kirst conversion ammo

[bear tooth billy]

I recently gpt a 51 navy with a kirst conversion on it. I was looking at ammo choices, the hollow base
lead .357" loaded in long colt brass or the heeled bullets loaded in special brass. Any pointers on accuracy
between the two? I ussually cast my own bullets, are there reasonably priced molds for them? How do
you crimp the heeled bullets. Any help will be appreciated!


                              BTB

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

There are moulds available for both options.  Rapine is one dual source. NEI is another. Off the shelf commercial hollow-base wadcutters can get one started.

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,24285.0.html

I am getting a .41 Long Colt cylinder put on my '96 vintage Colt Frontier, as the old .38 WCF cylinder is worn/re-finished too much.  I am watching a couple of threads by Hoof Hearted on loading heeled bullets.  I think he will have an article out soon.  I have a .450 NEI heeled bullet and made up dummies in .44 Special brass converted to .44 Colt.  It seemed to me that a tight fitted bullet is essential, and running a sizing die over the loaded bullet could at least turn-in the minimal flare necessary to get the bullet seated.

Current discussions involve using modified LEE collet dies to turn in the flare and crimp bullets tight .

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,24192.0.html

Sorry, I can't locate the thread showing the modified collet dies

[Flint]

You would have to go the other way around, the heeled bullet in LC brass and the HBWC in Special brass.  A conical bullet in Special brass is longer than the cylinder.  I like the Remington 148gr HBWC and the Speer HBWC better than the Hornady, which leads more.

[Lone Oak]

BTB-
To shoot heeled bullets you need to trim 38LC brass to .90-.95". Benie Rowles makes a mould for them that casts great bullets and he offers a modified .35 Remington  Lee Factory Crimp Die along with an extended shell holder to put a perfect crimp on the case right at the heel of the bullet. I lube the bullets with the liquid Lee Alox stuff (because I have a bunch of it on hand) but Bernie says the Rooster Jacket lube is less messy. I'll try that when my supply of Lee Alox dwindles. I have gotten no leading at all with it however. 

Talk to Bernie Rowles at Old West Bullet Moulds.  http://www.oldwestbulletmoulds.com/  He Knows his stuff and is a nice guy to talk to besides.
Lone Oak

[Hoof Hearted]

Bear Tooth

Here is a link to the article I posted on the "Darksiders Den":

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,24202.0.html

I also posted it on the "SCORRS" forum and suggest you go there and read it also as there are different replies there.

My 20+ years of loading for these calibers has taught me a lot. This is the best way to go. From there everyting else is a compromise
I have used hollow base bullets with a modicom of success, but you'll always get some tumbling (bullet hits target sideways) as expansion of the base is never consistant. That being said if you are going to use Black Powder, please do yourself a favor and stay away from Alox based lubes. You are just asking for trouble and you'll have a more harmonious outcome with BP lube.

Good luck and ask any questions you think of, this is a helpful bunch!

HH

[Lone Oak]

HH,
You are correct in regards to Alox based lubes. I should have added to my earlier post that my loads using Alox were smokeless.
LO