Bullshop 500gr BPE Cutdowns?
 

Hi Guys,

Again I'm following advice learned on this great forum and am in process of ordering some Bullshop conicals. I've worked out what I want with a custom sampler pack and happened to ask them about smaller conicals than their 400gr LGP. Guess what, they said yes, they can cut down a 500gr BPE to either 300gr or 350gr. Question is what kind of projectile is a BPE? What does BPE actually mean? ;)

thanks all!
phil

RE: Bullshop 500gr BPE Cutdowns?
 

Black Powder Express. That's probably the name givenby the mould manufacturer, likely Lyman. It would be a variable cavity mould, Here's an example of one in 350 grains from an expired auction

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7465765&aa=%20%20%2035 0%20Grain%2050%20Caliber%20Rifle%20Bullets

RE: Bullshop 500gr BPE Cutdowns?
 

Why, that's just a little baby bullet... :D:D I personally really could not see any advantage of shooting something like then over say a 460 grain but to each their own.

RE: Bullshop 500gr BPE Cutdowns?
 

I agree. :) Lowest I would go is that 400 grainer in the pics and wouldprefer the 460 NEx over that one. If you want less recoil just reduce your powder charge. Recoil from that rifle with 80 grains of T7 FFg under a 500 grain conical isn't bad at all. Stock fit and geometry have a great deal to do with perceived recoil...the Ultra Mag stock is well designed.

RE: Bullshop 500gr BPE Cutdowns?
 

Ok thanks for the info guys. I'm looking to get sabot like performance fromconicals - shooting out to 150yds forboth deer and elk - oh and no holdover ... yes, Iknow my hunting buddy wants a lot,right? :) Recoil and cost to him are not an issue, but being able to hold on the game out to our typical hunting distances is a crucial requirement.

RE: Bullshop 500gr BPE Cutdowns?
 

I have no personal experience, but I think I remember someone saying that if you start to really push some of the smaller bullets, the accuracy goes to crud. Not what you want if you are trying to shoot at 150 yards.

I hope to be able to get dialed in to 150 yards or close to it for hunting, but I plan on using a rangefinder (sitting at the post office right now:()and would only take a shot if the conditions were perfect and a perfect shot presented itself. Holdever at the longer range will be well rehersed.

No matter what, your buddy is not going to get centerfire range out of his ML. It is better if he adapt to ML, rather than to try to adapt ML to him.

Then again, I could be totally wrong.:)

RE: Bullshop 500gr BPE Cutdowns?
 

You can only push a pure lead bullet so hard before you will very likely get leading in your bore. My guess is that your trajectory gain by going to lighter bullet isn't going to be that great, taking into account the leading issue and the speed limit it will impose. Those 460 grainers should make a very good choice for your "varmint rifle". :D

RE: Bullshop 500gr BPE Cutdowns?
 

http://www.hallowellco.com/westley_richards_patent_1871_mar.htm

seems the BPE line of cartridges would probably pre-date Lyman so I reckon ah wuz rong... :)

RE: Bullshop 500gr BPE Cutdowns?
 

To add to what Underclocked said you can only push a pure lead bullet so fast and it will deform that also will affect accuracy. Lee

RE: Bullshop 500gr BPE Cutdowns?
 

Yes I know guys, I actually read this forum pretty thoroughly! :D New news is the NE conical order arrived today - as did the Nosler 50/45 sabots so I'm in good shape to start shooting both conicals and sabots.I've finally gotten my hunting buddy scheduled to coincide with my free time so we're shooting this weekend - regardless of what he chooses to shoot, I'm planning to shoot the Hornady 300gr XTPs with the Nosler sabots - 70gr of T7 3Fg and work up until the accuracy peaks. My buddy will just need to find his own ML way as I'm starting to learn what I need to using this forum - thanks again for all the great help! If I have time I'll try some 460gr NEs as well.

As a matter of fact, we're both going to the WAC show in Monroe this Sat- I recall there are usually at least several ML related booths at the their bi-weekly shows. I never found the RWS 1075 caps locally - we'll have to see what's at the show.

More questions of course- Whattypical "max" velocities do lead projectiles start to deform to the point of affecting accuracy? And how does this information relate to volume charges- 120gr, 130gr, 140gr or more? How does that data compare to flatter trajectories with increasing powder loads? Are we talking about an inch flatter with 10gr increment? Then of course there's the BC of the projecile itself - for instance taking the BC from .2 to .3 or .4 does what to the trajectory out to 150yds? I know, lots of questions ... as always, point me to the reading material and I'll dig in. ;)

cascadedad
I have the weekend following July 4th off and then two weekends after the July 22/23 weekend ... are you and your son going to be shooting on those dates perhaps? :)

cheers,
phil