.40-65 Sharps

[Noisydad]

Previously I'd been loading my 415 gn "Postell" type cast lead torpedoes in a conventional manner, the load being 57 gn 3f black powder, a veggie fiber wad and the powder compressed a little when seating the bullet in the slightly belled neck which was crimped closed on the bullet. There was about 3/16" jump to the lands. This load mostly did ok on the gongs but success at the 200 yard (paper) "big bull" target consistently eluded me. We shoot 13 shots at this target and count the best 10. My previous best being 9 shots on the paper with 7 in the black so a change was called for. Now I'm using the same powder compressed with a compression die, the same wad, a lube cookie and the same bullet but no longer even neck sizing the case. The bullet is loose fitted by hand and is sitting way out till it touches the lands. The result - 12 out 13 shots in the black with the 13th touching the black and my score jumping a whopping 50% I'm now only about 6 points off placing in that event. Will try a slightly smaller front sight post next so there's just a little less white paper showing in the aperture around the center bull. There are other benefits from not neck sizing. The brass isn't going to crack from working it back and forth while belling it and crimping it back again, there's no danger of shaving lead from the bullet while seating it (it happens from time to time).

[sarki]

I'm being stupid but hearing veggie wads just makes me think of a vegetarian association and annoys me

[Humir]

400gr bullets, 60gr powder... How is the shoulder after a day?

[Vati]

I'm being stupid

Just another day at the office

[Noisydad]

This is a 415 gn cast lead bullet and a .222 case and it's 50 gn bullet for comparison.

image.jpg (1.6 MiB) Viewed 3489 times

400gr bullets, 60gr powder... How is the shoulder after a day?

Lol, not bad actually. Black powder recoil is more a big, heavy push than a sharp smack although the physics are still the same. A heavier bullet will always result in more recoil.

[wrenchman]

do you ever hunt with your black powder guns

[Noisydad]

Not yet as I'm very time poor these days but have aspirations of taking a deer or two with my CVA .54 front stuffer.

[wrenchman]

i have taken deer with the tc 50 cal hawken 90 grains 2f blk powder and round ball i have been haveing a hard time finding blk powder lots of pyrodex

[TheDude]

i have taken deer with the tc 50 cal hawken 90 grains 2f blk powder and round ball i have been haveing a hard time finding blk powder lots of pyrodex

Where are you located? In Brisbane only Rebel seems to have it but found you can buy Wano from Combat simulation systems out a helidon who are a lot cheaper. I think they are an importer.

[wrenchman]

i am in the america near detroit

[TheDude]

i am in the america near detroit

Ah. What about getting it delivered from somewhere like buffalo arms. I've read a lot of the the guys on the US black powder forums do that as they can only get pyrodex locally.

[BBJ]

This is a 415 gn cast lead bullet and a .222 case and it's 50 gn bullet for comparison.

Now that's a bullet