Thread: Cast bullet Varminting / Medium game Project

1st off . . One of those projects that i have started not out of need but it could go that way later if bullet shortages get worse in the future and i need a plan B. So just for fun, no hurry, i will do it in small stages, an hour here and there kinda deal.
2nd . . i get to use a rifle and scope i had plans for that won't go ahead for some time so i might as well use them now. i have used cast before for Goats n Deer with light barrelled Sporters but this rifle is a heavy profile Target barrel so it will intersting to see if there is any accuracy improvements, i am not expecting any but who knows.
3rd . . to work it needs to be effective on the Station i shoot on with Rabbits with sub loads and Pigs, Goats, Deer with 1600fps loads. There will be total thru n thru penetration on Rabbits so they will be shot down into the gullys to stop the bullets.

Rifle is an A2 Sako Varmint .308W 1-12 twist with Optilock rings, not sure if i will need to change to Burris rings later to get more elevation.
Scope is a Luepold 4.5-14 with Varmint reticle and M1 turrets.

1st bullets to try are 2 of my favourites from left, Lyman 31141 and 311291

both 170 grains . . 31141 i first tried in the 30/30 and proved very accurate and a good killer, 311291 while having a round nose can be improved with a deep hollow point, with the nose riding on the bore its fully supported in the barrel so shoots well without any trouble.

chose some exNRA CAC neck turned cases . .
dies from left to right
full length sized in RCBS die
did need to bump cases shoulders with a Forster bump die, its a tight chamber.
then RCBS M die
i'll be using a Lyman bullet seater with a sleeve
RCBS crimp die

100 31141 cast

trial run with bullet sized to .310 with a gas check and case flared with the M die

next step when i get time is load some cases and lube up some boolits and look at the seating depth.
thinking i will run some with a crimp, some engaged into the rifling

this is where i'm at now . . bullet sized, lubed, gas check, seated with a light crimp over 7.0 grains of Nobels No.2 powder, expecting just over 1,000fps

next few days i will do a chamber cast . . seat some into the lands, see how we go.

if there is any interest i'll update progress . .

Cool....definitely need updates....keen to see how this goes

What sort of case fill percentage are you getting? Im not familiar with Nobels No.2, is it bulkier than usual?

I have been playing around with reduced loads in 45/70 and am somewhat concerned about the very low fill percentage, though I have seen no issues yet.

@SixtyTen

@SixtyTen i use a filler to keep the powder close to the primer, always have . . always do in any of my cast reloads for every caliber, others will have different ideas

these 2 molds might be up next from left . . 160grn. Lyman & 180grn. RCBS


@Joe_90 the 180grn. would be worth a crack in the 300Blk if the case and chamber allow in your rifle

Would be good to try it for sure!

Won't look as cool as the 230gr howitzer rounds though. If only I could get them shooting right

I reckon have a play with quickload and find a powder that is slower burning and produces way less pressure. Then you can piss off the fillers. They're a bad idea according to quite a few people who've 'ringed' a barrel and stuffed it.
Maybe try 2213sc in QL for the 308?
Im going to do the same for my 45-70.
Ive got the loads already down 30%. Had better accuracy with the lubed cast bullets than the powdercoated but not in a way that would effect hunting at 100m. 2moa is fine.

Accuracy will be better with lubed cast bullets rather than powder coated unless your powder coating process is very refined. A difference in coating thickness will throw off your center of ballance as the bullet travels down the barrel .