I would like some advice as to a cast bullet to sue with BP in my BSA 12/15 .30-20. No, not a mistake - the barrel is a .308 1:14" twist Schultz and Larsen. And now I am looking for a good BP load - but this requires a cast bullet that will a) stabilize and b) have enough lube capacity for BP. Any ideas?
And yes, I know I'm a bit weird - but this rifle just begs to be my next offhand, BP matchr rifle - could you imagine a better caliber for this use? (no, 32-40 is NOT an option!)

If using gas checks are possible I'd think that medium sized Lyman Loverin design of around 155 grs would work.

I shooten a 212 gr PB with <.4 gr of lube with a 30/30 and a caseful of 3F with no fouling, albeit not in high temps. I don't think lube capacity is that big an issue if the BLK burns clean- which IMO means a fast enough powder speed & a heavy enough bullet.

hpguy420 on the BPCR forums is using a GROOVELESS bullet shooten BLK to 1000 yds-- and not with small capacity cases either.

Actually, I'd prefer to do without a gas check, if possible. And I would be using Swiss 3Fg, whatever I could fit into the case. I just need to find a good mold design for the purpose - I will check the Lyman website.

What weight range bullet are you looking to load?
the Lyman 130 Round nose has one pretty good sized lube groove.
Will they be fiored only on the range where exposed lube grooves will NOT be an issue!

Where are you located?

LouisB

Well, the weight would be as much as the barrel will stand - so a max. of around 150 grains. And yes, this would be for range use primarily - ideally, with a nice boreriding section...
I'm from the other side of the pond, by the way - Belgium, Europe

I'm no BP man, but I do shoot lots of 32-20's. I would think you could get away with a bullet around 120-130 grains. Maybe a touch heavier if you want to stay sub-sonic and avoid that nasty shock wave theory. I would consider either looking for a Loverin style or having one made. Dan at Mountain Moulds, www.mountainmolds.com, could make one sized for your throat I imagine. If I recall you can only stuff 16-18 grains of black in a modern 32-20 case, and thats with a 100 grain bullet, so you may be staying sub-sonic anyway. If you're interested in that sub-sonic theory check out "The Modern Sheutzen Rifle" by Charlie Dell and Wyane Schwartz. Those guys use a series of cartridges only a bit bigger than the 32-20 with plain base bullets and smokeless to shoot some amazing groups.

Very interesting. You did not state a range so I am assuming 100 meters? Do you need to use fixed ammo or can you breech seat?

The two suitable stock moulds of which I am aware are the previously mentioned 130 Lyman and a RCBS 150 PB aimed at the CAS crew. I've had one of the Lymans for many years and like it a lot as a plinker, but doubt you can get match accuracy from it. Looks like custom mould time to me.

Try and find a Lyman #311008 or #3118 mold. (Same bullet, numbers changed for their computer system.) It is a 115 gr. plain based bullet designed for the 32-20. It must still be in production as Lyman shows loads for it for the 32-20. I have one of the earlier #3118 in hollow point (Good luck trying to find one of those.)that I use in a .30 carbine Ruger Blackhawk revolver. SEACO may still make a 115 to 120 gr. plain bevel based bullet mold. It's a round nosed bullet I got for plinkers in 30-30, .308, and 30-06. Didn't shoot worth a damn in the rifles, but in the Blackhawk, it's the tightest grouping bullet of all. Go figure. 1.5" at 25 yards which is a hell of a lot better than I normally shoot any handgun. Both bullets are sized to .310". If you can get the molds, either bullet should work OK in you 30-20.
Paul B.

Up to now, I mostly shoot nitro in my 30-20. One of the better loads is 9.7 VV N110 behind the 125gr Sierra SP (spire point). As I am shooting a single shot (BSA 12/15), no problem there - neither in OAL nor in action type. Also, the H&N 125 gr RN Hi-speed bullet (don't know if it is marketed on the other side of the pond, but it essentially is a swaged lead bullet, copper-coated, with a special plastic coating on top to withstand higher velocities) is showing lots of promise. But I would like to also explore the 'dark' side with this rifle... And cast my own.
Some web browsing got me to the CBE website, and I found there 309-150 - that one might just work...
CBE moulds
I was thinking of getting around 1100 - 1150 fps for offhand 50m BP competition (quite a step down from my current 45-70...) with somewhere between 16-20 grs of Swiss FFFg, seating the bullet out as far as possible.

I ain't a BP man, but were I shooting 50 meter matches with a 1-14 .308 bore, I would just have to give wadcutters a try. Just run .32 wadcutters through a Lee .309 pushthrough and use a grease cookie under them.

Wadcutters used in this way have given me fine accuracy out to 50 yards in a variety of .30 cals and I was fighting cases way too big for the charge using smokeless and 1-10" twists.

Best part of this deal is that you don't need to buy a mould to try. If you can get reloading supplies at all, you oughta be able to get .32 wadcutters and you will need the sizer anyway. (I'm unabashedly cheap and always try the cheap solution first.)