Cast Lead DUPLEX Loads For My 327 Federal MAGNUM:

I recently got x 1,000 South African made 98 grain cast lead wad-cutters. I ordered these while scheming to build some different new Duplex loads (& single wad-cutter rounds) for my Ruger SP101 four inch 327 Fed. Magnum.

.32" Wad Cutter

"That's a Nice Pair eh"

Well, truthfully it's some time ago since the pills landed .. as I've been looking for a clever way to cut some in half. - I know it might be easy(ish) to saw them in two with a hack-saw .. but I don't want them to lose weight or sprinkle lead swarf  ('sawdust') about - if I might find a cleaner method.

If I was an engineer I'd build some kind of guillotine & jig - but my best effort to date is to use a wood chisel and mallet .. quick & nasty.

Yeah I know that there only seems to be nine halves - but assuredly there's another one somewhere in my garage/workshop 😏 - as they are lively little halflings eh.

Rough-Enough Chop .. Needs More Work.

So the result wasn't brilliantly sliced but I'll initially build five or six trial 1+1/2 = 147 grain flat-nosed duplex rounds and see how they fly .. The earlier doubles built from a copper-plated pill paired with a round lead ball work great at the short ranges tested.

The trick here is to start low with powder charges and increase very carefully ..😜

I'm keen to also try the 98 grain wadcutters 'straight' - as the thirty-two's have a well noted record for accuracy using flat-nosed paper cutters. - Perhaps I might even try a few 'Triplex' loads with three halves in each eh. - And/or I may revert to the slightly (1gn.) lighter - but more expensive - 48 gn. round balls.

- And I've yet to try TWO plated 72 grain round nose projectiles loaded back-to-back - or nose-to-tail.

Link to my earlier experimental duplex results:

https://flicense.blogspot.com/2017/02/hand-loading-for-327-magnum-part3.html

https://flicense.blogspot.com/2017/02/permits-handloads-for-327-federal.html

If you opine that this work is too risky to be tried .. please consider that these 327 Magnum brass cases are very strong and rated for higher internal pressures than most all other pistol brass - including 357 Magnum. - And the Ruger revolvers are built very soundly.

Yes - I will be a very careful & cautious old fart.

Marty K.