Fireforming loads

[madsenshooter]

Another day, new cases to expand! I bought some of the BCC cases which allow me to finish sizing to the shoulder using the rifle. Back to the Boosted WC860 loads. I got a group that would hold the black using 5.2gr of 10B101, 47gr of WC860, (total of 52.2gr) BCC cases, #34 primer. Pressure was mild. Out of curiosity I fired five loaded with 47gr of 760, which should yield approx 2500-2600fps. Some references will show that over max, others say I can still go a ways up. The 760 load showed higher pressure on the cases (still not max), a touch more recoil or more sharpness to the perceived recoil, but they appeared to be going slower than the boosted 860 load as they impacted lower on the target with the same sight setting. I want to note, I'm using my 92/96 that has the uncut guide rib which was fitted to bear on the receiver. So I really have two locking lugs, like the Norwegians intended! I'm thinking some of the slow burning lot of WC852 would work pretty good for this task.

[madsenshooter]

Pressure with the above load was very mild, the casenecks didn't seal. So I bumped up the kicker to 5.5gr, maintaining the same total of 52.2gr. The 5.5/46.7gr did produce enough pressure to seal the neck. I got to compare this load with a couple others you won't find in modern books. 52.2gr of both H4831SC and RL19. As with the WW760 load above, both loads impacted significantly lower than the boosted 860 loads, but were about the same by weight and by volume. It was also obvious by case and primer condition that both produced more pressure than the boosted 860. Still no excessively flattened primers, no hard bolt uplift or extraction, no measurable solid casehead expansion. I'm not interested in compressing either powder more than what I have. I noticed some stringing with all three loads, down and to the right. I found that my lower band had worked loose. This is the rifle with the free floated barrel, so the band coming loose has a significant effect. The stock has been sanded, I ran out of thread on the screw before the band was all the way tight, so I had to put a couple wraps of fine wire behind the the screwhead in order to get the band tight to the wood. I'm loading the remaining brass with .2gr more booster and calling it as good as it gets. So the next load I report on will be 5.7gr 10B101, 46.5gr of WC860. It appears that this load is producing significantly higher velocities than the single based powders I have compared it to, yet less overall pressure. At $69/8lbs vs the cost of 8lbs of commercial powder, I'm working with it!

[madsenshooter]

OK, I'm satisfied with this load. I don't see any good reason to find the max. New BCC cases sized to the rifle, 5.7gr 10B101 (high nitro flake powder made by Vihtavuori, used in 50BMG plastic training ammo, burns about Blue Dot speed) 46.5gr of WC860, CCI#34 primer. Primer edges rounded, no difficult bolt uplift or sticky extraction. The necks on all sealed. I need to get a scope on this rifle and shoot it against the AR boys at an upcoming Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association match! Next project will be doing something similar with the .310" 174gr FMJBTs and the larger bored 92/96. I've been packing these 150gr Hornady FMJBT bullets since the late 80s, about time they found their way into a backstop! Here's a shot of the muzzle after a bit over 20rds. I've no idea how fast the bullet is going, don't care. Once I found the new zero, clay pigeons at 100yd were pretty easy. Thanks VA, I'm getting used to these glasses!

[butlersrangers]

Give 'em hell, Madsenshooter! Nice target.

Looks like a pretty solid Shooting Bench!

[madsenshooter]

Yep, a rock solid rest! Or do you mean the nice new bench ODNR built for me that's in the background? Someone got tired of the old shaky one and tore it out of the ground. You just gotta love the poor boy equipment, those are corn bags from northern Indiana, I used to be a member at a 1000yd range up that way, Young's Longshot. Found the place by accident when I was out cruising on my scooter one day. I knew what the wind flags out in the middle of all that corn were!

[Dick Hosmer]

So i'm not the only one who has used an auto jack for a forend rest!

[butlersrangers]

That Krag is 'jacked' !!!

[madsenshooter]

Good one BR! When I reloaded the now once fired BCC cases, I was having a problem with some of the little balls getting wedged between bullet and neck and forming a bump. The now better formed to the chamber brass has a bit more room in it, which makes for less compression of the charge than the new brass. The bumps weren't occurring with the shiny new cases. Cleaning the inside of the neck with a brass brush seemed to have solved the problem. I have a couple more jacks I got from a scrapyard when I noted they didn't have as much play in them as the one I now use. Someday....

[psteinmayer]

First time I saw Bob's Jack/Rest at a CBA Match, I nearly LMAO... but I'll tell you what... the thing works, and works GREAT!!! Now I'm looking for a decent older jack myself!

[madsenshooter]

You know you can take your sighters from a rest at Camp Perry, Paul? I'd have to get one of the new shiny ones together! Just kidding, not interested in packing any more than I have to!