Here a while back, sakorick gave me a Husqvarna rolling block chambered in 12.7x44r (CF). I'm finally getting around to reloading for it and shooting it. The cartridge isn't too weird, and can be made CORRECTLY from .50-70, .50-90, etc. cartridges. It can also be made from .348 Win cases and those cartridges derived from the .348 Win, like the .50 Alaskan. However, the .348 Win cartridge head diameter is a little small. As is the .348 Win rim diameter. However, the .348 Win case and its derivatives WILL work. I'm making cases from both .50-90 and .50 Alaskan cases.

This cartridge is essentially ballistically identical to the .500 S&W. The 12.7x44r is 3mm longer and the Swedish cartridge case has a slightly bigger head. Of course the .500 S&W can be loaded to MUCH higher pressures (61,931 PSI), than the 12.7x44r can in rifles that are 150 years old like this rolling block. However, the two cartridges use exactly the same bullets. And that's a 'good thing'.

In TRUE .50 caliber, (as opposed to what numbskulls CALL 50 caliber, namely the FIFTY_ONE caliber of the .50 Alaskan and .50-70, ,50-90, etc. bunch), I have the following bullets available to try:

1) Lee Cast 500-440-RF (440 grains nominal),
2) Lee Cast 500-354-M (345 grains nominal),
3) Rainier Plated Hollow Points (335 grains),
4) Speer #4491 Deep Curl (350 grains),
5) Barnes Original (300 grains), and
6) Hornady FTX (300 grains)

Here are pictures of the Lee cast bullets and the jacketed bullets:

As you can see, I was casting, so I also cast some .62 caliber and .75 caliber (10 ga) round ball.

And


I have test-fired the rifle with the Lee 500-44-RF. "All is well." So, I worked up some loads in QuickLOAD that develop about 25 to 28 thousand PSI. Nice mild loads that will not beat up the old rolling block. These loads are by no means "anemic". They generate muzzle energies just under 3000 ft-lb, and carry 1000 ft-lb of that energy out to between 225 and 275 yards. And the trajectories aren't too bad considering the muzzle velocities (1950 to 2100 f/s depending on bullet weight). None are farther than 36" low at 300 yd. At least theoretically.

Turns out, that I can use the .500 S&W dies for resizing and bullet seating. I am going to order a custom Lee "Factory Crimp" die for it. ($25 - Sheesh! How could you not get one for that price!) But... the .51 caliber bullet swaging die that I made to make jacketed bullets for my .50 Alaskan works pretty darn good as a crimping die.

I've loaded 5 each of the two Lee cast bullets, and 5 each of the Speer and Rainier bullets. (When I get the Factory Crimp die, I'll load the Hornady FTXs and the Barnes Originals.) As soon as it's not @#$%^&*ing WINTER, :frown I'll get to the range and give a range report.

Paul

Paul,

Are your shooting the Lee 440's with or without a gas check? Any particular lube?

I  have an old bolt action Husky in 9.3mm that I experimented with cast. I  got good accuracy at low velocity but no luck in pushing it beyond  plinking use. I'm following your progress as I'd like to get back to  that rifle and pursue shooting cast to more moderate velocities.

Nels,

I gave up on shooting cast bullets without gas checks. Even though the Minie is "plain based", I intend to put a gas check backwards against it and on top of powder, using it like an "over-powder card"and HOPING that it 'scrapes lead' on its way out. (If I recall, you did some experimenting with "backwards" GCs, didn't you?)

At the moment, I have no information on velocities or anything else that relays ANY information based on actual shooting. Since I have the jacketed bullets, I am planning on using those for "high speed" - 1800 to 2100 f/s - and relegating the cast lead to less than 1600 f/s. Maybe down around 1400 f/s. I simply have not been able to get cast lead to NOT leave lead in the barrel at velocities above about 1400 f/s.

Jay Edwards turned me on to a cast bullet lube recipe of 50:50 ratio of rendered bear grease and beeswax. That's what I use. I have A LOT of rendered bear grease, so if you would like some, let me know. This recipe is now being sold at a site called October Country http://www.octobercountry.com/bumblin-bear-grease-4-oz/ . (I don't understand how they get away with this, as it is my understanding that it is a FEDERAL CRIME (like GO TO JAIL crime!) to SELL ANYTHING that comes from a bear.) Supposedly, this recipe is good for "cold climate use" as the bear grease prevents the lube from hardening in the cold. Also, I THINK it is used MOSTLY for lubing patches, but I use it on 'everything'.

Don Rinks (AKA Drinksgin) advocated for the "blue stuff". (I can't recall it's name at the moment.) It worked pretty good. But like I said, I couldn't find ANY lube that allowed me to shoot cast lead at over something around 1400 f/s without leaving serious lead in the barrel.

Finally, I readily admit that I did not spend an inordinate amount of time 'tuning' my bullets to my firearms' bores. I tried to get the bullet caliber to be ~0.001" bigger than the groove diameter of my guns, but if I couldn't, I DID NOT buy custom dies or custom sizers to accomplish that. I also didn't fiddle too much with velocity. I'm not interested in target shooting, and not too much in plinking. So if I couldn't get up above 1600 f/s (for a 500-grain bullet), I pretty much gave up and went to jacketed.

So you see, I'm not much 'to look at' when it comes to shooting cast lead. I do REALLY like patched round ball in muzzle loaders though!

THIS rolling block rifle is a little different in that the 'bar' is a little lower in terms of max range of delivered energy. (Maybe it is more towards what you have in some of your firearms that you shoot cast lead in.) I don't anticipate taking this rifle anywhere where I would have to shot at a range greater than about 150 yd. Therefore, I feel I can afford to lower the MV a little. Still, were I to take this rifle to say, "Rick's place", to shoot whitetails, more than likely I'd be using jacketed bullets.

Paul