1st Casting Session Went Well- Thanks To All for Help

[morehops52]

I melted 20 lbs of lead into T/C Maxis this past week. Got about 300 total of 50 and 54. but I haven't made a full count yet. Most all came out great, no frosted but a few that went back in the pot. Most everything went surprisingly smooth. Much of that was due to the extra suggestions made here from "younz guys" as we say in W PA. Anyway the castings aren't any good to me if they don't go where I want 'em to. The photos show a beautiful sight in my cooler (handled gently). The other what my first range session did. These were from my 54 GPH (1:32). One of the reasons I wanted to cast my own is the unavailability of genuine T/C Maxi's in .54. The GPH will not shoot 3rd party maxis (Lee or Lyman?) as good as the real thing. I just turned 70 & my goal is to cast up enough to last me until I can't see the target or my back can't take it any more. To that end I have 28 lbs more 99.9% lead on it's way plus some terrible bullets that my rifle hates that I'm going to turn into real shooters. After that you'll see everything for sale here as I don't plan on doing this again. If'n I need to it means the good Lord has treated me well indeed. Thank you all for your help.

 

[William O.]

My experience with the GPH barrel led me to using a 220 grain Lee REAL bullet cast from pure lead. I also found that it didn't care for TC maxis or the Great Plains bullets but no matter what I tried, the addition of a lubed fiber wad improved accuracy. I also had to go up to a heavy charge of 3f Goex, 95 grains, which is or is close to max IIRC. It would punch out the bullseye at 75 yards all day, which is my self imposed limit with open sights. I didn't do any long range shooting with it so that might not be useful to you but I thought I'd pass it along. I have no doubt that load combination would have gone end to end through a bull elk but after three or fours shots at the range my arm and shoulder would wave the white flag.

Good luck!

 

[necchi]

After that you'll see everything for sale here as I don't plan on doing this again. If'n I need to it means the good Lord has treated me well indeed.,,

Geez, don't fret too much,, your still here an "a learnin", I ain't far behind ya an I'm still buy green bananas.
Sellin the stuff don't make no sense, ya can't take it with ya.
Who know's,, ya might teach another feller some day an decide ta give it away.

 

[morehops52]

My experience with the GPH barrel led me to using a 220 grain Lee REAL bullet cast from pure lead. I also found that it didn't care for TC maxis or the Great Plains bullets but no matter what I tried, the addition of a lubed fiber wad improved accuracy. I also had to go up to a heavy charge of 3f Goex, 95 grains, which is or is close to max IIRC. It would punch out the bullseye at 75 yards all day, which is my self imposed limit with open sights. I didn't do any long range shooting with it so that might not be useful to you but I thought I'd pass it along. I have no doubt that load combination would have gone end to end through a bull elk but after three or fours shots at the range my arm and shoulder would wave the white flag.

Good luck!

I tried a lot of projectiles. No REAL bullets though. The Great Plains looked like they were shot from a blunderbuss. I was shooting max loads but have settled on a charge of 90gr 3f for the maxis. As per Dutch's method, I'm going to weigh and group my maxis. I don't shoot competition so I'm looking for deer accuracy. 75 yards is my self imposed limit for hunting.

 

[morehops52]

Geez, don't fret too much,, your still here an "a learnin", I ain't far behind ya an I'm still buy green bananas.

• 

Sellin the stuff don't make no sense, ya can't take it with ya.
Who know's,, ya might teach another feller some day an decide ta give it away.

You make a good point but my wife and I are in the downsizing mode. I look at it as just more stuff to store and that one of my kin in the future will have to decide whether to ask $10 or $5 for all that stuff at a garage sale.

 

[nhmoose]

Frosted bullets shoot fine.