I shoot cast in my .444 Marlin (Lee 310) and started playing with cast in my 16" Marlin .30-30 (Lyman 173gn fngc) Lyman dropping 178 gn WW.

Im going to get a M-die and start playing with cast in my .308 Win obviuosly i will start with my .30-30 bullet......... however when i loaded the Hornady 170 gn FN .30-30 bullet due to the long throat on my .308 i can seat it right out only "just" in the neck !
Make me think i could get away with a longer/heavier cast bullet some think around 200 gn ? or more 210 gn ??

Wonder if any of you .308 shooters have used heavy cast bullet with good results...........What the heaviest cast bullet you've shot though your .308 ?

Englander

Hi Englander! My best regards back to you! It is always nice to make new friends.

I have had some luck with the Lyman 311332. It should weigh 180 but both of my molds make bullets that weigh 200 grains.( Are the molds mismarked? Are they 311334 molds?) The nose (rides the top of the lands) is .300 to .301 on both. Groove riding diameter is ~.310 and I 'size' in a .311 or .312 die , so I really didn't size them at all. I like to shoot them 'heat treated' and with full charges of 'slow' 4831. I made a 'punch' that spreads Hornady checks so the checks fit flush to the bottom of the bullet before they crimp on. This was the biggest single improvement in accuracy I have found. I have also modified a hornady collet puller to crimp checks on without running the bullet thru a die. At top velocities, I put Lee lube on the noses.

Accuracy is good enough. Usually under ( sometimes way under!) 2 moa up to 2100fps. Go faster and the groups open to 3 to 3.5 moa. Believe it or not, this is entirely usuable in 'field' conditions out ot 3 or 400 yds. I've had this bullet faster than the book says you can shoot a 180 grain jacketed bullet with good accuracy.

I've tried other powders, but they weren't as good for me at the highest velocity. The secret for me is the lowest pressure possible for the velocity needed...this means slow powders. Others on this board can do wonders with other combinations though.

I can make gas checks out of aluminium ( how would you spell it?)sheet. I made a punch to cut discs and then form the discs into cups. then 'form' the cups onto the base of the bullet with the crimping tool I made. They shoot just as good as Hornady checks.

I have a 31141 30/30 mold. It has never shot well for me. The nose is undersize. Only 10 % or so actually 'rides' the top of the grooves. This causes problems....

Since I lost access to my 'long' range...I shoot more plinkers these days....

Englander, Several people have claimed great accuracy with the heavy RCBS silhouette bullet, #30-180-SP, as well (essentially a clone of Lyman's #311332/-334). If you can find Lyman's #311644, a 195gr. tapered, gas check design, by all means try it as it is specifically designed to fit the throats of .308Win. and .30-06 rifles. I personally know of at least 6 such rifles, my own included, which shoot -644 extremely well. Hope this helps, ...Maven

Englander
The one 308 I have is an AR10t, of course I don't use cast bullets in it.
But I do have a Winchester 95 in 30-06, that uses cast bullets in exclusively. I've found that heavy for caliber, 190 to 210 grains with a bore riding nose, does superbly using jacketed bullet loading data.
I use the 30-06 95 as a less punishing practice rifle for my Winchester 95 in 405.
Jim

Englander...

One "Off the shelf" mold that is a stellar performer in my 2 30'06s and 30-30 is the Lyman 311284.

It drops at about 223grs with wheel weight lead. I flatten a metplat on the nose for the Marlin 30-30. I'm getting sub-moa groups at 50yds and can't wait to get to a longer range.

THis is one awesome cast boolit!

Welcome to the forums.

The bullet I've used with great success is the Lee 200 gr. Superb accuracy all the way up to 2600 fps. Best accuracy (under 1 moa) was at around 2100fps.

Powders used are: N110, N120, N135, N140, RG1033, Nobel Tubal3000, RL7.

Bullets are cast from wheel weight or backstop lead and water quenched from the mould. Loads up to 2200fps used conventional bullet lubes. Loads above that used a molybdenum disulfide dip lube.

Whereabouts are you? I'm in Nottingham

Andrew, where are you getting that moly dip lube? Any chance of getting some in or to the states?

I used a similar product called Bullet Master years ago with great satisfaction, but it is no longer available.

quote:

Originally posted by DE Hillyer:
I can make gas checks out of aluminium ( how would you spell it?)sheet. I made a punch to cut discs and then form the discs into cups. then 'form' the cups onto the base of the bullet with the crimping tool I made. They shoot just as good as Hornady checks.

I'd sure like to see some pictures of that.

Hi Junior!
Is there any way to post them here....I am so computer hopeless!

Dale

How ya doin' Dale?

I looked for an easy way to upload pics but you have to upload them to a website first.

With all the great forum software out there, I don't know why they picked this one? THis has got to be one of the most awkward I've used.

Whew!.. It took awhile, but there ya go Dale.

If you want to email me expanations, just number them 1-14, and I'll post them below each picture.

Thanks,

ML

hi Marlinlover! Thanks so much for your help...You are one computer savy guy!!! So Cool!
My apologies to Englander for hijacking his thread. If any want explanations with the piks, just say so.. Thanks Dale

Dale-
Yah, i'd like some explanations, in fact i'd like to see it. One thickness material, if so how thick and what material? Come over for some long range shooting since you lost your place.

I just bought it from a lubricant supplier I found in the yellow pages. The tin is labeled "molybdenum disufide anti scuffing paste".
[
QUOTE]Originally posted by Leftoverdj:
Andrew, where are you getting that moly dip lube? Any chance of getting some in or to the states?

I used a similar product called Bullet Master years ago with great satisfaction, but it is no longer available.[/QUOTE]

45 2.1

Sure. We'll set a day and shoot and make gas checks! You have to promise to not show me up too bad! Dale

P.S. the alum. comes in 2 X 3 foot sheets and I bought it at the printing plant in Salem years ago. It was on the east side of town and the south side of Rt 50...down a short street. Hmmmm As soon as I found my micrometer I'll measure the thickness...