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lozen
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.40-85 Ballard
Mar 28th, 2005 at 12:56pm
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Can anyone help me get going?  I just got a Marlin Ballard No. 5 Pacific in 40-85. Good bore. Haven't found my stuff to slug the bore yet.  All I know is from COTW.  RCBS lists dies for it in .403,  .408, and .410.  I'm guessing .403 is for a paper patched bullet .  Maybe one of the others is for a modern barrel.   Should  I be able to shoot a regular bullet?   What are good references for getting started with paper patched bullets?    Thanks,  Dave
  
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Spud
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Re: .40-85 Ballard
Reply #1 - Mar 31st, 2005 at 5:29am
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Dave, Good news that your Pacific has a good bore. I'd slug that bore first & measure the twist and then think about the bullet options. My Pacific in .40/63 slugs out at .414"(!) and has a twist of 1 in 20". It's too pitted for paper patch bullets but does shoot well enough for hunting out to 150 yds with the RCBS 300 gr .410 bullet cast with a 30-1 alloy (these measure .411" as cast). I'm using RMC cases and black powder loads. 
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