Pure lead or alloy for Smith bullets? Also, filler?

[Maillemaker]

I'm looking at getting a Smith carbine for my daughter.

I have an Eras Gone mold for a Smith bullet. Should I use pure lead or a tin/lead alloy?

I have ordered the red plastic tubes with brass grommet from Yore Supply.

Should I use a filler when making the cartridges?

What is the ballpark for a target load?

2F or 3F powder? I don't really have much 2F powder left, so 3F is probably what I will use.

Steve

[Maillemaker]

I found this interesting thread on Smith bullets:

https://www.n-ssa.net/vbforum/showthread.php/18245-Plastic-Smith-tubes-with-brass-rivet?highlight=smith+bullet

Steve

[Maillemaker]

Thanks Rob!

Steve

[Hal]

Steve,

I use 30 gr. of Swiss 1-1/2F topped off with a 0.5cc Lee dipper of cream of wheat. I seat the bullet by hand. That leaves the bullet just a hair shallow in the case and when I close the carbine, it finishes seating the bullet. I use a 50/50 mix of pure lead and wheel weights, mainly because I know that my bullet is large enough to fill the groove diameter, therefore no obturation is needed, AND.......I have more wheel weights than I will probably ever use, but have to BUY pure lead.

BTW, I tried 3F, but found I was losing it out the flash hole when I filled the cases. Was it enough to affect accuracy? I don't know, but I didn't like it, so I went with 1.5F and solved the problem. It shoots better than me, so that works for me. Others will have different opinions.

[Lou Lou Lou]

I use metal tubes, 25 gr FFFg and a Rapine/Moose 515-385 bullet. Works better than I can hold

[jonk]

I never had a lot of luck with the orange Yore tubes. Grommets fell out after a shot or two. Give them a try but I prefer the hard plastic or metal ones.

2 or 3f, your gun will tell you what it likes. Same with soft vs. hard lead and filler vs. no.

Currently I am running a brass tube, soft lead, 30 gr of 2f, and an over powder cork wad. This with the lodgewood Lee bullet 6 cavity mold. I got an Eras gone by mold recently and am going work up a load for it.

[ms3635v]

Steve, I shoot soft lead Moose Smith/Maynard bullets sized to .518", and I use 28.5 grains of 3F, no filler. Works like a charm. My son-in-law has won several medals with the original Smith and the load data.

[Maillemaker]

How do you guys lube Smith bullets?

Dip lube? Lubrsizer?

Steve

[PapaRob]

I dip once.

[Lou Lou Lou]

Dip lube in McM

[Hal]

Steve,

I pan lube mine.

[Maillemaker]

Hey guys, maybe a silly question.

I dip-luped some Eras Gone Smith bullets tonight. My technique is to dip them in the molten lube, then I "tap" the base of them on some wax paper to wipe their bottoms, then I set them on wax paper to solidify.

If I don't do the "tap" step, then each bullet ends up with a crust/ring of lead attached to the base of the bullet that I imagine would make it hard to insert into the case.

But even when I do this, the lower driving band of the bullet (below the grease groove), gets lube on it. This is enough to swell the case mouth when you push the bullet in. So I sat down and spun each bullet in my fingers using my fingernail like a lathe to carve off the excess lube.

Do you guys push your bullets through a sizer after lubing to achieve this?

I just ordered a .515 push-through sizing die from Lodgewood:

http://www.lodgewood.com/Precision-Sizing-Die-with-Plunger_p_1605.html

With 1:20 tin:lead alloy, my bullets are dropping at .522 diameter. I pounded one down the barrel with a wooden dowel - the bullet max diameter (by gently spinning the bullet in some caliper jaws) is .511 - .512. So I figure .515 will be a good size for the die?

Anyway I figured sizing would scrape off the excess lube. Good plan?

Steve

[bobanderson]

You can reduce the amount of lube that dipping applies by preheating the bullets. When I was experimenting with lubing round balls for my smoothie, I discovered that I could put them in boiling water. This reduced the temperature difference between the lube and the ball making for a thinner coating of lube.

[Maillemaker]

Yeah I do that with my Moose Wilkinson bullets prior to dipping them. I just set them on the hot plate 10 at a time as I'm dipping and they heat up nicely.

[Michael Bodner]

Steve,

I dip my Smith Bullets into melted lube, scrape the bottom on the edge of the pan, then place them on either waxed paper or an old wooden cutting board (that has seen so many bullets, the wood is oil-soaked). I'm using MCM lube from Old Trapper BTW.

Once they harden, I pass them though my sizing die. This takes all the excess lube off the bullet sides where it does no good. It does however, tend to make a 'pile of lube' towards the front of the bullet. After I hand-press the bullet into the plastic smith tube, I smear this excess lube down towards the lip of the plastic case. I used to remove it, but my grease groove was so small that this extra lube was absolutely needed to prevent fouling (I'm using a Rapine 315gr single-groove bullet).

My sizing die happens to be around 0.517 (regardless of how it was marked...) and that has worked for me and my gun....

So YES, letting the sizing die scrape the excess lube is a good idea in my opinion...

-Boots


Do you guys push your bullets through a sizer after lubing to achieve this?

I just ordered a .515 push-through sizing die from Lodgewood:
Anyway I figured sizing would scrape off the excess lube. Good plan?

Steve[/QUOTE]