Henry Rifle Forums

I have a new problem. I have been doing some loading for a number of years, 30 cal, for my M1 and Springfield so I am not new to the game. Nothing to serious just pleasure shooting. The '06 is pretty forgiving that way. Now I have my Henry Big Boy, 45 Colt, I have a new issue. To date I have loaded SNS Cast, Berry's plated bullets and Hornady Jacketed XTP, all 250 grain flat point. I have been loading with new Hornady and Winchester brass. When I picked up my Henry a bought a box of Magtech Cowboy Action Loads. Today I was going to do a reload with the Magtech brass with Berry's bullets. After doing all the case prep, sizing, expanding and started to charge and seat the Berry's plated bullets. I did the set-up to seat depth and set for a light crimp. On the fourth round a did a kink on the case. I miked all the bullets for diameter. They were within 5 tenths. Then I seated cast bullets without any problem. The only change was the cast bullets. I have loaded all three bullets in the Hornady and Winchester brass several times without any problem. I realize the cast bullets are more forgiving that the plated or jacked bullets. The only conclusion I can come to is the Magtech brass does not have the wall strength to support the seat and acts like a tin can.
Any thoughts out there. Has been a problem for any of you?

Anyone have an answer?

I have never used Magtech Cowboy Action Loads so I can't speak for them .... I have used hundreds of rounds of HSM Cowboy Action Ammunition --- http://www.cabelas.com/product/hsm-cowb ... ction+ammo .... I haven't weighed the cases but they do seem lighter .... possibly, a bit thinner walls ? ... please note, my observations have no scientific basis, it is a perception ... if I'm right, that doesn't concern me because our plan is to reload them with light loads pushing lead bullets .... heavier charges pushing jacketed hunting level bullets will be loaded in Starline Brass .... in time we will figure out the longevity of the HSM brass

Do you separate the brass into brands when you reload? I get brass from range pickup and it contains all brands.

Sir Henry wrote:Do you separate the brass into brands when you reload? I get brass from range pickup and it contains all brands.

this is the first time we've had any Cowboy Action cases .... normally we order 500 or more name brand cases ... our hunting ammo is loaded into new cases .... once fired they are used for practice loads .... I've never separated the ones in the practice pile but, just out of force of habit, do try to keep all hunting ammo the same

I do separate my brass. I did a quick reply but did not see it comes up. All of my 45 Colt shooting is practice or pleasure, no hunting. Other than this one lot of brass I have used new winchester or Hornady brass. I had purchased one box of Cowboy ammo to get on the the range before I had a chance to start reloading. Thanks to JEBar for his comments and I agree the Cowboy brass my be a little light walled. Will use this brass for cast bullets only.
Thanks all.

1st thing 1st you should never shoot cast bullet and jacket bullet in the same gun and expect it not to lead up the barrel . Lead sticks to copper fouling and that is a fact .... Brass thickness don't control the life of the brass , you do . No one make brass for jacket bullets and another for cast bullets .I've never seen a box marked lead bullets only . Check your brass length ... If one is too long the crimp will wrinkle the brass . If the brass is too short it will not flare brass correctly and the bullet will crush the brass when seating it . I use a Lyman M-die for all my cast bullet .

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/dies ... xpDies.php