New Lot # Problems 195 Barnes Expander and What to DO!
Jul 16, 2015 11:04:43 GMT -5
Post by Savage Shooter on Jul 16, 2015 11:04:43 GMT -5
Houston we have a problem!!
As season draws near some of you that shoot the 195BX exclusively are going to have a problem if you buy new bullets! With known loads that have performed flawlessly for you all the sudden will not be able to hold a sabot with ANY load over about 22Kpsi.
In the pic note the bullet on the right is of my old lot # 4465. The bullet on the left is of a new batch just purchased (lot # 6425). The bullet on the left will NOT hold sabot at smokeless pressures due to "ridge" on base that will cut petals of sabot instantly at ignition.
In this pic the same new bullet is on the left and a slightly more radius bullet (Lot # 5356) is on the right for comparison, the bullet on the right can hold pressure if slightly knurled but has a touch more radius at about .050 than the 4272, 4465 & 4574 lot #'s which all have a perfect for our use .040 radius.
So I chucked a batch of new bullets up in hand drill and started experimenting, what I found the base was perfectly "flat" it was too square and would cut petals off blowing sabots every shot. So I started flatten and rounding a tad at time til to see at what point I got original performance strength back. Well the .040 radius as proven before with lot #'s 4465 will shoot like a house on fire.
The process I used was to roll a single cut flat bastard file from the edge of the bullet onto the base until I hit .040 radius (it is very easy to be consistent after doing a couple, you can see when its right by eye when you know what it should look like). Final step was to spin the radius portion and base against extra fine or 0000 steel wool to make super smooth. In the pics below are what a finished bullet should look like. Very easy to do and quick. Hope this helps as some others see this same problem.
The new lot 6425 bullets would not hold sabot at even 54gr of H4198, so I see problem on horizon for guys buying new bullets.
After many emails and pics back and forth with Ty at Barnes they recognize and promise to fix when they run the next lot # but that could be months so I thought I would post this to let you know.
This bullet will SHOOT and the slight jaw marks on the bullet does NOT matter (but you can roll it back down a bit if you like)! And weight doesn't change even a grain. This is the same 6425 lot bullet in the 1st pic.
As season draws near some of you that shoot the 195BX exclusively are going to have a problem if you buy new bullets! With known loads that have performed flawlessly for you all the sudden will not be able to hold a sabot with ANY load over about 22Kpsi.
In the pic note the bullet on the right is of my old lot # 4465. The bullet on the left is of a new batch just purchased (lot # 6425). The bullet on the left will NOT hold sabot at smokeless pressures due to "ridge" on base that will cut petals of sabot instantly at ignition.
In this pic the same new bullet is on the left and a slightly more radius bullet (Lot # 5356) is on the right for comparison, the bullet on the right can hold pressure if slightly knurled but has a touch more radius at about .050 than the 4272, 4465 & 4574 lot #'s which all have a perfect for our use .040 radius.
So I chucked a batch of new bullets up in hand drill and started experimenting, what I found the base was perfectly "flat" it was too square and would cut petals off blowing sabots every shot. So I started flatten and rounding a tad at time til to see at what point I got original performance strength back. Well the .040 radius as proven before with lot #'s 4465 will shoot like a house on fire.
The process I used was to roll a single cut flat bastard file from the edge of the bullet onto the base until I hit .040 radius (it is very easy to be consistent after doing a couple, you can see when its right by eye when you know what it should look like). Final step was to spin the radius portion and base against extra fine or 0000 steel wool to make super smooth. In the pics below are what a finished bullet should look like. Very easy to do and quick. Hope this helps as some others see this same problem.
The new lot 6425 bullets would not hold sabot at even 54gr of H4198, so I see problem on horizon for guys buying new bullets.
After many emails and pics back and forth with Ty at Barnes they recognize and promise to fix when they run the next lot # but that could be months so I thought I would post this to let you know.
This bullet will SHOOT and the slight jaw marks on the bullet does NOT matter (but you can roll it back down a bit if you like)! And weight doesn't change even a grain. This is the same 6425 lot bullet in the 1st pic.
