I suspect that Bob received ammo loaded using the 'old' A-Square brass as I understand that their re-vamped brass making facility is just now getting into its first round of production.

I will purchase and try out some of their new production brass when it is available.

Many of you know about six months ago I bought an Old .404 jeffery. The Jeffery had been restocked with a modern, not "classic" stock. The gun had a dark and somewhat rough bore. I was pleased to see that the lands were still strong... but on the bad side they were rounded. I tried shooting it with differnt Barnes solid bronze bullets. I never was happy with the groupes I got, they all seemed to shoot high with a large spread... sometimes as much as 16 inches as 100 yards. I was sick. (Now I know this was not the fault of the bullets, but do to the condition of the bore.) I had recieved six boxes of A-Squre loaded ammo afew weeks ago.. I had the day off, loaded the truck, and off to the range.



The first thing I did was set up 50 and 100 yard targets. I was blessed with three differnt types of ammo: Lion load, Dead tough softs and solids. I tested the Lion Loads and the Dead tough softs. This is an open sight rifle. The lion loads

at 50 yards were right on.. a bit high, but a solid 1.5-2 inch group. When I shot the dead tough softs almost the same results a 1.5-2 inches.



I next moved out to the 100 yard mark, the Lion loads printed 4 inches about 1 inch above the bullseye. The dead tough softs printed 3.35 inches at 100 yards. I now have a rifle I can hunt with...not just one that sits in the safe. I will buy some woodlieghs and a-square bullets to reload.... I am sure that the bronze solids just could not take the worn rifleing in the gun.



I found the A-Square much more mild than my reloads. I did not get the sharp recoil I expected. The bullets were consistant. The Only problem I had was that 8 out 10 of the cases, in the dead tough softs, had necks split . Have any of you noted this? No split cases in the Lion loads.



I have a couple of more stories to write in the next few days about The stock on a Cogwell and Harris .500 BPE that shatered do to a shitty repair on an old crack, and next I tried to duplicate "The Zimbabwe professional hunter shooting test" with my 450/400. The old boss is out for repairs....a crack in the tang and trigger guard....ouch!



Urdubob

Bob,
Is this ammo from the old A-Square or the new one?

George

Bob,

First, where I am it was double digits below zero this morning, and call me a wimp but going to the range in this weather is not an option. So, I am jealous.

But congrats on getting the regular jacketed, lead cored bullets to shoot so well. I would think that the Woodleigh solids would do well too, since they are of the same basic kind of construction.

I have heard that A-Square brass, at least the old stuff, was on the soft side--but splitting at the neck would be a sign of too much hardness--such as from being worked in the loading dies without proper annealing. Seems strange. And the ammo is not so cheap that you can discard 8 out of 10 cases and not feel ripped off about it.

Like George, I wonder if it's the old or new stuff. BTW, I got a brochure and price list from Jim Smith not too long ago and found his prices for loaded ammo to be too high for my tastes (around $4-5.00 per round across the board).

I hope you at least got a good deal on the ammo.

I guess it is the new stuff. I had complained about never getting an order back in 97-98. The new owner said he wanted to make it right, so I just pick out some ammo to total the amount of money I was due. ( I am happy to get anything after this long) He shipped the ammo few weeks ago. Yes, I was upset as to the brass splitting... I plan on sending him those to see if he has a problem with his brass. The ammo was shipped in brown plastic ten round "wallets". I don't remember(I have shot some of it in the past) if the old ammo was shipped that way.



I really want to take the old Jeffery on an Buffalo and cull Elephant hunt. When I do I needed to know what the A-square would do. I found it to be mild and shoot great. The dead tough loaded brass splitting is bad.. When you shoot the big bores you count you pennies. Eight pieces of split brass adds up to 16-20 bucks.



On the other hand if they all split it would be cheap when you consider the price of the hunt.



I had no problems with extraction of the brass.



Urdubob

Bob,

New brass should not split like that. Contact A-Square and tell them about it; they may have a bad batch of brass, or you didn't get virgin brass.

George