.406 hard cast

[Mike D.]

Could someone please find me some hard cast .406s for my starving .40-82? Hawk is getting ready to run their 245 jacketed again and some of them should be arriving in a couple of weeks. I want bullets that can run at 1800-2000+FPS so no softies.

[Mike D.]

Found 'em! Buffalo Arms makes a great .406 HC 288 gr bullet, so I ordered a hundred to play with. I'll start out at around 1500 FPS and see how they react at velocities up to 2000+. Hawk just received their jacket material and will soon begin production of their 235 gr .406s. I can't wait!

[BigSky56]

Mike Montana bullet works has a couple. danny
http://montanabulletworks.com/BB_40_caliber.html

[Mike D.]

Yes they do, Danny, but they are too soft to be pushed beyond 1400 FPS. I spoke with them and they told me that their bullets had only a BN hardness of 15 and were lubed for BP use. My gun has a nickel steel barrel made for HV smokeless.

[BigSky56]

Ok Mike, I was reading their header about GC and Lubes guess these were strictly for BP guns. danny

[Mike D.]

I thought that I ordered .406s from Buffalo, but ended up with .408 Hard Cast. I did make a dummy round and it chambered tight, but made it. I loaded 5 rds using 42 grains IMR 3031 as a first test and hope to try them out today. I also made up 4 different loads for my 7mm Mauser, all with the Barnes 120 TTSX. Those will be chronographed, too. Hopefully, results will follow. Off to infernal chemo first thing this morning.

[6pt-sika]

Back when I had a 40-65 and a 40-82 I used the Lyman plain base 260 grain mold with aircooled wheelweights and had very decent results in the 40-65 at about 1600FPS . However the 40-82 didn't seem to like them quite as much . I sized mine at .408" as well . The guy I got the 40-82 from threw in a mold from Mountain Molds he had them cut , it was GC also . I never did try any of them selling the mold to someone else .

[Mike D.]

As it turns out, due to the past days of steady rain, the range is too mucky to get to. It will need a few days of drying out before it can be easily accessed. It is in a low point and the water sits on top of the clay. No fun to walk on or drive across. Saturday promises another storm, so things don't look too good for this week, darn it.