faux" BP, hence IMO it's just like shooting extra smokey smokeless.

[French Jack]

FCK  -- Sounds as if you need to melt down those 'other' bullets and recast them in the Rapine mould.  That's what I do.