I have loaded cast [not my own] for a few calibers 35rem,450marlin,357mag. I need to start doing somthing about the price of plinking with my 308win. I have stocked about 200# of lead and I have a endless supply. So could somone give me some direction on what I need and need to do to start. I would like to have a load that would do 2500 or 2600fps. Is that possible with lead bullets? I have never gas checked anything before so I assume this would need it. I would like to get average accuracy ou to about 300 yards. This load would be for plinking and maybe the occasional yote or wood chuck in the back forty. So what books are best on this subject? approx how much to startup on the cheap end?

Thanks guys you gotta love these forums for these types of questions . I find it a very valuable.

Sincerely,

AL

Yes, you can get to those speeds, but it will take a good bit of experimentation and testing to get there. 2200fps seems a whole lot easier to reach with good accuracy...and 2000 even easier.

Going to have to research things a bit on-line; loading and fiddling with cast bullets is a whole lot more complex than just substituting a cast bullet into a jacketed bullet load. A whole lot of fun learning.

To start, would order the Lyman Cast bullet handbook and read the starting chapters (just ignore the loading data for now, get the ideas/techniques down)...that's a good place to start.

to get what you want you definately are not going to do it with cheap.
if you want to just shoot cast bullets in your 308 you will definately want to get the lyman book.

you will also need a way to smelt your lead, a way to mix to the hardness your load will require.
a mold that fits your rifle and intended purpose. and a way to fill that particular mold
a way to seat your gas check and a way to apply the lube that will work for the velocity you are
trying to achieve.

these are the bare minimums.....
but knowledge is the first thing you will need.

I'd also recommend Lee's new reloading manual. There's a great section on loading cast bullets in rifles in it. I'm not much of an expert on loading for rifles as most of my cast bullets go down handgun bores, but if your just using these cast loads for "plinking" I'd work for good accuracy and not worry about maximum velocity at least to begin with.

Maybe I'm missing something but with a cartridge like the .308, I'd just suck it up and pay a bit extra for a real, jacketed bullet designed specifically for the cartridge rather than to mess with trying to cast a bullet for something like that.

I'll agree with both sides of this one!

If it's just simple plinking and practice, order up some "pulldown" military FMJ bullets and load as usual.

If you simply want to get into casting for the .308, do follow the recommendations already given. Start with the Lyman book and read the first half. Note that most of the loads do not get up to 2500 fps, but settle at the 2100 to 2200 fps range. Going faster than that with lead is more trouble than it's worth.

I load a 165-gr bullet designed for the 30-30 in my 308, but if I bought a mould for the 308, I'd look at the RCBS 180-gr design. Accurate 5744 is my favorite cast bullet rifle powder for 2000 fps loads, and Red Dot for 1600 fps.

i shoot cast in my 308,7.5x55,7mauser,303,7.65arg.
and all of them over 2000fps, the 308 runs 2300 10' from the muzzle.
all of these shoot 1 1/2 inches or less at 100yd.
was it easy? no.
it took a lot of effort,and range time to get them to do this.
and just because something worked in one rifle didnt mean it would work for the others
even using the same bullets and powder they were still different. i.e. i use imr 4895 in the 308
and h-322 in the 7.5x55. with the same bullet from the same batch of lead.
the 7.5 also uses a filler to hold the powder against the primer hole.

About the only bullets I shoot in my .308 Win are cast, and my usual range is 200yds.
What is your average accuracy? If you're good for one MOA I'd say expect 2 MOA with cast. Bullet fit is critical so slug your throat before you settle on a mold. I do better when a bore riding nose fits the bore snugly.
Learn about alloy hardness and water quenching if you get leading with soft alloys in spite of good bullet fit.
Even with gas checks I don't push past 2200 fps unless I'm using paper patched bullets. Are you sure you need 2500 to 2600 for a plinking load? I almost forgot your handle is Velocityaddict!
Sounds like you already have your reloading set up. I've been lucky getting good deals on used casting equipment - you'll save if you know some experienced casters who have out grown pieces of their start up stuff or let you use some of their gear.
Best of luck to you!

I suppose I do not need 2500fps. Even though my screen name is Velocityaddict I will always trade accuracy for velocity. It sounds like 2000 or 2100 would be easier to attain accuracy and less leading. Let me throw this at you guys.I have two 308 wins a H&R and a DPMS LR-308. Will they function a gas op rifle? Will they just get stove all to **** being fed through a ar type action? ARs ar known to be rough on ammo being beaten up some before chambering. Probably sounds like a stupid question ,and I might have just answered it myself:D.

Thanks for the heads up info.

Sincerely,
AL

It takes a certain level of velocity/pressure to make a gas operated rifle work. You would have to load them singly I would imagine. I'd also bet their going to mess up the gas system and your going to have to do a bunch more cleaning.

does not sound like a good combo.

Thanks

AL

I hate gaschecks on bullets . When I use bullets that aren't paperpatched, I coat the base with epoxy ( it works for me). Sometimes I'll use paper tape on bullets and then lube them with LEE liquid alox. Conversely, paper patching works great in my 300 Win Mag, up to 2800 fps. But you just can't get that kind of speed without patching of some sort!

Keep in mind that when making paper patched bullets you have to cast an undersized (this usually means a specialty mold) bullet and then using a paper patching that is the right size (thickness) to get the correct bullet diameter.

paper patching is a whole diffrent thing.
then cast is.
may start out the same and the same care must be used when casting the bullets BUT....
and a semi-auto is also a whole nother world can and is being done by quite a few guys.
just gotta few more things to worry about and you will definaately be doing it at a lower velocity.
2000 fps with cast is not to be sneezed at [30-40 krag,30-30 win]
high velocity is obtainable with cast, but start out with what ya can make work
and then knock yourself out with the rest.

I've been shooting cast bullets out of my Sav 110 '06. Just started this last year as it was the only gun I wasn't shooting cast out of. I'm only shooting one bullet wt right now, 113 Lee cast RN. I use it for general plinking/Varmits. I shoot it un-gaschecked at around 1600-1700 fps with no leading and very good accuracy-how about 1/2" at 100yds!! Also it's accurate enough to wack wissel pigs at 200+yds- thats a 1x6" target if it a mature pig!! Many are even smaller!! Next is to cap a yote with it-it should be and excellant yote killer! :)