Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Depth of 535 Postell bullet in .45-70 case?


Cholla

Recommended Posts

What is the proper depth of the 535 Postell bullet in .45-70 case?

I read the lube grooves were supposed to be inside the case but then I saw this image.

Which is the correct way?

Reloading the 45/70 for Pedersoli Rolling Block rifle | Official Blog Davide Pedersoli

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Too many variables for a single correct answer,  it this is one way to do it.  Variables include the powder charge (seat forward to get in more powder), rifling, bullet shape (some profiles can sit well inside the rifling and not actually touch it), etc.  Also, when I seat bullets like that the grease groove is empty.  Again, lots of reasons plus and minus but I don’t want any chance of grit finding its way in.  And, it seems all BPCR ranges have lots of pumice.

 

If you haven’t come across the Paul Matthews books on BPCR you might look them up.  They are a bit dated but not a huge amount has changed in that world.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I experimented with seating Postell bullets sticking out like that so they touched the rifling. Got some good results but was paranoid of grit sticking to the lube and entering the throat. I was just hyper careful about cleanliness because the 34” barrel needed all the lube it could get. 
 

Be careful. Stay clean. Experiment. See what your rifle likes best. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would put the bullet into the case and seat it just to the point that it BARELY makes contact with the Rifling. 

 

SB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Just barely cover the top grease groove 

This is what I started doing but then I saw the photo.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Snakebite. 

Chamber lengths can vary slightly between individual rifles.  The grooves on cast bullets cannot possibly be made to match all of them optimally. 

 

Either measure chamber length with a chamber guage, or cast the chamber, or chamber an empty case with a loosely seated bullet, then extract it, confirm that it contacted the lands of the rifling,  and measure OAL for that rifle . 

Excessive free space is not very conducive to precision (repeatable) barrel performance.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I put the slightly loose bullet in a casing, seat it and close the breech, open it again and you will see where the bullet needs to sit. BPCR.net is a great resource. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If all your cases are 2.105" thats the starting point. Are all your bands the same diameter? My cast bullets are tapered with the first band the size of the bore, not the groove. Lets the bullet go into the barrel further = more black powder.

We all push our bullets into the case against compressed powder/card so the the land just touched the rifling or a few thousands back. In theory the bullet can't jump and enter the barrel wonky!

We leave the lube in the groove.

We also don't crimp the cases because the bullet is touching the barrel.

My 45-70 example below.

This is all for BP loads. I've never loaded smokeless

sharps.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With my Sharps and that 535 Postell I do the same as OLG said, just barely covering the top grease groove.  Just touches the rifling. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I seat mine with the last lube groove showing about 50%. If a seat the ones you have pictured here, I’ll get a lead ring around the case when I extracted it (that can’t be good?). When I have the last lube  groove about 50%, I get a ring of lube around the case.

 

Uriah

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.