need recipe for bumblebee brand .44 cast swc 240grn

[claphoto]

I just purchased a 500 qty. box of bumblebee brand 240 grn .44 cal. cast SWC.
I have been using speer, and nosler 240 jacketed in the past, but want to switch to cast bullets to save money. (And they are what was available, since nothing else seems to be). I have been using H110 and 'Lil Gun with the jacketed bullets, and need to see if someone out there can tell me if I'm OK using these powers and/or give me some actual recipes for these bumblebee bullets. They don't seem to have any sort of website, and I have not found any contact info for them.

 

[lgbloader]

What other powders do you have on hand? Blue Dot? Unique?

LGB

 

[Jim Watson]

I can't help you with an actual load, being that I don't use those powders, but just to save you some time, you will not likely find a recipe for bumblebee brand bullets. Take the data you get for a 240 gr cast SWC of whatever brand and go with it.

 

[claphoto]

I have two pounds each of the before mentioned powders. The info I'm looking for is how I can match up the new lead bullets with the powder I have.

 

[claphoto]

Jim,

I've always read that cross referencing one bullet brand to another brand was a bad idea because of different pressures created from shape, hardness, etc. ??

 

[freakshow10mm]

Yes, however lead bullets aren't that different among the different designs. Use data of any 240gr LSWC and work up.

 

[rcmodel]

I've always read that cross referencing one bullet brand to another brand was a bad idea

If you shoot off-brand cast bullets that no one ever heard off, you gotta do what you gotta do.

That is why we work up loads.

Start at the starting load for a similar bullet and work up.

As Jim said, cast bullets are pretty much peas in a pod if you pick data from the Lyman manual for a similar shape and weight cast bullet.

As for the OP's question about H110 and 'Lil Gun?
Not a great choice with what are probably fairly soft commercial cast bullets.

H-110 should not be used with reduced loads, and probably neither should 'Lil Gun.
Full tilt boogy loads with either powder will probably produce bad leading with those bullets. But the only sure way to find out is to try it.

I think you would be better off with a medium burn rate powder like Unique or something similiar, and hold the velocity to around 1,000 FPS or less.

rc

 

[claphoto]

rcmodel,

What you suggest is exactly what I have been able to "glean" from most sources I've found so far, including this forum. The final thing that would help me is to know the hardness of the alloy used with these LSWC. Is there a "home" method of estimating?

 

[rcmodel]

If you can scratch it with your thumbnail, it is soft.

If you can't, it is hard!



rc

 

[claphoto]

That is TRULY a "home" method! Ha!

 

[LKCRO]

Bumble Bee Cast Bullet Co. Contact Information

Bumblebee Bullet Co. mystery solved

I have read a lot of posts concerning Bumble Bee Cast Bullet Co. not having a website and no other contact info. That is true - no website but I talked to one of the owners at a recent gun show in Salt Lake City. He gave me his business card and invited me to post this.

Bumble Bee Cast Bullet Co.
P.O. Box 201
Cedar Fort, UT 84013

e-mail: [email protected]

Brent - (801) 367-5498
Bruce - (801) 768-1680

 

[Galil5.56]

Not so long ago before the Hodgdon buyout, Winchester published WW296 data for 240 grain lead SWC's that stated to to use 25 grains, WW/mag primers, a heavy crimp, and no work up; use as is without reduction.

I have used this load for decades with commercial hard cast (92% lead, 6% antimony and 2% tin) plain base Magma Engineering bullets that a lot of commercial casters use, and my own 240 grain LSWC w/GC bullets cast from wheel weights and like the performance a lot. Actual chronograph numbers run 1380-1420 fps from my 6.5" S&W 29, and the accuracy is stellar if the bullet diameter suits the pistol in question.

 

[MichaelK]

I cast Lyman's 429421 SWC and also have some commercially cast 240 grain bullets. I load both with 16.0 grains of Blue Dot, as per the Alliant manual.

 

[bigboredad]

bumble bee makes a good product at a great price they are much better than the silver bullet company imho I've used the same data for jacketed bullets and bumble bee with no problem

 

[Maj Dad]

My choices for 240 SWCs are 25 gr H110/W296, as Galil mentioned; and 10 gr Unique, for about 1000-1100 fps depending on bbl length. I've used them all with the full range of performance and accuracy, and these two loads are my standards. Occasionally I will buy some hard cast 240s (.429 or preferably .430 if I can find them), but I usually cast RCBS 429421s hard from wheelweights and linotype mixed. I confess I don't whip out a scale & calculator (with algebraic function keys ) to get the alloy exactly perfect - but I mix it and weigh the bullets till it's about right. I have minimal to no leading with them, either because of my superb skill at eyeball mixing or slick bores. Your call...