First tests with my new mold.

[jcnull2305]

I feel that the poor quality of my casting could explain the flyer at 100 yards however it’s all conjecture at this point in time.

Before you bag on your casting technique too much - those bullets look pretty good - You might play around with the lube. I've read many, many people here write about how lube can really make or break your accuracy.

That's the thing about muzzleloaders and BPCRs that I'm learning... There's always something else to consider.

 

[Idaholewis]

Sharing is what makes us all good shooters

ABSOLUTELY!! I know you do a lot to help others Bob, even loaning your rifle so a new guy could Shoot

 

[LR_Smoker]

Before you bag on your casting technique too much - those bullets look pretty good - You might play around with the lube. I've read many, many people here write about how lube can really make or break your accuracy.

That's the thing about muzzleloaders and BPCRs that I'm learning... There's always something else to consider.

That one doesn’t look too bad however it took me 52 bullets to find 20 that were at least within +\- .5 grains. I still have a lot to learn there for sure to get close to Lewis’s level of quality but I’ll keep hammering away and sooner or later I’ll get better at it.
I’m using the closest approximation of Lewis’s NASA, HP-ULTRA & peanut oil that I can do I’m confident that it’s at least a bit better than the straight lube I was using before. My mixture may be still too stiff for the cold up here but I did get a lube star on the muzzle and no freckles on the target at 50 yards but you never know .....,.,

 

[jcnull2305]

Have you tried blaming the rifle? I mean, it doesn't work, but it'll make you feel superior for about 4 minutes...

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Have you tried blaming the rifle? I mean, it doesn't work, but it'll make you feel superior for about 4 minutes...

Heck, a couple times ive even tried blaming bad casts and groupings on you.

 

[jcnull2305]

Heck, a couple times ive even tried blaming bad casts and groupings on you.

...you also blamed not finishing the Rene'corn on me.

Your excuses are your own.

-Jim

 

[45-70]

ABSOLUTELY!! I know you do a lot to help others Bob, even loaning your rifle so a new guy could Shoot

thanks

 

[Dave James]

Hate to offer advise to one with your experience, but I found with the last 50cal I had a side hammer, that going to the 54 cal wonder wad under the slug helped tighten the groups up, mite give it a try

 

[michiganmuzzy]

...you also blamed not finishing the Rene'corn on me.

Your excuses are your own.

-Jim

Thx. I needed that. I got off my @$$ and shipped it to Pecatonica today.

 

[idahoron]

Good shooting in my opinion.
When you start looking to tighten your groups look seriously at lead hardness. I have seen a so so bullet shoot a ton better with adjusting the hardness. And it doesn't have to be much. In my Lee 500 S&W bullet I hardened it from a 5 to about 6.5 or 7 BHN to tune it in. The Green Mountain stainless barrels seem to favor lead that is a little harder. Im just guessing with yours.
At first when I looked at your groups I thought wow those are really good groups. Then I saw you have a scope so I can understand you want a little tighter group, but still they are very good groups. It it were a peep sighted gun I would say it is perfect. But with the scope you might be able to get it tighter. Don't overlook the hardness. If you want to compare your tester against mine I would be glad to help.

 

[LR_Smoker]

Good shooting in my opinion.
When you start looking to tighten your groups look seriously at lead hardness. I have seen a so so bullet shoot a ton better with adjusting the hardness. And it doesn't have to be much. In my Lee 500 S&W bullet I hardened it from a 5 to about 6.5 or 7 BHN to tune it in. The Green Mountain stainless barrels seem to favor lead that is a little harder. Im just guessing with yours.
At first when I looked at your groups I thought wow those are really good groups. Then I saw you have a scope so I can understand you want a little tighter group, but still they are very good groups. It it were a peep sighted gun I would say it is perfect. But with the scope you might be able to get it tighter. Don't overlook the hardness. If you want to compare your tester against mine I would be glad to help.

Thanks for the comments Ron. My feeling is that I’m going to have to find the exact recipe to consistently get about a 1” group ( bench rest and using a scope ) so that I have sufficient confidence to take a shot at a moose up to a maximum of 350 yards.
I do shoot with peep sights and believe me that I would have no complaints using this load in my other Remington ML with my modified peep sights on it. It’s what I drag around ( that’s right.... old guy who lives at 850 feet hunting at 10120 feet drags his wagon ) in Colorado chasing after Elk.
It takes an eternity to get components up here so it will probably take me most of the winter to get some of the things I’d like to use. I’ve only got about a quarter pound of Swiss 2F left and it’s close to $65 a pound plus tax and hazmat to get it here so I’m probably going to try some Pyrodex P or Select. I know that’s what you use with good results. I will have to see if I can cast up some samples and get a friend to post them to you in the US. Thanks for the offer to run them through your Cabin Tree for a cross reference. When the time comes I’ll PM you for your address.

Thanks again for all the input from the members on this forum, as I stated previously I would most likely not have been anywhere near as successful without their help.