Jay,

Nope. Don't have ANY ballistic info on these bullets yet. However, using a Hornady bullet of similar shape as a model, I'm not concerned about being able to estimate appropriate aim at ranges less than 200 yds. Since I'm roughly 1" high at 100, I feel confident that given the width of a caribou's body, I can "not give away the hole", (using golfing parlance), and still be well in the kill zone at 200 or less. I just don't shoot much farther than that.

With regard to use of cast bullets, I too am disappointed. Part of the problem of finding a working load may be my ignorance about loading for cast bullets. The current problem isn't just an issue of the bullets going "all over the place". I can't find a charge that is both strong enough to expand the case enough to seal the chamber, AND remain below the yield strength of the lead bullets I'm casting.

There may also be some "star mis-alignment" involved. First, the chamber on this particular rifle seems a little large. I base this comment on the fact that the fired brass is considerably larger than both the unfired virgin brass form Grafs, AND the full-length resized once-fired brass. Second, I think the nazi brass, especially, is fairly 'beefy'. I've sectioned a case and these cases are definitely made with thicker walls and webs than one sees in modern brass cases. Since the nazi brass is Berdan-primed, I have not reloaded any of it, therefore unless the Graf brass is just as 'beefy', "thick brass" isn't the cause of 'failure to seal'. I have not sectioned a Graf case, so I can't answer that yet. It's not uncommon with the cast loads to get blowback into my face. Finally, all of the elements; 'light' charges, 'large' chamber, 'thick' brass, my lack of experience, AND cold temperatures, may be confounding my ability to find a working load for cast bullets.

John,

Thanks buddy. As my grandmother often said, "Even a blind chicken finds grain now and then." Some days you're just "in the zone". (Wait 'til you see the groups from the .22/.30-30 and the .257. However, After the earlier sessions with the rifle using only the battlefield sights, I had a pretty good feeling it would be a "shooter". That's why I was kind of "motivated" to 'scope it. It's kind of disappointing to have the potential of a good rifle blunted by my failing eyesight. As for caribou steaks - not yet. We saw only cows and calves. I'll be back at it after today's aerial recon.

Robie,

It really hadn't occurred to me that themperature might be problem. If that is indeed the case, seems magnum primers might be necessary in the winter months. Considering the intensity of a primer's detonation, I would be surprised to find out that such a flame wouldn't ignite gunpowder consistently.

Don,

In this instance, there was no burnt powder, but the granules near the primer were darkened. I don't ascribe this cartridge failure to a primer failure, (although it may very well have been), because it had sufficient power to drive the slug into the lands, albeit only to the gas check. Therefore, it had to move about 45 grains of powder plus the 200 grains of the bullet. I think a primer with that power should have been able to ignite "good" powder.

Paul

Here are some caribou pictures.

Paul, that was the solution I found. I can still get consistancy with standard primers above 50F, but why bother, since we never see that temp during hunting season. I did have to play with charges using Fed215s, but it all worked out fine for me. It is funny, at around 10 degrees, the velocity I can get with 180s without pressure signs, almost 3300, in a COLD chamber.

Paul;
 
I am having very good results with Reloder7 in everything from .44-40, .303 Savage, 7.5 Swiss , 7.62x54R and .32sp ,with the 160 cgc Lee, got 2200fps in the Swiss and 2300 in the 7.62x54R, the M44 still gives only fair results even with almost .314 sizing.
Even the .44-40 did well with this powder and cast bullets.
I am awaiting a chance to try some of the 310gr you sent, if I can figure out a way to make them chamber in my '92.
Of course I am not trying to shoot when the water has already turned hard.
Get a mess of venison!
:D
Don