Oregon Trail 44-40 Bullets

Bryan Austin · January 01, 2011, 05:28:57 PM

Anyone know what design bullet Oregon used to case their 44-40? I had a few hundred laying around so I melted the smokeless lube off and thought about greasing them up trying them out on some targets.

Christopher Carson · January 02, 2011, 06:46:37 AM

I'm pretty sure they use Magma molds... including bevel base...

BHN probably somewhere north of 18 or so...

-Chris

Bryan Austin · January 02, 2011, 08:03:07 PM

Quote from: Christopher Carson on January 02, 2011, 06:46:37 AM
I'm pretty sure they use Magma molds... including bevel base...

BHN probably somewhere north of 18 or so...

-Chris

Sure does look like it to me!

Dick Dastardly · January 06, 2011, 08:45:05 AM

Them Oregun Trail boolits have puny lube groves. They may work in your pistols, for a while, but they will coke up yer rifle unless you use lube cookies under 'em and scrub the barrel often .

You may get by using some kiss yer sister sub/replica powder to push 'em downrange.

DD-DLoS

Bryan Austin · January 06, 2011, 05:06:22 PM

Quote from: Dick Dastardly on January 06, 2011, 08:45:05 AM
Them Oregun Trail boolits have puny lube groves. They may work in your pistols, for a while, but they will coke up yer rifle unless you use lube cookies under 'em and scrub the barrel often .

You may get by using some kiss yer sister sub/replica powder to push 'em downrange.

DD-DLoS

This I did notice. I melted some down and made Mav bullets...hehehehehehehe

Pettifogger · January 06, 2011, 09:26:08 PM

They are also extremely hard. Hard lead is OK for the subs, but I like soft lead for real BP.

upupjj · January 06, 2011, 09:54:43 PM

I'm not sure myself, but I bet Bob Carry at 503-708-5110 knows. This guy knows everything about powder, casings, reloading, guns etc.
Good luck!

upupjj

Christopher Carson · January 07, 2011, 07:56:30 AM

Quote from: Pettifogger on January 06, 2011, 09:26:08 PM
They are also extremely hard. Hard lead is OK for the subs, but I like soft lead for real BP.

I guessed "north of 18 BNH" earlier, but I just happened across a Duke Venturino article on Handloader #270 (Feb 2011) that says Oregon Trail uses a "proprietary alloy it rates as having a BHN of 24." That'd be even (slightly) harder than straight linotype, which is ~ 22 BHN if I remember right.

-Chris

Fairshake · January 13, 2011, 11:56:32 AM

Linotype will test out at 22 BHN. As a 100% BP shooter I would stay away from shooting them. I cast my own and use a 20-1 alloy which is a BHN of 10. Perfect for BP