MH MkIV Range Report

I made it to the range with my MkIV Saturday. I loaded 3 rounds, 1 CBC 24 ga brass with 60 grains of Goex 2F, dryer lint, card wad, wool wad, card wad, grease cookie, 2 card wads and a .468 dip lubed RCBS bullet, case neck sized only and lightly crimped. 2 Jamison brass, same load. From the bench, 100 yards.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...port0011-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...port0021-1.jpg
Next up was 60 grains of APP/Schockley Gold 2F, dryer lint, card wad, dip lubed .468 RCBS
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...port0041-1.jpg
Last bench load was 60 grs of APP, dryer lint, card wad, .458/405 Lee and .458/500 Lee, paper patched, dip lubed.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...port0031-1.jpg
I had 4 rounds of the .468's left and decided to try my luck off hand.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...port0051-1.jpg
Clean up was a breeze compared to my experience shooting all black in the past. One hour and I had the rifle and brass clean.

Barnettshale,
You said, "..... case neck sized only and lightly crimped...." .

Can I ask what you necksized & crimped with?. Interesting to see you using 60 grains of Blackpowder, do you know hom much lint you are using?.
I have been using 3-3.5 grains of carded wool with 70 grains of FG but at 50 yards 70 grains is not really needed & I would like to reduce to 60 grains if safe to do so.
Peter (Burlington, Ontario)

biggles
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00191-1.jpg
I use Lee dies and try not to work the brass anymore than I have to. If I am using more than one rifle, the MkII & the MkIV, then I have to full length resize. I will say that the MkII doesn't do as well as the MkIV with this load.
45grains of Schockley Gold 2F by weight, 60 grains by black powder adjustable volumnmetric powder measure. One that I have used for over 40 years. The APP 2F looks to me like maybe
1F of the real black.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00211-1.jpg
I used the brass powder measure and poured the powder into my scale pan to see what the actual weight is.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00221-1.jpg
Jamison or CBC brass

---------- Post added at 05:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:25 PM ----------

My computer started acting up so had to post and then continue.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...wood0061-1.jpg
5 grains of dryer lint
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00231-1.jpg
card wad
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00241-1.jpg
dip lubed RCBS .468/485 grain bullet
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00251-1.jpg

Barnettshale,
Thanks for the detailed reply & pictures. I am guessing you back out the die a bit to necksize only, is that correct?.
Just as a matter of interest, when you weighed the Blackpowder how close was the grain "weight" to the volumetric weight?

How do you change the load for your Mk.II?

Peter (Burlington, Ontario)

Thanks for two very informative posts, but why the crimp?

:wave:

As far as the neck size is concerned, I leave the die as is and just run the case up partially. Just a judgement call on my part. About a 1/4 way up the neck.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00261-1.jpg
Then run the brass into the charging die, all the way which also bells the case mouth.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00271-1.jpg
Here is the reason for that. If I don't the case will remove most of the lube from the bullet and if I am using paper patch, I don't want to damage the patch.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00301-1.jpg
Charge the case, feed the lint into the case, don't pack it down and leave it in the neck.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00281-1.jpg
put the card wad on top of the lint and then let the bullet move it down in the case neck. Again, it is just a filler, don't want to pack it in.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00291-1.jpg
I have to crimp to remove the bell or the case will not chamber.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00311-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00341-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MG_00361-1.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Barnettshale

I have to crimp to remove the bell or the case will not chamber.

---

Ahah! Now I understand - I do the same. But it's not really a crimp. more of a straightening out.

:wave:

Barnettshale said, "Then run the brass into the charging die, all the way which also bells the case mouth."

Now I understand...I have not used the charging die yet so I did not realise that it belled the case mouth as well.
Thanks,
Peter (Burlington, Ontario)

Glad I could clear things up. This has been a learning experience for me also. I have gotten fairly comfortable converting the 24 ga brass to 577/450. I still screw up every once in awhile, when I get in a hurry and feel too comfortable. My first 24 ga conversions actually had too short a neck by about .100", they still shoot though.

For only neck sizing I bought a set a set of LEE dies for the .480 Ruger pistol round. They size for a .475 bullet. I also use it to give me a slight crimp on my paper patched bullets for my MKIV.
I think the dies cost me about $25.00.
john