Yea, yea, we all heard how to slug barrels. For the last close to 40 years I have been pounding greased up soft lead round balls down barrels, them miking them. Sometimes I just was not happy with the results, so I did it again.
Then, while reading the last "Handloader" magazine, someone (can't remember the author) said how Dave Scoville taught him a trick.
I did it today with 100% perfect results. I cannot believe my stupid half Italian brain has let me be a tart all these years by doing things the hard way. stupido, stupido, stupido............(Italian for "stupid")
Anyway, thats all you need to do is shoot a lead bullet into a folded up towel or other pile of clothes. The trick??? Load one grain of Bullseye behind the bullet
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
With the 25-20 and 32-20, I used .75 of a grain. With the 44-40 and like sized cartridges, I used 1.2 grains. I have not tried a rifle sized bullet yet (30-30...45-70) but when I do I will start with 1.2 grains and if I stick a bullet, I'll add .2 at a time.
I wanted a perfect reading so I used my standard hard cast bullets which have a Saeco reading of 8-9. (about equal to 15 brinnel or Lyman #2 alloy).
One thing you have to keep in mind and that is you have to use common sense and make sure the bullet you are shooting is at least a thou. over. How do you do that? I don't know, go ask someone. You want everything for free???
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Most bullets come out of their moulds a thou. or so over. If you can't get a bullet that you think is big enough, use some creativity and "bump" one up in a vise.
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Anyway, (#3) put the gun straight down and yank the trigger. I used one thick towel folded over until it was about 6" square. Each time the bullet only went about a third of the way in. They come out perfect.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Testing the 1873
![Image](http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/100_3885.jpg)
(left to right) 200 gr. 44-40---------240 Lyman .429421-note fins on bottom)-------70 gr. Lyman for 25-20
![Image](http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/100_3883.jpg)