Zeroing process?

[Kevin Tinny]

Hello:

When testing cast bullet weights, I use a digital scale. All have weight tolerances, AND ALL HAVE "LOAD CELLS" THAT CAN GO GOOFY. Cheap digital scales are more likely to have significant weight tolerance ranges.

I weigh a bullet five times to find the scale tolerance range. Weighing a group of bullets in order once, recording weights and then repeating this three times will reveal amusing scale variations.

I cast and place bullets in casting order. Then weigh in that order to find where the uniformity within desired range starts. I add metal in 1# amounts so pot stays at least 3/4'full for temperature consistency and use a dipper, not bottom feed. Read the casting tips on Brooks Molds website.

After a lot of overdoing this, I found that my musket-minie testing at 100 shows +/- 2 gr to be ok. Smiles.
Kevin Tinny

[Maillemaker]

I started off over a decade ago with one of those cheap $25 Frankford Arsenal digital scales. It seemed to work OK for about a year but would not consistently return to zero. At the time I was loading modern ammunition and so was concerned that the reported weight was off similarly, which could be dangerous.

I invested in an RCBS 1500 Chargemaster scale. It worked for some years until the digital display went wacky. I replaced it about a year ago with the new RCBS Chargemaster 1500 Lite.

It is extremely repeatable and I feel it is a quality scale.

I use it to dispense black powder charges also, even though they say "not for black powder".

Steve

[Flatlander35]

Wow, enough information to keep me busy all summer. I tried loads from two different bullets, each sized to .575, starting at 40 grains of 2F, bumping up to 65 grains, swabbing after each group of 5, then confirming the two tightest groups a second time before doing some plinking and calling it a day. Took a solid four hours going up in five grain increments. The most consistent load was 60 grains with the 510 grain Lyman Ideal mold. The trigger on my rifle is very light, almost too much. I found though, the limiting factor for me is the sights. That tiny front sight and just awful half-u, shallow notch rear sight makes it almost impossible for me to maintain a consistent sight picture. I can ring steel at 100 all day, but need to use the 300 yard setting to hit at 200 with some regularity, but not enough to really be happy. I'm thinking of ordering one of the taller front sights to have it brazed on and a few of the rear sight blanks to drill out and make peeps so I can at least have some repeatability. Is there a recommended smith who does these right? There are some local smiths but I would much prefer sending this out to somebody who does it on a regular basis. Thanks again to all who contributed, as above I will be combing through all of this throughout the summer and will see where I get.

[Maillemaker]

I'm thinking of ordering one of the taller front sights to have it brazed on and a few of the rear sight blanks to drill out and make peeps so I can at least have some repeatability. Is there a recommended smith who does these right?

I'd recommend a dovetailed front sight. This lets you adjust for windage plus you can then file the site to suit.

[Rick R]

Regarding that fouling shot, I used to have those 1st shot issues with a 2 band Parker Hale Enfield. I shot a target with 5 "first shots" cleaning between each one to see what I needed to do to make that first shot count. I learned that by giving that 1st round a little extra thump with the ramrod I'd get that one to group as well as subsequent shots. I also used to shoot that bad boy without cleaning between events so it only mattered for 1 stinking shot all day.

[Harry Gaul]

A member on the last team would have a special round just for that first shot with a clean barrel. He felt that an extra 5 grains of black powder in addition to his regular load would give him the extra "pop" that was needed to be accurate. After that first shot the barrel would be fouled, and his "regular load" is what he used to finish the relay. He hit more than he missed.

Harry in Pa.
Forney's Battalion
03626v