quote:

Whatever caliber you decide on, you will be hooked on cast for the rest of your life.

Boy, that's right!

I've just about forgotten about loading jacketed bullets.

I never have gotten around to buying any commercial cast rifle bullets, other than some copper-plated .45-70 405 grain samples years ago. But I have fun shooting lots of my own cast bullets in a wide variety of calibers.

quote:

Originally posted by Hammer:
Want to shoot only commercially available cast bullets, e.g., Oregon Trail.

Informal paper punching at a 100 yards is the activity. No hunting involved. No registered competition.

What is the best bolt action rifle cartridge for this ?

What is the best commercial bullet to use ?

Who should make the barrel ?

I don't use commercial cast bullets much, so I can't help you with that. But you should consider a small-capacity cartridge. For a bolt action, the 7.62X39mm Russian case chambered in a .308" barrel, or one of the other small-capacity .30's would work well. This would include the Remongton .30 BR, or the .30X1.5" developped by Barnes. ANY high-quality, U.S. made barrels would work. If you plan to use short, lightweight bullets, get a slower twist like a 1/12". For 100-yard use, I'd stick with 130 to 150-grain bullets.

Good advice, but the guy just wants to buy a rifle, dies and some bullets and go shoot...having fun, not making this rocket science. I got started at 15 with a sporterized Krag in 25 Krag FL, a tong tool, an Ideal mold and a ten pound pot that ran on a Coleman stove. He doesn't want to cast his own bullets or mess with that end of it yet. IIRC, he just wants to go have some fun...all the esoterica can come later. The Laser-Cast bullets will do what he wants to do now.

Rich
DRSS
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