Need advice on a .308 mold

[Skipper488]

As noted in other threads my son just bought a Rossi Wizard in .308. He's all gungho to start casting and reloading for it. What mold is suitable for target and hunting and do I need to gas check these?

[Doc Highwall]

I would try the Ranch Dog 311-165gr bullet.

[Skipper488]

That looks like a nice bullet but he's out of stock. I'll have to send a notification request in and hope he gets one soon.

[excess650]

Well, there are NOEs available right now. I had a Ranch Dog and it cast .314". I now have the NOE and it casts .311". I much prefer the NOE sprue cutter to the 6 cavity Lee variety, and actually prefer the 4 cavity NOE for ease of casting.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=103163

[GabbyM]

Do you have a lube sizer press?

what is he going to hunt?

[1Shirt]

I shoot the 165 RD in all my 30's and get good accuracy with all of them.
1Shirt!

[crowbeaner]

Lyman 31141, 311291, 311284, and RCBS 30-180-fp.

[kir_kenix]

Kind of depends what is intentions are. Plinking, target, hunting?
As mentioned the 31141 and 311284 are excelent and classic boolits. In addition to these great suggestions, the Lee c309-113-F (soupcan) and c309-160-R are great plinkers. The soupcan is one of my favorites and I've shot thousands of them in a variety of .30 rifle and pistols.

The Lee c309-170-F is an excellent all around boolit, I've done quite a bit of shooting and hunting with it. Good thing with the Lee's is that they are cheap, and you can experiment with them before ponying up the money for a Lyman/RCBS/etc.

[kir_kenix]

Sorry, just re-read the OP where he mentioned the target/hunting. In that case, my vote would be the Lyman's already mentioned, the Ranchdog 165, or the 170 Lee.

Some folks have kind of dissed the 170gr Lee because of the small meplat, but I've shot a few deer and quite a few coyotes with it. Results were very satisfactory, reguardless of the smallish meplat.

[mroliver77]

I also like the 170 Lee. It is a good cheap starter (or keeper) mold. I really like the Lyman 311440 for the 30-30 or .308 for hunting deer sized critters.It always amazes me that a boolit modeled after a boxing glove can be so accurate.

[runfiverun]

don't overlook the rcbs 150-f/n. they have a 170, it would be similar to the 311440 but with a bigger lube groove and squarer. [instead of 3 smaller ones]
works well in the leverguns too.

i am surprised no one has mentioned measuring the bbl and trying to fit the throat.
my 30-30 bolt gun likes the nei loverign design.
my 30-30 wins like the rcbs 150-fn as does my wifes savage 0-6.
my ruger 308 likes the rcbs 165 silhouette.
and my eddystone 0-6 likes the lyman 311440.
i'll see how the levers like the 311440 sometime.

whats best?
what fits best..

[quilbilly]

My Lee 160 gr RN-GC has been a great shooter for me. The gas checks give you more flexibility on velocity from 1100 to 2000

[1Shirt]

All of the lees shoot decently in my 30's, but for some reason the little 150 Lee (kind of ugly looking) seems to have it head and shoulders over the other weights accuracy wise.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[Dman4321]

Have been shooting the Lee 180 grain mold successfully. If your looking for the economical route, buy a lee sizer for an extra $20, and it seats my gas checks well!

[Doby45]

I have the NOE 311-165 and a Lee 311 mold (I need to look at the box to get the specific mold). I will tell you this, those Rossi 308 barrels have throat for days. I have set my 311-165 out so far that the neck barely holds the boolit and still have not seen a rifle mark on the boolit.

EDIT: Found the Lee 309 mold. It is the 170 as pointed out by other members. Great little mold in it's own right

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=574963

[Doby45]

Another really great thing about that 165-170gr 308 cast boolit is you can put 11gr of Unique under it and shoot targets all day or little critters.

[Fly-guy]

The Ranch Dog 165 is a good one in my books.

[Fire_stick]

I like the Ranch Dog, too. Saw 2 deer this season, shot 2 deer this season with the bullet and my 308 Marlin Express. Outstanding results.

[Skipper488]

Thanks guys, he'll probaly go with one of the Lee dies. If we load the gas check bullet with a light load does it still need the gas check installed?

[Doby45]

Nope. I shoot those Lee 170s with Unique and no GC, even though it is a GC boolit.

[462]

I also like the 170 Lee. It is a good cheap starter (or keeper) mold. I really like the Lyman 311440 for the 30-30 or .308 for hunting deer sized critters.It always amazes me that a boolit modeled after a boxing glove can be so accurate.

Missed this thread the first time round, but got a good laugh out of that apt description.