New guy with sporter .43 mauser project

[Peter K]

I have 10 cases with 43 Spanish head stamp. The rims are very thick. I also have over 100 43 Spanish cases that came with my rifle that are made from 348 Winchester cases. All of them have the rims set foreward to take up the head space.
My 43 Mauser cases we made from 45/90 by pushing the rim forward, etc., etc. The few Dominion cases I have want to split longitudinally at the head, so I don't use them.

[mike ford]

The Dominion(CIL) 43 Mauser cases seem to be prone to case separation,but the cases I know about(incl. my own) were all radial breaks at the head, instead of longitudinal splits as you experienced.There is a discussion of this in the artical,mentioned above.I believe the cause is fully sizing the fired cases, for each loading.Since, by habit, I set my dies to just "kiss" the shoulder of the cases, I am really headspacing on the shoulder,not the rim.With new or once fired cases, I haven't had any more problems,even with Dominion cases.The "blown head"I experienced was with a case, I didn't know the history of. For my own 43 Spanish ammo, I usually use ca 1911-1912 original UMC cases, which are berdan primed folded head cases.These also have pretty thick rims.Admitedly,in trying 45-90 cases, instead of fully sizing them, I used the "size and try" method of setting the die. This resulted in headspacing on the shoulder, so the thinner rim didn't show a problem in my tests.I can see that FL sizing could cause problems.BYW 43 Mauser cases can be made from 45-90 cases without moving the rims forward, by adjusting the dies to headspace on the shoulder(you still have to adjust the rim dia.).If you do this, you have to make sure no one resets the dies to FL size the cases, and they are clearly IDed.
Mike

[bummy268]

Thanks to the above link I just ordered a double cavity mold, one in grease groove and one for paper patch the will give me 340 and 405 grain bullets. Now can any of you guys tell me why I like to shoot black powder? (a question I ask everytime I clean up afterwards)

[bummy268]

Mike Ford
Sir, you mention black powder and a bullet bumping up to fill the grooves. I am ignorant of the subject and should know more as BP is what I am using. Please educate me. Thanks, Tom.

[sharps4590]

Tom, I suffer from the same affliction, black powder shooting. If you haven't read the books or have a copy of them I'd suggest two. "The SPG Black Powder Cartridge Reloading Primer" and Paul Matthews "Loading the Black Powder Rifle Cartridge". They espouse different methods but end up with equally good results. I tried both but settled on SPG's method. Both books contend with American cartridges but I've used the methods described with European and British cartridges and had good results.

Reference the "bumping up" of the bullet, when black powder whacks the base of the bullet, in theory and evidently in practice, the base of the bullet starts moving before the nose and is "bumped up" to fill the grooves. Which is one reason bullets used over BP generally perform better when cast of a soft alloy. I've used 25-1 for more than a couple decades but some use 20-1 or 30-1. Any of them are right if you get the desired results. I've never paper patched bullets...seemed like more trouble than even I want to contend with...but those I know who do cast theirs from straight lead.

[mike ford]

bummy,
Black Powder is an explosive,but smokeless is classified as a flamable solid,so doesn't burn as fast as blackpowder. Therefore it builds up pressure slower(although higher), instead of hitting the bullet like a hammer. Black powder ammo often (usually) was loaded with bullets which were smaller than the groove diameter of the barrel, usually near the bore diameter. Since black powder is so dirty,this was necessary for chambering later rounds and give the "crud" somewhere to go.The bullets would then "bump up"(expand)to fill the grooves and exihibit some accuracy. Since smokeless burns slower, it doesn't have the same effect. Sharps4590 has much experience with black powder,so it would be good to take his advice over mine.
Mike

[sharps4590]

Everything Mike said is right. I've always been amazed at the numbers and consistency of the numbers of the black powder loads when fired across my chronograph. The average and standard deviations are always very low, below 10 fps, with good loads. Accuracy too has always been good and sometimes superb. One load with one Shiloh Sharps holds MOA out to 600 yards. Admittedly that was perfect conditions and evidently I had a near perfect day. Still, that particular rifle and load has always been exceptional.

Control of fouling is always a concern but that too can be controlled with proper amounts of proper lubes. The only times I've had real issues with fouling is when the powder charge went over 90 grains. I have yet to overcome the fouling with those heavy loads other than wiping between shots. There are ways, I just haven't pursued them.

[excess650]

Paul Matthews book "The Paper Jacket" is also recommended.

Loading BP can be addictive, but is labor intensive. My preference is for real BP rather than to suggest any BP substitutes, but there are a couple of other powders worth looking into. Accurate Arms 5744 is a double based powder intended to be used in large bore, large capacity cases, and particularly those of BP origination. Blackhorn 209 is a "substitute" in that its generally loaded volume for volume with BP, but cleans up with smokeless solvent, and leaves only a trace of grey dust in the bore.

BP can be made to burn more cleanly with a 5% kicker charge of smokeless, but be careful duplexing!

[sharps4590]

I'll second the duplex charges....and the "be careful duplexing". I know other powders are used but my "go to" has always been SR-4759.

Grahame Wright in his book "Shooting the British Double Rifle" tells that he took several duplex loads to Kynoch and....I think Birmingham Proof House where they proofed the loads using the old copper crusher method. Often the duplex loads gave pressures lower than even straight black powder loads so there has been pressure work done on them. I try to stay at the 5% charge excess mentions and that ususally works but have had to go to 7% on one occasion. Wright often used 10% and the Canadians in some BP matches allow 30%...but I ain't goin' there!!