Loading Data for the 50/95WCF

[King Medallion]

Word is Goex will be shipping within the next month or so.

[Buck Stinson]

I have had several original 76's in .50 Express.  My load is with a lead bullet cast from an original Winchester bullet mold.  It comes out at .513 and I size to .512 (bore diameter).  Shoots with awesome accuracy using resized .348 brass and 80 grains of 2f black.  Just my opinion.

[ndnchf]

I have had several original 76's in .50 Express.  My load is with a lead bullet cast from an original Winchester bullet mold.  It comes out at .513 and I size to .512 (bore diameter).  Shoots with awesome accuracy using resized .348 brass and 80 grains of 2f black.  Just my opinion.

Bore diameter .512"? What was the groove diameter?  That soft bullet must bump up nicely.

[DrummerBoy]

Please help! Very clumsy trying to attach photo of calipers and slug

[DrummerBoy]

Whew! Finally got an acceptably sized photo of my dilemma: a rather larger slug size than those I've seen mentioned...all I can think to do is to get accurate to increase the size of a mold to .518 and then get a .517 sizer.
Any advice/criticism would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
DB

[ndnchf]

Whew! Finally got an acceptably sized photo of my dilemma: a rather larger slug size than those I've seen mentioned...all I can think to do is to get accurate to increase the size of a mold to .518 and then get a .517 sizer.
Any advice/criticism would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
DB

What is the groove size of your rifle?

[DrummerBoy]

Howdy NDNCHF,
THANKS for the question! ( I'm beginning to think I need a machine shop to operate this rifle!!)
Long Answer: I got a Hornady musket ball .530 and a wood dowel and tapped on the dowel with a hammer until the ball flattened out and then a chunk went down the barrel..said chunk completely filled the bore and dropped into the action with a good print.. I measured all the raised "stripes" several times around...the most repetitive reading I got was .5165 with my new digital caliper. If there is a better method then I would definitely want to employ that!
Thanks Again,
DB

[ndnchf]

Ok. A micrometer is more accurate than a caliper, but that gets you close. Maybe I missed it, but what size are your bullets dropping from the mold?  If a couple thousandths undersize, a soft alloy and black powder may very well bump them up to fill the grooves. Its worth a try before opening up the mold.

[kwilliams1876]

Second the Micrometer measurement, and not a Chinese one.  Also sounds like you have a tight spot in the bore if slug dropped to breech?

[DrummerBoy]

Thanks KW!
Sorry for the late response. I probably shouldn't have been so cavalier with my wording...when the dowel had pushed the slug into the chamber it dropped into the brass carrier. I'll get the best caliper I can, and then start on the rest of the shop..looks like I'll need it!!
DB

[DrummerBoy]

Whoops I meant Micrometer!

[DrummerBoy]

 ALCON,
Trying to post a target piccie from todays range trip...apologies for my less than stellar marksmanship
My objective was to see how well these .508 Steinel projectiles worked in my .516 Presidio..
Well, the gun shoots way high...at 100 yards an x ring aimpoint was off the frame so I had to try to hold below the 6 o'clock position...
Any observations would be much appreciated (other than sight alignment, sight picture, trigger squeeze, BRASS, spot weld, more range time, etc )
Thanks,
DB

[DrummerBoy]

 DB again,
For what it's worth, here's a target from yesterday, an 8 inch roundel at 50 yards...previous post was about 18 inch roundel at 100 yards, both off a bench with a large Caldwell bag
Pretty messy background, but the big holes above and below are me bracketing the target trying to understand how high the gun shoots
To reiterate, I'm just trying to determine whether these .508 projos are just tumbling out of this .516 bore
Thanks,
DB

[King Medallion]

I would not waste any more precious primers on these bullets. FWIW, I replaced my Presidio front sight with a Marbles 41W to get to print on paper at 50 yards. I don't  shoot at 100 yards till I get something going at 50 first, but that's me.

[ndnchf]

I agree. You really need to get groove size bullets.

[King Medallion]

I'm actually surprised they aren't tumbling as is.

[DrummerBoy]

Gents,
THANKS for the valuable feedback!!
Despite these accuracy issues it is SO MUCH FUN to make these two rifles and my top break pistols go bang!!!!! I know I have to fix the ammo.....
Semper Fi,
DB

[DrummerBoy]

Drummer Boy again...
Please be patient with my naïveté but is it actually possible to pull the projectile off a live round and replace that bullet with a suitable bullet...keeping the primer propellant and brass intact???

[King Medallion]

Sure, very easy, if you have an inertia puller. That being the kind that looks like a hammer, putting the shell in one side with the screwable cap, whack it on the floor a couple times till said bullet comes free. Then carefully dump out the bullet and powder, rebell the shell, recharge the shell, and put in a proper sized boolit. With practice,  one can tap that bullet out of the shell right up to the base and pull the bullet off without powder spillage, but it takes practice. Clear as mud, yes?

[DrummerBoy]

You're the MAN, King!! Or is it You're the KING, man! BTW I'm still working on that Tensas Parish hog hunt!!
In other news, I have another barrel coming from Cimarron!
Best
Drummer