Wait til he pick's up his drink (rimshot)!

I need to slug the bore on an old Sav. 99 in .303 Sav. so I can determine what size cast bullets would be best.

Can I pound a piece of fishing sinker into a slug, push it in from the breech and tap through with a wooden dowel?

Seems like it would be easier to start than going from the muzzle?

Any advice?

Thanks, Rob

With a closed fist!

Take a piece of pure lead. A sinker will do. Carefully pound into an object just a little over bore diameter. I use various sizes of percussion balls to slug barrels. Anyway, start the slug in from the muzzle. Carefully pound it in about 1-2". Take a good fitting 1 piece steel rod and insert it from the breech end until it comes into contact with the slug. This breech rod will be your anvil. Next, carefully insert an appropriate size punch into the muzzle end and whack it with a hammer in order to upset "expand" the slug between the punch and the rod. Remove the breech rod and use it to push the slug carefully through the bore and out the breech. Place a rag at the breech to catch the slug as it emerges. Watch that crown!

But, for what you want to do, do as outlined above, but instead of pushing the slug through the bore, simply use the breech rod to push the expanded slug back out through the muzzle. This should give you the dimension you are after. The other way is used to determine loose and tight spots and really isnt necesary for identifying the bore for a cast bullet.

Thanks Malm, will do.

Just for my own information, why from the muzzle and not the breech? Seems like it would start easier in the breech and get squeezed down to bore size...

Rob,

FWIW, I have an 1899-C in 303 that I shoot cast bullets in (311413 Lyman). I have had best results running them through a .311" Lee Sizer and attaching the gas check. In my rifle cast bullets sized to .308" were keyholing at 50 yds and accuracy with .309" 's was poor. Good luck.

craigster,

I'm new to reloading and going to let it show. Thanks for the advice about the .303 but I'm not exactly sure what "running them through a .311" Lee Sizer and attaching the gas check" means. Is it necessary? I figured I find what the bore was and order some cast 190gr bullets. Not that simple, eh?


Thanks, Rob

quote:

Originally posted by Recoil Rob:
Just for my own information, why from the muzzle and not the breech? Seems like it would start easier in the breech and get squeezed down to bore size...

For me it's more out of convenience than anything. It's a whole lot easier to see what you're doing from the muzzle end than from the chamber end making it less likely to screw something up.

quote:

Originally posted by Recoil Rob:
craigster,

I'm new to reloading and going to let it show. Thanks for the advice about the .303 but I'm not exactly sure what "running them through a .311" Lee Sizer and attaching the gas check" means. Is it necessary? I figured I find what the bore was and order some cast 190gr bullets. Not that simple, eh?


Thanks, Rob

Sorrry Rob, I thought you'd be casting your own bullets. Generally speaking, the best results I've had with cast bullets has been to use a bullet slighly over bore diameter. Standard bore diameter for the 303 was .308". As I said, the best accuracy I've had has been with .311" bullets. When you start looking for cast bullets in 30 cal. you'll probably see that they are available in .308", 9, 10, and 11 diameters. It's just kind of a trial and error process find the one that works best in a particular rifle. You may or may not find ready cast 30 cals in 190grs. And you might also find that .308"'s will shoot just fine in your rifle. Lyman's Cast Bullet Manual has load data for the 303 Savage, pretty much the same as a 30-30. Hope this helps.

Thanks craigster,

Through the guys on the 99 fiorum I found a guy that sells 190 cast bullets in .308-.311 so I was going to slug the bore and probably go up a size.

I did some research on cast bullets last night in my Lyman standard reloading manual and learned about gas checks. Can they be put on ready made cast bullets or is it part of the casting process?


Thanks, Rob

Gaschecks are crimped on during the sizing process. I never tried putting them on ready mades. But I guess you could, you'd want the sizing die to be the same diameter as the cast bullet. Have you got contact info on the guy selling the 190's? Thanks.

Craig

This is the info I was given, supposedly does a nice job but I haven't tried them yet.

gutshot_again@yahoo.com
First and Last Name: Vern Anderson
Address: 250 E OAK ST
PO BOX 346
GLENWOOD CITY, WI 54013-0346
USA

612-215-5606

UPDATE - I contacted Mr. Anderson and he does not have a mold for 190's. He does supply cast 180's in .308-.311.

Sorry if the wrong info got anyone too excited.

Rob