.30 caliber cast bullets

Lee S. Forsberg · #1 05-04-2002, 06:41 PM

What is your favoraite .30 caliber cast bullet? Size diameter and lube? What firearm do you shoot it in and how do you load it? Just looking for a new mold and need some comments. I've been using some ancient Lyman and Lackmiller molds for the last hundred years, maybe time for a change. Any comments appreciated. Thanks

IDShooter · #2 05-04-2002, 09:24 PM

Hi Lee,
I can't make comparisons because I've used only one 30 cal cast bullet, that is Lyman 31141. I don't cast bullets myself but I have a friend who does (actually several) and he casts this bullet quite hard, I don't know his exact formula but you can't mark it easily with your fingernail. I've also used the same design from Oregon Trail. This is a 170 gr FNGC bullet.
I shoot them in 30-30, 308, and 30-06. No special loading techniques other than using a Lyman M-die and seating the bullet to engage the rifling, except in 30-30 where I crimp in the crimping groove. For a light load in 30-30 I use 7gr of AA#2 Imp all the way up to full house loads using H4895 or Varget. The other two I have shot with XMP5744 with good success, for loads that genrally give 1600-1700 fps. I also use IMR4198 because I have some but it has not given the consistency of either the XMP5744 or the pistol powder. I have been very impressed with the AA#2 Imp, it gives great accuracy and very low SD's even without a filler. The very hard Oregon Trail bullet I have loaded to 2600fps with no leading. I size the bullets to .309 with a Lee Sizing die that screws onto my Rock Chucker. The Oregon Trail bullets came lubed with a green hard lube, I lube the others with Lee Liquid Alox before sizing. I have to keep velocities down below 1700fps with my friend's bullets because of the hardness and/or the Alox lube, however the Oregon Trail bullets have never fouled in my guns.
Depending on the rifle and load I have acheived accuracy in the 1.25 to 1.5" range at 100yds, and none of the four rifles I shoot this bullet in groups it over 2.5". And that includes two iron sighted 30-30's. That's what I call versatility! IDShooter

BCstocker · #3 05-05-2002, 08:34 AM

Lee: Have used the Lyman molds in the past but am currently using an RCBS 30/180 FNGC. This bullet actually casts at 190 or slightly heavier using W/W and a bit of 50/50 solder. I'm shooting it from a 1/10 30/30, a 300 Sav and an /06. I'm currently lubing with RCBS rifle lube and it seems to work fine. Choices are usually a matter of availability.
There is very little published data for this bullet so a lot of it has to be worked up. Jim Taylor had an article on 30-30 cast loads at Paco Kelly's site which was a help. It's in the archived articles if you go there. Seems to shoot quite well and the extra weight gives you good energy without having to drive it too fast. It's a bit long for the Savages short neck but shoots just fine. I shoot some loads as cast (sized to .3095 with gas check) for velocities under 1600. Accuracy suffers if you try faster with the soft bullet so oven harden for top end loads. Still playing with it as far as loads go but my impressions after a few months are quite favorable. besto