Good idea. Need to take a look at it again since I put it back together. As Redsetter said it may not be as bad as I thought. Still need to know how the pieces go back together. Thought I kept them straight but now I am not sure. Would be helpful if someone here knew what order all the pieces go in.

Hi Guys,

    Solved my delema with to tap and drill or not to. Went to CPA in PA yesterday and ordered a new barrel for my 44 1/2 Stevens. Can't ask for two nicer people than Paul and Gail. They took the time to answer my questions and offered advice that only comes with years of exper & knowledge. I now have a Douglas 28" #3 barrel half octagon and half round with a 1 in 15" twist on the way. The barrel will be D&T for both Unertl type scope blocks and an extra hole so that a Weaver base could also be used. 
    I want to thank all of you who replied to my post as it did offer much insight and helped me in making my decision. In this case the 44 1/2 remains untampered with and I will have a barrel that will allow me the uses of a scope, as well as a better than average chance that it will be an accurate barrel. I could have D&T the org barrel and found it was not as accurate as I'd be content with. So at the very worst in this case I will have an org untampered Stevens 44 1/2 and it is a two barreled set with a new barrel set up for scoped use. 

     Now I pose the question of what bullet to start with for distances of 200 yards and beyond. At present I have a SAECO #632 170 grain mold that is working for me in a 1 in 16" twist org barrel on a Stevens 44. Should I seek purchase of a mold that cast a bullet of 200 grains or more? I'd want it to be a tapered bullet for breech seating. What about a pointed or spritzer shape? Would like to hear your suggestions.

      Thanks, Sendaro

Boats,

      Thanks for the reply. I've sent an email to CPA and asked them to suggest a bullet mold. I'll bet they suggest the same one that you make mention of. Have not had the chance to cast with a HOCH mold as of yet. Will I have to purchase HOCH mold handles, or will other mold handles accomadate the use of HOCH mold blocks?

                        Sendaro

JLouis,

   Once again you are there to help. Thank you. What Hoch bullet? The spitzer or the traditional Schuetzen type? I plan to shoot at 200 yards and beyond. The beyond part is just to see what it will do. I have 500 yards on the range at our shooting house. It should be a hoot!!!!

                                            Sendaro

CPA's Hoch is a fairly conventional bullet, round nose tapered and 200 grs. Main point is it's going to fit the barrel which is 3/4 of the job. It's considered to be a standard, nothing radical. Like J Louis says there may be better but it's a good starting point.

Started with it and for a dozen years never saw the reason to look for another. Am moving my offhand shooting from breech to fixed next season, ordered a duplicate of the tapered bullet that's cylindrical for fixed ammo, basic design, length & weight is the same.  Fixed is an experiment not recommending it for maximum rifle performance.

Some like the spritzers and I have had very good success with a 38/55 290 gr Spritzer intended to give better 500 yard results. However spritzers are fussy and mine may have worked more due to luck than design.  It's real easy for the long nose to slump on ignition, while the better B/C is marginal at plain base cast velocity. If it won't shoot due to too long, B/C is not important.

Others may see it different

Boats

is " bullet (nose) slump" more of a problem with bp that with smokeless.   my understanding is that the two have a different burning rate; with BP having more of an initial explosion that gives the bullet a real hard kick in the butt to start, while smokeless has a more gradual launch.

I first heard about bullet slump when reading about the long range spitzers with their long unsupported and  bore-rider noses in the bpcr/quigly-shoot context.   

OK Guys, What's up with nose slump. Just what are you making referance to? The bullet in flight tipping down as velocity starts to drop off in flight, or as it enters the bore at the start of being fired?

            Sendaro