Saturday, August 12, 2017

B asked if I'm still paper-patching,

and about the Blackhorn 209 loads.

On paper-patching, using the Lyman 340-grain hollow-point, yes.  Best load I've found with it so far uses A5744 powder, and it shoots the paper-patched bullet better than a bare lubed.  So it's definitely on the 'keep using' list.

That bullet over the recommended dose of BH209 was 'meh'.  I'll fiddle with it more, but probably stick with the patched bullet over A5744.

I tried the 405-grain Lee flatnose paper-patched, using A5744 and 2f black.  With the Accurate, results were ok; nothing wonderful.  The loads I tried over black put two close together and the others spread out; I forgot the blow tube that day, and a straw just doesn't cut it.  I'm going to try it with BH209 as well, I think a soft patched bullet might work quite well with it.

With the heavy bullet, the 500-grain Lee, I haven't tried patching; it's got such wide grease grooves I don't know how well it'd work.  With black, best load has been 68.0 grains of 2f, but- as noted in the past- it seems somewhat inconsistent.  With the 209, I first tried the somewhat lower loads, using some folded toilet paper as wads to fill the empty space*.  That was 33.0 grains, and tried it with and without the wads(did use a .060 thick wad over the powder, then the tp); results pretty much identical; some vertical stringing, but I'm pretty sure that was me, and horizontally they were very close.  After some other questions, and more reading, found that 35.0 grains with that over-powder wad pretty much filled the case below the seated bullet, so tried it; not bad at all.

So that's how it sits for now.




*I have no dacron for filler, so tp it is.  Looking around I've found various opinions on using a filler with BH(as usual for any question).  When I contacted Western to ask some questions, they said that if you're near/at max recommended loads, filler not needed; if you're much below that, use something. 
No, I didn't ask their opinion of tp.

4 comments:

Jeffery in Alabama said...

Firehand, can I ask what caliber and type of rifle you are using?

B said...

Malt o Meal makes a great filler. Or Cream of Wheat. Some folks us Mashed Potato flakes, but I cannot vouch for that. I know one dude who uses cornstarch, and it seems to work well for him. I've shot some of his loads and they are consistent.

Thanks for the load data. I can work with that....Might try some of the Blackthorn.

Firehand said...

Jeffery, Pedersoli Sharps in .45-70.

Tried to respond the other day, but Blogger wouldn't let me, sorry 'bout the delay

Jeffery in Alabama said...

No problem. Thanks and happy shooting!