Ok, so I took to shooting bullets instead of round balls out of my 51/2" SS ROA. It shoots silly well with 150 gr BigLube bullets but is a real PIA to load!
Even with a loading stand, bullets, especially those short 150's, are extremely fiddly to load. Centering them on the cylinder can be just maddening. I thought of a couple of ways around this. I could chamfer the cylinder throat but screwing with my just "gunsmithed" ROA did not appeal to me.
I could try the new 210 gr BigLube's as they're supposed to have much more of a taper. However, I really, really like these little 150's.
So I decided to see if I could make a bullet starter. I took a 45/70 case and cut it off using a small copper pipe cutter. I then used a 45/70 die to straighten and ever so slightly bell the case mouth. Then I drilled the case all the way through, just large enough so that a .454 will slide right through.
It looks like it will work really well. I place the case on the cylinder, rim side down, drop in the bullet and then run the loader piston down through the case. It starts the bullet every time. It doesn't cock sideways and get jammed as it almost always does when I use my fingers.
I wouldn't mind something professional using the same idea only with an arm to pivot it off the cylinder pin hole.
If anyone wants to try this...cut the case first, then straighten the case mouth and drill it last. Don't touch the case until your sure it's cooled or you drop it in water. OMG! does it get hot after it is drilled. Again, a nice custom made one that aligns using the cylinder pin hole would be ideal. I'm not a machinist so this is the best I can do.
Even with a loading stand, bullets, especially those short 150's, are extremely fiddly to load. Centering them on the cylinder can be just maddening. I thought of a couple of ways around this. I could chamfer the cylinder throat but screwing with my just "gunsmithed" ROA did not appeal to me.
I could try the new 210 gr BigLube's as they're supposed to have much more of a taper. However, I really, really like these little 150's.
So I decided to see if I could make a bullet starter. I took a 45/70 case and cut it off using a small copper pipe cutter. I then used a 45/70 die to straighten and ever so slightly bell the case mouth. Then I drilled the case all the way through, just large enough so that a .454 will slide right through.
It looks like it will work really well. I place the case on the cylinder, rim side down, drop in the bullet and then run the loader piston down through the case. It starts the bullet every time. It doesn't cock sideways and get jammed as it almost always does when I use my fingers.
I wouldn't mind something professional using the same idea only with an arm to pivot it off the cylinder pin hole.
If anyone wants to try this...cut the case first, then straighten the case mouth and drill it last. Don't touch the case until your sure it's cooled or you drop it in water. OMG! does it get hot after it is drilled. Again, a nice custom made one that aligns using the cylinder pin hole would be ideal. I'm not a machinist so this is the best I can do.
