Cast bullet weights

[alittlefishy]

I've just started reloading hard cast bullets for my revolver and Henry lever gun in .44mag. I might be worrying about nothing but I decided to weight some of the 240g bullets and found after weighting over 15 bullets the average came out to be about 239.1 grains I started weighting them and segregating the one's weighting over and under .1 grains and I have found it divides up in about three equal piles. I'm going to use the pile closest to 240 grains for working up loads for accuracy. There were some bullets almost 1 grain over and under. Am I being just a little anal over this weight thing.

 

[anachronism]

Actually, it's grains, not grams. 240 grams is over 1/2 lb. Anyway, 1-2 tenths is unlikely to produce a noticeable difference in group size, especially in a lever-action or revolver. Or in almost anything else for that matter. Don't worry about it.

 

[Sagebrush Burns]

My friends who shoot bullseye with cast bullets tell me tha differences of a grain or two (full grains, not tenths) make no noticeable difference.

 

[GP100man]

I started out useing a 3% rule on handgun & 1.5% on rifle , I can`t shoot good enuff to see a difference ,but do weigh most handgun & 100% of rifle to check for voids.

But most voids ya can see at the sprue cut.

 

[DGW1949]

I've yet to find any commercialy-cast bullet from a high-volume seller that weighed what they said it weighs, or measured what they say it measures.....so yeah, I'd say that you ending up with 3 piles sounds about right.
Actualy, if you're mostly only seeing a plus/minus .1 grain, you've got a perty-good batch of bullets. To me though, the real question is...what is their actual diameter?

DGW

 

[GP100man]

DGW

Hits on a KEY point on cast boolits dia. means alot more than weight .

For good results boolits must first fit ! if not everything done will be from 3 steps back !

 

[mikld]

You can certainly weigh each bullet, if you want to, but there is little or no benefit for large caliber lead bullets to have less than 2 grains variation. If you were benchrest shooting a super accurate rifle, then weighing bullets would be useful.

Being "anal" about your reloading style/methods is ridiculous. It's your gun, your components, your reloads, so whatever method/task you choose is good. Some prefer to size and trim all their brass, hand gun included. Some like to clean and reform the primer pockets on all their brass, including hand gun. Some like to clean/polish their brass to a high luster. I personally don't do any of those, but I don't consider anyone who does as "anal" or wasting their time. Reloading should be a fun/enjoyable pass time so I don't put any "should" or "have tos" on my ammo, as long as it's safe and fun to shoot...

 

[GasGuzzler]

I hate to do it but.....

+1

Thanks mikld

 

[Bayouhunter]

That's close to what your mold is supposed to drop. I've cast close to 500 or so bullets this week from 3 different molds a Lee .312 160gr, a Lee .312 185 gr, and a Lyman 170 gr mold each one dropped the bullet 10 heavier using Lyman #2 alloy.

 

[6gun]

I've just started reloading hard cast bullets for my revolver and Henry lever gun in .44mag. I might be worrying about nothing but I decided to weight some of the 240g bullets and found after weighting over 15 bullets the average came out to be about 239.1 grains I started weighting them and segregating the one's weighting over and under .1 grains and I have found it divides up in about three equal piles. I'm going to use the pile closest to 240 grains for working up loads for accuracy. There were some bullets almost 1 grain over and under. Am I being just a little anal over this weight thing.

Nothing to worry about I find that most cast bullets I have purchased from different makers weigh less than what they claim to be they all loaded and shot just fine, I've had some as much as 3+ grains off didn't make any difference on accuracy, different mixtures of alloys can make weight slightly vary, I've never seen a cast bullet dead on exactly 240 grains.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

While I sometimes weigh out a bunch to get 'em within a 1% range for testing, I've found a 2% range (+/- 1% from average) shoots better'n I do.

Rick C

 

[sandman228]

if your coming out 239.1 when there supposed to be 240 your doing pretty good . if you weigh store bought lead bullets you will see there not all right on the money either .

 

[LAH]

Cast bullets in sixguns which are +or- 1% will shoot better than 99% of sixgunners can hold. A 240 in that range will be from 237.6 to 242.4. Those that can tell a difference at 50 yards are exceptional shot.