Old Spencer Speaks at Cowtown

[paledun]

I finally reached the time to test-fire my old Burnside Spencer at the Phoenix Cowtown CAS shoot on Saturday.  The test load was a 300 grain, .512 bullet sold by Buffalo Arms over 35 grains of 2F loaded into a Starline 56-50 case.  The overall length of 1.455 was not tested for chambering from the magazine.  Loading for my test was done over the top.  The 300 bullets sailed downrange to hit the cowboy target and steel rang.  Clean cases and a clean chamber with little or no blow-back.  Even this reduced load sealed the chamber nicely.  Now the cartridge bullet development begins.  While I have the Lyman mould for 340 grain bullets, I would like to find a 300 grain mold that would duplicate the Buffalo Arms 512300 bullet.  No surprise that Buffalo Arms will not tell me the name of their supplier as I my buy the mould from them and not their bullets.  Is there anyone in SSS who knows a caster who may cast for sale unlubed 300 grain .512 bullets or have a 300 grain bullet mould for sale? 

My next few questions involve the use of the Lyman 340 grain bullet.  This bullet is very simular (RNFP) to the 300 but has an additional lube ring.  The Lyman bullet may produce a 1.5 inch overall length if crimped over the very top of the final lube ring.  I can expend the overall length beyond 1.5 inches by crimping on the top lube ring but that leaves only two rings for lube.  The 300 grain bullet has only 2 lube rings and seems to provide sufficient lube for my test.  I intend to load a few cases and seat the 340 grain bullet at different depths to test for best cartridge length for loading from the magazine.  Any advice on the use of only two rings for lube vs three.  What are your thoughts about crimping on a lube ring?  A good tight crimp possible.  Thanks in advance for your thought. 

Paledun (a very good fly for a spring day on the Henry's Fork)