Monkey tail

[OLD TUP]

Hello to every one on the forum, especily to Olvind who helped me out with my kammerlder carbine a few years ago. I would like to ask Fabian 23 were he obtained his bullet mold from for his monkey tail. I have ben shooting one for about 4 years now with varying results.I use a Lee .458" mold whitch I machined a driving band (Lee 457/450 f) The paper is 45 gr per sq meter untreated cut on a romboyd, paper goes nearly to the nose of the bullet. The base wad is .5" Wonder wad super glued to the base. Both the bullet and base wad are dipped in a mixture of 50/50 beeswax and neadsfoot oil. Results are promising but the bullet is not long enough.The original was .458/468x1.35 long it may hve had a hollow base to get the weight down to 480 grns. I would be gratfill for any sugestions.   Dave

[Fabian23]

Good morning Old Tup!

The mould I have was a custom job, a few of us MT owners on the Britishmilitariaforum got together with a private mould maker to reproduce the rifle bullet.  It is flat based with a rear driving band.  I'll have to measure the exact dimensions later.  Although it is an accurate reproduction, none of us is having any luck with it below 100m.  It must be said that it is very long and heavy.  One fellow is having good results with a LEE .459 mould at short distance so I might give that a try.

I currently use a .54 wad which I jam in separately after the cartridge that containes just powder and bullet.  The wad is a bit oversize but that way I'm sure I won't get blowback :-)

[OLD TUP]

Good evaning Fabian,I thought I would post a target I shot this year with my m.t. and experimental bullets, both shot at 50yds. benchrest. The top group(about 3" with on flyer) This is a Lee 459/405hb that I put in the bullet sizing  press upside down and expanded the base to .470". This was done with a cone shape in the top punch. The base cavity was half filled with modeling clay and left to dry overnight. I made up the cartridge in the normal manner with 55grns. of swiss No.2.I think this should make a good carbine round. The bottom group (3.5") This was the Lee 457/450/f mold that I addapted to 458/470 flat base. The same swiss No.2 55grns. was used. the ownley diferance being thatI put a .45 wonderwad and two card wads behind the bullet, the idia was to get the bullet further up in the rifleing. It seems any increase in powder charge decreases accuracy. I think that after Christmass I will try a Lee c457/500 and adapt that so I can use a bigger powder charge.     Dave