stubbicatt
New member
In an effort to get more range time with my 1905 Winchester High Wall Schuetzen rifle, I decided to try to compete in 200 yard "cowboy" silhouette. They won't allow hooked buttplates, so I removed mine and installed a leather "wrap around" butt pad, and decided to try some fixed ammunition.
The groove diameter measures out at .3235", and I have had good success with .324" tapered 200 grain Saeco "Pope style" bullets and breach seating, but the standard RCBS "cowboy" expander plug is much smaller in diameter, which makes bullet seating in the cases a real chore, and really I obtained unacceptable results with lots of bullet shaving, etc.
So I bought a custom BACO expander plug at .325x.322" It works beautifully with the .324" bullets. No shaving, no deformed case mouths. It was worth the $20. Also rather than use up my Winchester vintage 32-40 brass, I bought 50 38-55 cases from MidwayUSA, which resized easily with one pass thru the 32-40 FL RCBS sizer die. I reckon if I wreck a few of the Starline cases, I can always get more.
Now this Sunday is the "acid test" to see if she will shoot or not with fixed ammo. Since I really don't have the time to do any meaningful load development, I decided to wing it with 3 clicks less powder and seating bullets in the cases. I seat the bullets just deep enough that they engage the throated part of the chamber, and require a little push to get the case to seat fully in the chamber so that the breach will close. Sort of quasi "breach seating!" LOL.
Should be an interesting experience.
But the expander plug is super duper!
The groove diameter measures out at .3235", and I have had good success with .324" tapered 200 grain Saeco "Pope style" bullets and breach seating, but the standard RCBS "cowboy" expander plug is much smaller in diameter, which makes bullet seating in the cases a real chore, and really I obtained unacceptable results with lots of bullet shaving, etc.
So I bought a custom BACO expander plug at .325x.322" It works beautifully with the .324" bullets. No shaving, no deformed case mouths. It was worth the $20. Also rather than use up my Winchester vintage 32-40 brass, I bought 50 38-55 cases from MidwayUSA, which resized easily with one pass thru the 32-40 FL RCBS sizer die. I reckon if I wreck a few of the Starline cases, I can always get more.
Now this Sunday is the "acid test" to see if she will shoot or not with fixed ammo. Since I really don't have the time to do any meaningful load development, I decided to wing it with 3 clicks less powder and seating bullets in the cases. I seat the bullets just deep enough that they engage the throated part of the chamber, and require a little push to get the case to seat fully in the chamber so that the breach will close. Sort of quasi "breach seating!" LOL.
Should be an interesting experience.
But the expander plug is super duper!
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