Hello, everyone..I was going to post on straight-pull site..but decided this would be better. I have always wanted one of these as long as I can remember..first a military musket..then as my taste in firearms changed..a sporter. Now the military in rare enough, but a sporter? I looked for years..usually when I did see one, the bore was rotten, from that high temp. early smokeless powder & fast twist. Finally I found this one. The dealer said it had fancy checkered wood & a bright bore..though worn..the lands were rounded looking. I took a chance and put on lay-away..the price was steep, but they gave me plenty of time to save up. The dealer did knock some off on account of the worn bore. In the meantime, I picked up a book : Winchester Bolt Action Rifles..there was a couple of chapters on this rifle type. I had never seen or heard of one with a checkered stock..the book had a list of those. When I finially recieved rifle, I checked bore, and it was indeed very shiny and near mint. About those rounded lands? The book stated they were metford rifled! No wonder I had such a hard time finding one with a good bore. I started looking for the serial # in the column of checkered stocked rifles..no luck..could this have been non-factory? I kept reading..."Of the rifles with checkered stocks...3 had stocks of fancy English walnut. The very first serial No. listed was mine! I almost sent it back! I had wanted one to shoot..not some rare one. A quick call to the dealer assured me that with care..and my plan to use only lead-alloy cast bullets should do no harm. Even so..I am darn careful with this one!
Now began one of the most frustrating, hair-pulling experiences I have ever had trying to handload for a rifle!
As I said, I had been looking for a 6mm Lee for quite awhile, so had accumulated quite a few 6mm moulds. I cast up samples from each, making up a batch of harder lino, & my usual softer scrap alloy. I decided upon an Ideal 245498. a 100gr g.c. with small flat point, and an Ideal 245497, a multigrooved roundnosed g.c. These were tumble moly-coated, & lubed with Lyman Super Moly.
Now you just can't stroll into your local gun shop & find 6mm Win.-Lee dies on the shelf, I had to special order thru Huntington for a 3 die RCBS set. Brass was ordered from Buffalo Arms Co. It is made from .25-06, and very high quality. I altered a Lyman "M" die expander for case-mouth expanding.
I found some loads in an early (1930) Ideal handbook for cast using IMR4227.
Once I had all the components ready...the fun began. No matter how tightly I sized the necks, the bullets were being pushed back..way back into case. I finally slugged throat and got a shock...The throat is VERY long..and tight! The smallest portion of throat is .0005"..(1/2 thou.) UNDER groove dia! Now with cast, I like to go .001" to .002" over groove dia. Not on this one! I ended up having to size bullet to groove dia., then, pushing bullet nose-first into .001" under groove dia. die, to size first band..this to allow chambering without bullet push-back. At least the gas-check spring-back was .001" over groove dia. I was hoping this would seal bore. I was still worried how a cast-bullet would take that fast 1 in 7 1/2" twist though.
Since the sights are an open "V" buckhorn rear with stepped elevator, and the front is a German silver blade, I did load development at only 50yds.
I started with low charges and gradually worked up. At 10.0gr. IMR4227, it was grouping in 3/4" to point of aim. Any heaver and groups opened up.
I wanted to try another powder..but what? Then I remembered a can of TrailBoss. I called Hodgdon & they gave me the start formula.. Interestingly, best accuracy with this powder was right at 10.0grs. also. Hitting to p.o.a. and 3/4" groups. I tried it off bench at 100yds. and managed a 1 1/4" group. The flat-nose proved better than the round-nose..just the opposite of what I had thought.
Now about the powder used...With every charge..even the heaver ones using IMR4227, the case necks were left blackened. With TrailBoss..even the start loads left them clean. Must be higher pressure...and yet..the muzzle blast & report seemed milder with the TB?
One thing about this little rifle..It is FUN! it is very light, yet recoil and report are about like a light sporter .222Rem. using 55gr. loads.
It took awhile to get the bugs worked out, and it nearly drove me crazy for awhile..but I learned alot. Oh about that fast twist? Even the heavest loads left no leading. I never did get around to using the hard cast..the softer worked so well.
Now began one of the most frustrating, hair-pulling experiences I have ever had trying to handload for a rifle!
As I said, I had been looking for a 6mm Lee for quite awhile, so had accumulated quite a few 6mm moulds. I cast up samples from each, making up a batch of harder lino, & my usual softer scrap alloy. I decided upon an Ideal 245498. a 100gr g.c. with small flat point, and an Ideal 245497, a multigrooved roundnosed g.c. These were tumble moly-coated, & lubed with Lyman Super Moly.
Now you just can't stroll into your local gun shop & find 6mm Win.-Lee dies on the shelf, I had to special order thru Huntington for a 3 die RCBS set. Brass was ordered from Buffalo Arms Co. It is made from .25-06, and very high quality. I altered a Lyman "M" die expander for case-mouth expanding.
I found some loads in an early (1930) Ideal handbook for cast using IMR4227.
Once I had all the components ready...the fun began. No matter how tightly I sized the necks, the bullets were being pushed back..way back into case. I finally slugged throat and got a shock...The throat is VERY long..and tight! The smallest portion of throat is .0005"..(1/2 thou.) UNDER groove dia! Now with cast, I like to go .001" to .002" over groove dia. Not on this one! I ended up having to size bullet to groove dia., then, pushing bullet nose-first into .001" under groove dia. die, to size first band..this to allow chambering without bullet push-back. At least the gas-check spring-back was .001" over groove dia. I was hoping this would seal bore. I was still worried how a cast-bullet would take that fast 1 in 7 1/2" twist though.
Since the sights are an open "V" buckhorn rear with stepped elevator, and the front is a German silver blade, I did load development at only 50yds.
I started with low charges and gradually worked up. At 10.0gr. IMR4227, it was grouping in 3/4" to point of aim. Any heaver and groups opened up.
I wanted to try another powder..but what? Then I remembered a can of TrailBoss. I called Hodgdon & they gave me the start formula.. Interestingly, best accuracy with this powder was right at 10.0grs. also. Hitting to p.o.a. and 3/4" groups. I tried it off bench at 100yds. and managed a 1 1/4" group. The flat-nose proved better than the round-nose..just the opposite of what I had thought.
Now about the powder used...With every charge..even the heaver ones using IMR4227, the case necks were left blackened. With TrailBoss..even the start loads left them clean. Must be higher pressure...and yet..the muzzle blast & report seemed milder with the TB?
One thing about this little rifle..It is FUN! it is very light, yet recoil and report are about like a light sporter .222Rem. using 55gr. loads.
It took awhile to get the bugs worked out, and it nearly drove me crazy for awhile..but I learned alot. Oh about that fast twist? Even the heavest loads left no leading. I never did get around to using the hard cast..the softer worked so well.
