Martini Henry Mk IV bullet casting

[swidds]

Could you measure one of the bullets ? I'd be interested to see if they are .457 unpatched.

Sure! will send later this evening

[loiner1965]

i might get a slating here but as anyone tried trailboss instead of bp.
i know of someone from another forum who as been very successful with the gahendra rifle.
all you do is fill the case with this high density powder to a line where your bullet is seated then weigh it.....then use 70% of the volume as a starting point to a maximum of the original volume

[swidds]

the lee mould is making 500grn bullets 11.62mm in diameter

[swidds]

0.45748031496063 of an inch

[davederrick]

.457" unpatched ? I'm so confused. I thought it would have to be patched up to .468 ???

[swidds]

confusion Dave. Try it in your's unpatched, then patch if your not getting accuracy. The bore in my MH is very good, so what might work in one gun might not in yours.

[davederrick]

Fair advice Swidds, thanks for the feedback

[cmnicholls]

Fair advice Swidds, thanks for the feedback

Hi

I am a newbie to this forum but i shoot a lot of MH 450/577cartridges, I have used 457 bullets without paper patch and found them marginallyaccurate. 457 paper patched up to 468 and cast lead bullets sized to 468 shootmuch better in my MK4 MH. I now shoot almost exclusively 468 cast lead bulletsas I am too lazy to paper patch. Mt best result so far is a ragged hole fiveshot group at 25 yards and about a 4 inch group at 100 yards, using crosssticks. The biggest problem to accuracy seems to be fouling, on one range meetthe first 10 were nicely grouped the other 15 gradually got worse until theywere not even hitting the target. Ithink more bullet lube required.
regards
clinton

[davederrick]

^ Welcome aboard.

[loiner1965]

Hi

I am a newbie to this forum but i shoot a lot of MH 450/577cartridges, I have used 457 bullets without paper patch and found them marginallyaccurate. 457 paper patched up to 468 and cast lead bullets sized to 468 shootmuch better in my MK4 MH. I now shoot almost exclusively 468 cast lead bulletsas I am too lazy to paper patch. Mt best result so far is a ragged hole fiveshot group at 25 yards and about a 4 inch group at 100 yards, using crosssticks. The biggest problem to accuracy seems to be fouling, on one range meetthe first 10 were nicely grouped the other 15 gradually got worse until theywere not even hitting the target. Ithink more bullet lube required.
regards
clinton

what lube are you using now

[cmnicholls]

I am using lymans black gold lube in the groves of the bullet but I think that I need to put a greece cookie behind it as well, I have had great sucess with wonderlube 1000 in muzzle loaders so I will probably give that a go. It seems to be trial and error to get the balance just right, I tried loading to the orignal specification but found that they would hit a man in the chest at 100 yards but that was about it. I am looking for somthing a little more accurate than that.

[loiner1965]

I am using lymans black gold lube in the groves of the bullet but I think that I need to put a greece cookie behind it as well, I have had great sucess with wonderlube 1000 in muzzle loaders so I will probably give that a go. It seems to be trial and error to get the balance just right, I tried loading to the orignal specification but found that they would hit a man in the chest at 100 yards but that was about it. I am looking for somthing a little more accurate than that.

all the info i have read says you need to use a grease cookie in the case but place a dry wad under the bullet too.....think this may help before experimenting with different lubes

[martindl99]

Plenty of help and advice on this forum;http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.c...enry-Forum.htm

[cmnicholls]

all the info i have read says you need to use a grease cookie in the case but place a dry wad under the bullet too.....think this may help before experimenting with different lubes

Yes i have tried that too. its just getteng the balance right, but thats half the fun.

What fillers are you using over the powder? i have had good results with puflon.

[loiner1965]

not fired my rifles yet as they are not on ticket....i have 2 gahendras but i will try trailboss first then i might try 777