Check this out! .50 Cal Stainless GM LRH

[Idaholewis]

My Stainless .50 GM LRH was the best Lead Hardness tester there ever was, I could shoot a Group and tell you if the Bullets were Soft, or Hard. NO JOKE! You can clearly see it above

 

[Idaholewis]

My Old Stainless Barrel ABSOLUTELY required a Bullet with hardness in order to shoot well, how much? I don’t know where the breaking point was? I never did test Hardness accuracy in small increments to find the “Tipping” Point where it Started to Shoot good? I know it shot 1-40 Alloy extremely well and that is 8.5 BHN, Pure lead is 5 BHN, That is as close as i tested, 5 BHN was a NO GO, 8.5 BHN was a GO, and all the way up to Lyman No. 2 Shot very well in the Old Stainless Barrel and that is 15 BHN, The ONLY advantage the Stainless Barrel had over the Blued Versions is Cleaning, The Stainless Barrel was a REAL pleasure there.


My Blued Barrels on the other hand will shoot a Pure soft Lead bullet Just as well as a Hard bullet

Pure Soft Lead in Blued LRH Barrel

And here is 1:30 Alloy (9 BHN) in My Blued LRH .50 Barrel, My Blued Barrels are Universal, The Stainless was NOT

 

[Idaholewis]

I owe the above importance of Lead Hardness with these Stainless LRH Barrels to Idahoron, without him i would likely have given up on the Stainless Barrel not long after getting it. Ron has several of these Stainless LRH Barrels (He understands their requirements, and he prefers them) Ron told me that his Stainless Barrels required a Harder lead bullet in order to shoot to their Best potential. My Old Stainless Barrel was not an isolated Case

Say you are NOT a Bullet Caster, and are forced to Buy bullets. When you buy a Common Store bought Muzzleloader bullet, what is it made of? The Majority is PURE LEAD

 

[Saxtonyoung]

Lewis, That's good information. I have 2 stainless LRH barrels that I have yet too shoot and this will save not only time but also needless frustration.

 

[munchoman]

Anyone know how the blued vs stainless barrels compare when using sabots?

 

[Idaholewis]

Anyone know how the blued vs stainless barrels compare when using sabots?

I wouldn’t think that Sabots would make any difference? But fact is I don’t shoot Sabots so I truly don’t know? Mr. Sabotloader knows his Business well, He said his Stainless Barrel does REALLY well with Sabots, As for Sabots in the Blued Barrels, I can’t remember reading anything about it? No doubt folks do it, These Barrels were designed to Shoot Sabot/Conicals

The Stainless Barrels are AWESOME! Extremely Durable, And they shoot LIGHTS OUT Good when you harden the lead up a little, The key is understanding their needs.

 

[idahoron]

It is hard for some guys to wrap their heads around the idea that the stainless barrels need harder lead. Hell I don't understand why they need harder lead my self. All I know is the stainless green mountain barrels need some hard lead.

 

[sabotloader]

It is hard for some guys to wrap their heads around the idea that the stainless barrels need harder lead. Hell I don't understand why they need harder lead my self. All I know is the stainless green mountain barrels need some hard lead.

OK with me as long as they shoot the Bull Shop and No Excuse and this barrel I have really does shoot them well - not sure why I would need anything else! I have shot 350's - 400's and the 460's from it.

Then again - I only use the Conical Lead for 10-12 days a year.

 

[Idaholewis]

It is hard for some guys to wrap their heads around the idea that the stainless barrels need harder lead. Hell I don't understand why they need harder lead my self. All I know is the stainless green mountain barrels need some hard lead.

Ron, How in the heck did you discover this? Did you stumble across it by chance? Back in that time I did some SERIOUS internet Scouring over this phenomenon trying to understand it? You were the ONLY person that i ever found speak of this. BIG KUDOS to you!!

When i shot the “original” Bullshop Bullet group, I didn’t understand this then? That Group was a Beautiful Little Clover leaf. My understanding of this stuff came after i had the Bullet mold made from 1 of Dan’s Original Bullshop bullets and i poured them of Pure Plumbers lead, As the picture shows my Rifle had NO USE for them.

It was after Ron had told me about the need for some hardness in the Bullets, That I contacted Bullshop Dan and asked him what he used? He actually told me Pure Lead From Plumbing, i started to Scratch my head? BUT THEN he described keeping the Solder Joints and adding them, BINGO!! There it was!! I asked Dan if he knew the Hardness after adding the Solder Joints? Dan told me that he did not Own a Hardness Tester, But he didn’t think it would Change the Hardness? He is wrong there, There is NO DOUBT it changes the Hardness

 

[idahoron]

OK with me as long as they shoot the Bull Shop and No Excuse and this barrel I have really does shoot them well - not sure why I would need anything else! I have shot 350's - 400's and the 460's from it.

Then again - I only use the Conical Lead for 10-12 days a year.

Mike I shot the no excuse bullets for testing and they did okay in mine too. I ever paper patched them and they did okay. My Lee bullets shot a bit better so that was why I went that way.

 

[idahoron]

Ron, How in the heck did you discover this? Did you stumble across it by chance? Back in that time I did some SERIOUS internet Scouring over this phenomenon trying to understand it? You were the ONLY person that i ever found speak of this. BIG KUDOS to you!!

When i shot the “original” Bullshop Bullet group, I didn’t understand this then? That Group was a Beautiful Little Clover leaf. My understanding of this stuff came after i had the Bullet mold made from 1 of Dan’s Original Bullshop bullets and i poured them of Pure Plumbers lead, As the picture shows my Rifle had NO USE for them.

It was after Ron had told me about the need for some hardness in the Bullets, That I contacted Bullshop Dan and asked him what he used? He actually told me Pure Lead From Plumbing, i started to Scratch my head? BUT THEN he described keeping the Solder Joints and adding them, BINGO!! There it was!! I asked Dan if he knew the Hardness after adding the Solder Joints? Dan told me that he did not Own a Hardness Tester, But he didn’t think it would Change the Hardness? He is wrong there, There is NO DOUBT it changes the Hardness

I had my lead hardness tester when I found it. I actually bought the tester for buying lead not tuning the bullet alloy. When I first started to shoot the lee 500 S&W bullet I was shooting them with pure lead from Rotometals. I started with 100 grains of powder and didn't like what I saw. I backed it off to 90 gr of powder and my 100 yard groups were much better. I moved out to 150 yards and they were not shooting good. So I backed off to 80 gr of Pyrodex P with the over powder wad that measured .62" That was in 2008. The bullet was stable out to 200 yards and the accuracy was around 3" at 100 yards. I thought it could be improved on but I was needing more info. About that time I was doing a lot of reading on the paper patching for Sharps rifles. I knew that BPCR shooters were shooting harder alloy to avoid nose slump. Since the nose is short and the Meplat is wide I didn't think that was an issue. But I did have a hunch that hardness was an area I needed to look at.
I didn't know what hardness to shoot for but I did know where I was at. So I added some lead shot to the pure and tried it. I don't remember what it measured at. I know I have that info in a book in my box with the lead melter in the garage. Anyway I poured some up and tried them. They were instantly better groups. I had only made about 25 to 50. I know it was not much. So I put everything away for a while. After a while I wrapped some up for a kid back east, I wrapped them and sized them.

The hardness on these were about 9 BHN or .053 to .056 on my Cabine tree tester. The alloy was softer after I poured them but they age hardened. I don't remember how long it took but they got harder with age. When I sized them with the paper on the paper stripped right off the bullet like in the picture above. I settled for lead hardness on my cabine tree of .038 to .042 and I never striped another paper.
I eventually bought a .496 sizer die and planned to test harder alloys but that has not been done yet.

The final bit of info that made me 100% believe that the stainless barrels like harder lead. I bought some paper patch bullets from Buffalo Arms. They were like 400 grain 45 cal. I gave some to Lewis and I tried some. His rifle shot them pretty well if I remember right. But out of my stainless Hawken they were not good at all. I lost interest in trying to find a load to make them work. Knowing this barrel I am not sure I would ever find a load that it liked with those soft bullets.

Like I said I target .038 to .042 for my 50 cal. My 45 I target .045 to .052 If A guy wants to do the paper patching like I do it you can use harder alloy. You just need to pour, wrap and size them pretty quick before they have the chance to age harden.

 

[Idaholewis]

The final bit of info that made me 100% believe that the stainless barrels like harder lead. I bought some paper patch bullets from Buffalo Arms. They were like 400 grain 45 cal. I gave some to Lewis and I tried some. His rifle shot them pretty well if I remember right. But out of my stainless Hawken they were not good at all. I lost interest in trying to find a load to make them work. Knowing this barrel I am not sure I would ever find a load that it liked with those soft bullets.

I remember this REALLY well Ron! We rode over to BACO together and you bought a Box of those Cupped Base PP Bullets (Pure Lead). You offered to split them with me, But I only took 5 of them since i live so close to Buffalo Arms. I loaded up and Shot them Bullets on a Rough Winter Day, They Shot REALLY good! I remember My Group was under 1” My dad was with me that day, He said “Geez that little Rifle Sure Shoots!!” I was Excited to tell you how well they did. Then you tried them same Bullets later down the Rd and they didn’t shoot worth a Darn for you??? I remember thinking, Ron is gonna think I’m full of it! LOL!

 

[BlackSmoke]

……………..

 

[BlackSmoke]

I just Watched this new in the box Green Mountain LRH .50 Cal Stainless “Drop in” Barrel sell for 1,325.00

I would be that seller……lol. Perfectly legit sale. No shill bidding just two people that bid really stupid money right at the end to try and snipe it from the other guy. I was the most shocked person on the internet about that time. Guy paid within about 10 minutes of the auction closing. I had no use for that one but I kept the stainless NIB LRH drop in 15/16ths barrel and put that 1” barrel up for sale. The 15/16ths drop in went into a very early Hawken flinter that I converted. I haven’t shot it yet.

 

[idahoron]

I would be that seller……lol. Perfectly legit sale. No shill bidding just two people that bid really stupid money right at the end to try and snipe it from the other guy. I was the most shocked person on the internet about that time. Guy paid within about 10 minutes of the auction closing. I had no use for that one but I kept the stainless NIB LRH drop in 15/16ths barrel and put that 1” barrel up for sale. The 15/16ths drop in went into a very early Hawken flinter that I converted. I haven’t shot it yet.

Did the guy that bought it say what his plans were for the barrel?

 

[fishdfly]

And he will tell folks, "I won the auction"!

Yep he did, he just paid more money than any one else in www.

 

[BlackSmoke]

Did the guy that bought it say what his plans were for the barrel?

Hi Ron,

He messaged me and seemed a little angry. I remember him alluding to the fact that he wasn't a dead beat bidder and would honor his bid. I am sure he was upset that he made that decision and I truly believe it was one of those "I have to win" scenarios. The "other" guy that bid insane money and lost by a dollar. probably breathed a huge sigh of relief. In any event the buyer paid very quickly after the message. He didn't say what his plans were for it. I got the 1" renegade barrel in a deal with a guy who also sold me another barrel. I was looking for a stainless LRH after you and I had a conversation about peep sights (I think). I remember seeing a photo of your rifle with that Stainless barrel and I had to have one. The other barrel was also a brand new in the box LRH 50 cal stainless drop in. I have the barrel on the stock but need to figure out a front fiber optic solution to use with the TC factory peep, or I need to put the factory LRH rear sight on it. I plan on taking it to Idaho again for a muzzleloader elk hunt and need to figure out a good conical load.