45 Colt SBH Hunter update - again!

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

As you may recall my new Hunter had been shooting 1" groups at 20 yd and 5" groups at 50 yds from a rest.


http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtop ... ght=hunter

Well I had the cylinders reemed by CAS. I took it out today and I shot two groups with lead (one was 8.0 gr Unique the other was 9.5 gr Unique). Both groups were 5+ inches.

But since the last time I shot it I also bought some 250 gr Hornady XTPs. I had these loaded up with H 110 (24.5, 25.0 and 25.5) I shot two groups of each and averaged just under 2.25" at 50 yards. I'm not sure if I should expect better at 50 yds or not. But overall I was pretty happy with the XTPs.

I am now pondering if I should recut the forcing cone to 11 degrees to try and improve my lead bullet accuracy. If I do so, what are the odds that it hurts my accuracy with XTPs?



All groups were 5 shot groups.

Latest UPDATE: I have now found a load with my XTPs that has AVERAGED a hair under 2" at 50 yards. My best group at that yardage has been 1 5/8". The worst group of the nine was 2 5/8". Five of the nine were under 2". Three of the other four were under two inches minus 1 flier. Overall, I'm feeling better about this rig. Still won't shoot anything lead worth a crap beyond 20 yards.

 

[powder smoke]

Jayhawk not sure if cutting the forcing cone will improve your cast bullet groups, but on the other hand it shouldn't hurt your groupin on the XTP's.

Look at your forcing cone under good lite and magnification should be smooth without tooling marks and uniform.

You may also want to try a different cast bullet. Hope this helps. ps

 

[psyclone66]

I always read the Hunter threads and most if not all boast of what tack drivers they are. Sorry to hear you are having trouble getting it dialed in. Keep diggin!

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Are your cast bullets real hard? I bought some bullets awhile back from a company I had been doing business with for years. He had changed his casting recipe due to "popular demand" and started casting his bullets to 20+ BHN Hardness. My favorite Unique loads in 45 Colt, 44 special and 44 magnum were terrible. Leading was bad, groups turned to irregular patterns and bullets often key holed at 50 yards. The 45 colt bullets where the worst of the lot. It didn't matter if I shot them in a stock Ruger, custom Ruger or a Freedom Arms.

I was really frustrated and ended up pulling a lot of bullets. These bullets shoot fine when I push them with a big dose of 2400 but they are terrible with any Unique loads. I have since started buying from someone else.

I have never been a fan of super hard bullets. To me, they are more particular about their loads, lead more and they often shatter when they hit a bone on game.

 

[bigboredad]

Have you slugged your barrel and more info about the cast bullets would help are they your own casting or commercial? they may be too hard as SFRanger stated

 

[Bucks Owin]

Are your cast bullets real hard? I bought some bullets awhile back from a company I had been doing business with for years. He had changed his casting recipe due to "popular demand" and started casting his bullets to 20+ BHN Hardness. My favorite Unique loads in 45 Colt, 44 special and 44 magnum were terrible. Leading was bad, groups turned to irregular patterns and bullets often key holed at 50 yards. The 45 colt bullets where the worst of the lot. It didn't matter if I shot them in a stock Ruger, custom Ruger or a Freedom Arms.

I was really frustrated and ended up pulling a lot of bullets. These bullets shoot fine when I push them with a big dose of 2400 but they are terrible with any Unique loads. I have since started buying from someone else.

I have never been a fan of super hard bullets. To me, they are more particular about their loads, lead more and they often shatter when they hit a bone on game.

I agree, a lot of the cast bullets offered out there are way too hard. Mainly to resist shipping damage from what I've heard! Hard and brittle cast bullets don't perform well in the gun or on game. Lyman #2 alloy is plenty hard for most any application that doesn't need a gas check IMO...Dennis

 

[dougader]

What cast bullets are you using? I had an older 5.5" Redhawk in 45 Colt that wouldn't shoot cast bullets worth a darn... but like yours, it shot fine to excellent with jacketed slugs. I did try some Beartooth bullets with gas checks and those were much better.

As said above, recutting the forcing cone to 11 degrees often helps cast bullets loads, but doesn't really affect jacketed bullet loads.

Also noted was the bit about cast bulets being too hard, especially with lower pressure loads. Super hard cast bullets don't obturate - or fill - the bore unless the pressure is really high. With 45 Colt, even in heavy Ruger loads, we don't usully get much above 25,000 - 32,000 psi. So unless you're really running the ragged edge, pressures aren't that high to begin with. Maybe you're having problem with bullet obturation?

You could try some soft lead cast bullets, or swaged bullets with a lighter Unigue load and see how they shoot. And try hardcast slugs with gaschecks to see if that helps as well.

I try to test out the least expensive option first rather than sending in my gun for repair. YMMV.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

The best cast bullets I have bought in a long time are from Mt. Baldy. I have no problems with any of their bullets in any of my guns, and they shoot good with all of my loads from low to high. I even shoot their bullets in my black powder cartridges.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I've shot Missouri Bullets Keith style 255 gr at 18 BH and Lasercast 250 gr. As far as Mt Baldy Bullets, I can shoot the XTPs cheaper by buying with discount offers at Cabelas.

I've thought about loading up some Lasercasts with H110. Anybody have any good loads for this combination?

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Cast Performance bullets are very popular up here. they are 18-21 Brinnel hardness. They also use the old LBT (lead bullet technology) style which is very popular for penetration. FWIW

 

[bigboredad]

lasercast is super hard and leaded worse than any other bullet I tried it didn't matter how slow or how fast i pushed them even with h110. They are one of the main reasons I started casting I needed a better bullet

 

[bigboredad]

hey I just thought of something for you to try since you are using commercial cast bullets. Get your self some lee liquid alox and mix it 50/50 with some mineral spirits get your self a plastic tub like a cool whip container or butter container. put in enough of your commercial cast bullets to just cover the bottom then take your mixed lee liquid alox and put in about a half a teaspoon in swirl them around and dump them out on some wax paper to dry when they are dry load em up and shoot em. Along with the bullets being super hard commercial bullets suffer from having lube that is as hard as a crayon. With lla a little goes a long way if you can see it you put too much on.

 

[M'BOGO]

It really does sound like the bullets aren't slugging up. Maybe try some 2400 powder and try with the higher velocity, and the Lee liquid alox might not hurt.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

bump with update just below original post.

 

[catfish621]

Another vote for Mt. Baldy bullets. Not too hard. Xtp's shoot good in my gun as well as the 270saa from Mt. Baldy.

 

[M'BOGO]

I don't see how the forceing cone reaming would hurt, but at the same time it has proven it will shoot. The slugs seem to be the variable, so...

 

[CraigC]

Might want to have your forcing cone recut professionally. Sometimes Ruger cuts them too deep and the barrel needs to be set back a thread or two before recutting.

 

[Rafsob]

My results with my old model Vaquero:

This is one of my old CAS shooting guns. I kept this one and sold the other. I replaced them with two new Vaqueros.

This gun really shoots jacketed STP bullets great.