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I found a very good 30-06 cast bullet load
bpost
Member Posts: 32,664 ✭✭✭✭
For the past year I have been tinkering with 30-06 and 8MM Mauser (7.92X57) cast loads to reduce cost for extended plinking. The issue of the past was getting a load that was close, but not exceeding 2,000 FPS. That speed, when using 15 pounds of wheel weights with 1/2 pound of bar solder tossed in, will not lead the bore, the bullets pour beautifully. I use ALOX-Bees wax for lube.
This load is close enough to ball ammo ballistics that out at 200 yards the drop is something you can deal with, if your scope has Ballistic Plex or Duplex cross hairs, with hold over. You can shoot it all day with a touch of hold over and go back to ball ammo and never have to mess with the scope settings. If push came to shove I would not hesitate to shoot a deer with this load to to 200 yards.
The bullet is the Lyman 311041 with gas check, a well proven design, sized to .311.
The cases are mixed military and some Winchester commercial.
Primers are Winchester LR.
Now for the different part, this load is NOT a book listed load, I developed it after studying powder burn rates and experimenting with some spare powders I had on hand.
The powder is Vitavori N-133, the charge is 27.7 grains.
Bullets are seated to the bottom of the top lube groove, not in the crimping groove.
M/V has been very consistent at 1940 FPS.
Today, late in the afternoon, with twitching winds up to about 15 MPH, I was able to shoot some groups at 200 Yards that are 3X4 inches. The rifle is a Springfield 1903-A3 with a Burris 4.5X14 scope in Burris Signature Z Rings with a 2 groove barrel.
I have shot as much as 32 grains but the M/V is high enough at that charge that leading MAY become an issue.. The starting load was 24 grains.
The same load is also great in the 8MM Mauser using the Lee 160 grain .324 diameter cast bullet. The M/V is a bit lower running 1870 or so in my rifle. It shoots very well, with enough power to be useful but keep recoil to a minimum for all day shooting.
I have not had the least bit of lead fouling from this load in either rifle. As soon as I can acquire some 7.62X54R boxer primed cases I will work on loads for the Mosin-Nagant 91-30.
I hope you can find this useful! be Safe, happy shooting!
This load is close enough to ball ammo ballistics that out at 200 yards the drop is something you can deal with, if your scope has Ballistic Plex or Duplex cross hairs, with hold over. You can shoot it all day with a touch of hold over and go back to ball ammo and never have to mess with the scope settings. If push came to shove I would not hesitate to shoot a deer with this load to to 200 yards.
The bullet is the Lyman 311041 with gas check, a well proven design, sized to .311.
The cases are mixed military and some Winchester commercial.
Primers are Winchester LR.
Now for the different part, this load is NOT a book listed load, I developed it after studying powder burn rates and experimenting with some spare powders I had on hand.
The powder is Vitavori N-133, the charge is 27.7 grains.
Bullets are seated to the bottom of the top lube groove, not in the crimping groove.
M/V has been very consistent at 1940 FPS.
Today, late in the afternoon, with twitching winds up to about 15 MPH, I was able to shoot some groups at 200 Yards that are 3X4 inches. The rifle is a Springfield 1903-A3 with a Burris 4.5X14 scope in Burris Signature Z Rings with a 2 groove barrel.
I have shot as much as 32 grains but the M/V is high enough at that charge that leading MAY become an issue.. The starting load was 24 grains.
The same load is also great in the 8MM Mauser using the Lee 160 grain .324 diameter cast bullet. The M/V is a bit lower running 1870 or so in my rifle. It shoots very well, with enough power to be useful but keep recoil to a minimum for all day shooting.
I have not had the least bit of lead fouling from this load in either rifle. As soon as I can acquire some 7.62X54R boxer primed cases I will work on loads for the Mosin-Nagant 91-30.
I hope you can find this useful! be Safe, happy shooting!
Comments
Interesting. I may have to get that mold, I've heard good things about it. Do you have any unburnt powder left with that charge? Any idea on SD?
The load burns very clean, I shot 100 rounds of 30-06 one afternoon, when I cleaned the barrel, two wet patches of butches bore shine had it back to clean metal. So far, no signs of leading! I don't remember the SD on the load.
Interesting. I may have to get that mold, I've heard good things about it. Do you have any unburnt powder left with that charge? Any idea on SD?
SD is about .25884 using the mold description for dia and weight. if the weight is different from the 173gr listed then the SD will be as well.
I know for the bullets that I cast for my 30-30 the mold says 170 gr, but when gas checked they are 180gr. for a 180 gr .309cal bullet the SD would be .2693
using 15 pounds of wheel weights with 1/2 pound of bar solder tossed in, will not lead the bore, the bullets pour beautifully. I use ALOX-Bees wax for lube.
Hey There:
I am just getting into casting. I've been reloading for years. I hadn't heard about mixing anything else with the lead. You have me thinking now. Do you use that ratio for all your moulds? I'm just trying to figure what I should consider for my 45 Colt SAA. And thanks for the mould suggestions for my 30-06.
quote:Originally posted by bpost1958
using 15 pounds of wheel weights with 1/2 pound of bar solder tossed in, will not lead the bore, the bullets pour beautifully. I use ALOX-Bees wax for lube.
Hey There:
I am just getting into casting. I've been reloading for years. I hadn't heard about mixing anything else with the lead. You have me thinking now. Do you use that ratio for all your moulds? I'm just trying to figure what I should consider for my 45 Colt SAA. And thanks for the mould suggestions for my 30-06.
Wheel weights make great bullets just as they are. Watch out for the newer zink ones they are not good for bullets. I learned that adding some solder, anything with tin, into the wheel weights made the bullets fill out better. Close inspection with a magnifying glass showed that even the fine tooling marks from machining the mold were cast into the bullet. With straight wheel weights the mold did not seem to fill out nearly as well.
I know there are some very bright guys over at, it is the Mecca of lead bullets
http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/
You can spend weeks researching old posts learning about casting and lead projectiles.