Big Lube bullets

[perry owens]

My 1890-vintage Winchester 1873 has a few pits in the bore and picks up black powder fouling very quickly so I have been looking for a way to get more lube into the bore to at least keep it soft. Grease cookies are not very practical in a small case like the 38-40 but I finally happened on Big Lube bullets. These have one huge grease groove and are designed for black powder shooters. I got a batch of 0.401in 180grn 38-40 bullets from Whyte Leatherworks and loaded up with 2F Swiss and Hodgdon 777.
My first 5 shots at 50yds went into 2in but then the group started to open up laterally. I found that the rear sight was loose in the dovetail, wedged it in place and got back in business.With the Swiss loads I found that running a bronze brush through the bore every 20 shots restored accuracy but with 777 I fired 50 rounds without cleaning and accuracy was still good enough for CAS type matches.


I thought that the COL might be a little short for the 1873 but the rounds all fed perfectly.
While fixing the rear sight I noticed that it appears to have an adjustable leaf. There is a small screw that holds the leaf in place. Is this a Winchester original? It certainly looks like it has been on the rifle a long time.


The front sight is worn down by scabbard wear and the rear notch is pretty small for my eyesight so I think I will replace them with my favorite Beech/Marbles tang combination before I carry on load development, but at least Big Lube has turned my 1873 from a Gunbroker candidate into a keeper.
Perry Owens

[Hobie]

Perry,

ScottT tried the biglube bullets in Kate and didn't have such good results. I'm wondering if the lessened stress of the smaller powder charge doesn't help.

I see that you're using 777. Have you tried Pyrodex or other BP subs?

[J Miller]

I've been meaning to try some of those big lube bullets. Heard about them for quite a while now, but never have gotten around to it.

That rear sight looks like it has been there forever. It you want to try a new front sight, go here: http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,217.html
They have replacement sights made like the originals.

Even with my 55 YO eyes I'd keep that old Winchester as original as I could.

Besides after two or three rounds there's so much smoke in the air you can't see nuthin

Joe

[perry owens]

Hobie,
Always been a bit of a purist where black powder is concerned, but I must admit that, where fouling is a problem, the substitutes might reduce the problem. I was very impressed by the 777 and will get some Pyrodex. Anyone know what granulation would be good for 38-40?
I have heard that Big Lube bullets are not great for long range and I don't intend to try them in my Shiloh Sharps. I didn't want to buy a mould without trying them first but this guy sells them in packs of 250, already lubed with BP lube http://www.whyteleatherworks.com/
Joe - thanks for the link. I have a new Lyman #21 for the front. I will leave the original rear sight in place and add a Marbles tang sight. Someone should come up with a GPS sight for black powder shooters - one that remembers where the target was when you last saw it!
Perry Owens

[Griff]

Perry, I got in on a group buy for the 6 gang Lee mold in .45 for a 160gr boolit. I think the order went in September, but I'm looking forward to having some lightweight .45s for my handguns and my Uberti 1873 rifle. Although it didn't like my WFN 185gr boolits, I've heard good things about the 160s even in rifles. We'll see. At the very least, I'll have a lighter bullet in the pistols when I shoot Frontier Cartridge, or FC Gunfighter when we finally get that category approved.

Everything I've heard about the Big Lube boolits is good. I know in my 1873 rifle, carrying enough lube is a real issue.

[Hobie]

Thanks for the link!

I would think that Select would be best. However, I'm going to try RS in my .45-75.

[Hank Dodge]

Mark is a staight up good guy to deal with. He is honest folk and makes a decent product. I've used a few of his bullets with good success in my rifles for cowboy shooting activities. Contact him with any questions, he's always more than willing to help out.


Hank

[Griff]

If, AND THAT'S A BIG IF, I were to use Prodex, I'd use "P".

[cas]

If, AND THAT'S A BIG IF, I were to use Prodex, I'd use "P".

Hehehe... it's my feeling that Pyrodex may be the worst fouler of them all.

The American Pioneer being the lightest, because it isn't at all like the other powders. I use it in my Martini's and sometimes my Hepburn and I don't ever wipe or blow tube.

I could give you some to try if you'd like.

[Ysabel Kid]

Cool! I learn something new every day on these forums!

[w30wcf]

Perry Owens,
Nice looking bullets! I have used the "Big Lube" bullets in my .45 Colt Marlin Cowboy rifle with very good results for a goodly number of b.p. rounds with accuracy being maintained throughout.

I have also used the .44 "Big Lube" bullets in my '73 Winchester .44 WCF made in 1882. This vintage rifle has a somewhat rough barrel and accuracy will diminish after 15-20 rounds, as fouling builds up in the crevices.

Regarding "Big Lube" accuracy at a distance, my experience has been with the .45 Colt Marlin Cowboy. Those bullets shoot just fine @ 100 yards, but somewhere between 100 and 327 yards (300 meter steel javelina) the groups open up to 5-6 feet (!). Testing indicates that it is not the fault of the big lube groove, but rather the large meplat (.34" dia) since a bullet with a smaller meplat (.22" dia.) will group very well at 327 yards.

Regarding Pyrodex, I like it the best of the subs. Even in my .44 W.C.F. with its somewhat rough barrel, using the standard 2 lube grooved .44-40 bullet with smokeless lube (50/50 alox / beeswax) , I have fired upwards of 50 rounds with no effect on the accuracy as the '73 continues to group well. . I have used both the RS (Rifle Shotgun) and P grades and see no practical difference between them. And ...in addition...it smells like b.p.

Regarding your rear sight, yes it appears to be original.

Have fun with your '73!

w30wcf