A list of stupid things for a man to do...

PSE Composites Limited - The next level Rifle Stocks
willie_gunn said:
nnSo you've taken to stalking farmer's doors now?
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"Stalking" can be such an ugly word...I prefer the word "reconnaissance".

Turns out I was on the money.

Just bumped Postie, sliding this over the gate...

IMG_5980.webp

A quick chat confirms that it had indeed got to the 'suspect' farm. Still, no harm no foul.

Nicely packaged - will it fit down the Mosin?




IMG_5981.webp



Huzza!

IMG_5984.webp

Seems like I am all set for the next, "new and improved' version, of slugging an old rifle...


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If I can add this little gem without peeing in your bovril I have loaded 7.62 Russian a fair bit. I used to wonder about bore size as apparently the Finns rebarrelled many with a .307 bore.
I bought a set of RCBS dies and it came with two expander balls one for 308 and one for 311!
The instructions stated that in testing ammunition made with either would fire safely in either size bore with no I’ll effects and a 308 sized bullet fired down a 311 sized bore exhibited no ill effects including accuracy!
 
tim@tcs said:
The instructions stated that in testing ammunition made with either would fire safely in either size bore with no I’ll effects and a 308 sized bullet fired down a 311 sized bore exhibited no ill effects including accuracy!
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I have this day, taken delivery of another 200x.311 and 200x.308. (Also 14kg of No.5 shot for the Muzzle Loader but that is whole other thread).

I was building up the courage to try the .308, but will slug the bore with my 'patent' lead drilled out ball, 6mm brass rod and lashings of White Lithium Grease.

Seems rude not to.
 
Stalker1962 said:
I have this day, taken delivery of another 200x.311 and 200x.308. (Also 14kg of No.5 shot for the Muzzle Loader but that is whole other thread).

I was building up the courage to try the .308, but will slug the bore with my 'patent' lead drilled out ball, 6mm brass rod and lashings of White Lithium Grease.

Seems rude not to.
Click to expand...
Have you thought this through?
If you drop one of your drilled lead balls into the rifle and start whaling on a 6mm brass rod to drive it through, I’d have thought that theres a good chance of the brass rod finding the drilled hole and working its way through the lead Instead of driving it out.
Line of least resistance and all that.
 
Stalker1962 said:
Have I thought this through?

I have thought of little else.

Truth be told, I now have all the kit to have a go at driving the drilled lead balls down the barrel, with the 6mm brass rod and spoonfuls of white lithium grease - just cannot face what I know will be a fing disaster...
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GOOD LUCK!
 
I’m curious as to what you actually hope to achieve in the end, slugging a bore for a rare rifle makes sense however even if you are lucky enough to find a bullet that’s a perfect match to the bore will it improve accuracy over hand loads or even factory ammunition?
You could have a bore that would perform better with flat tails than boat tails only to find that fmj aren’t available in the weight you require or that the throat is so badly eroded that you can’t seat it out far enough or if going down the cast lead road that you can’t get the right mold or make it hard enough to drive it fast enough!
Still it’s your worm hole and one that has been traveled many times but for that rifle it’s a lot of effort for very little potential improvement!
 
tim@tcs said:
I’m curious as to what you actually hope to achieve in the end, slugging a bore for a rare rifle makes sense however even if you are lucky enough to find a bullet that’s a perfect match to the bore will it improve accuracy over hand loads or even factory ammunition?
You could have a bore that would perform better with flat tails than boat tails only to find that fmj aren’t available in the weight you require or that the throat is so badly eroded that you can’t seat it out far enough or if going down the cast lead road that you can’t get the right mold or make it hard enough to drive it fast enough!
Still it’s your worm hole and one that has been traveled many times but for that rifle it’s a lot of effort for very little potential improvement!
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Having read @Stalker1962 write up from the rifles latest outing, I think I'd feel quite safe standing infront of the 100 yard target it was being shot at 😂
ANY improvement I think would be warmly welcomed 🤔
 
@LeftHandGuy

OK it has taken a while (nobody in any rush are they?).

Quick jog down to the 'Man Cave' this morning before the Clan rock up to eat me out of house and home...

I cut the brass rod into four manageable section of about 8" each.

Squirted a shed load of white lithium grease down the muzzle and went at it, first with the soft mallet and then the metal hammer.

Fearing the worst, somehow

I managed to produce two (count them) slugs.


IMG_6256.jpeg


Throw the calipers around them and we get:-

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And...


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So there we have it.



Have what, I am not all together sure?

My current batch of home loads carry .311 bullets, and this rifle pattern like a punt gun.

Unknown-24.jpeg


I would like to discuss this further, but with the Clan inbound, I must away and hide the decent wine...


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Well there you go you’ve just confirmed your problem.

But then again have you created yet another problem by slugging your barrel the wrong way round and just dumped a load of lithium grease into your chamber and magazine ? We wait in anticipation for the results……in your own time.
 
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On a more serious note and slugging entertainment value aside I find that Mosins really do like heavy i.e. long bullets with plenty of surface bearing - in my case a minimum of 174gns and ranging as far as 200.
Soooo returning to accuracy - yes I know it was a very, very long time ago and I may have forgotten what went before but the best bullets by far in my Mosins I have found to be Sierra Gamekings - as a minimum 150gns but better pretty much as heavy as you can get them. Others such as PPU have been particularly poor, especially factory but S&B are significantly better than PPU. Of course all rifles are different but I know what works in mine - only after a fair bit of experimentation.
My advice is to forget learn from your slugging dramas experiences and just try some Sierras. If you cannot find any pm me and I will send a few to try.
🦊🦊
 
Fosbery Holster said:
Well there you go you’ve just confirmed your problem.

But then again have you created yet another problem by slugging your barrel the wrong way round and just dumped a load of lithium grease into your chamber and magazine ? We wait in anticipation for the results……in your own time.
Click to expand...

I disagree, it's really not that difficult to clean, and unless you're working in desert heat, that white grease won't have spread into the magazine.... It's a hell of a lot easier to remove than the cosmoline it was probably stored in...

On a more serious note, I think cast bullets in 314 or 315 might be the easiest way to have a suitable projectile. Or if you want jacketed, buy some . 318 bullets and use Lee sizing dies in stages to get them down to 314, but I would only do that if I really wanted to use soft points for hunting. For a pure range rifle lead is easier and cheaper
 
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