correct size bulletmold

[spydr1]

New guy here. How do you decide what size mold to buy?? When I reload I buy bullets according to bore size. 30 cal = .308 etc. I see some posts that .311 or 312 are used for 30 cal. I am going to start casting for my 03 springfield .

thanks
Dave

[mooman76]

Lead bullets need to be a little bigger (.001-.002) than than the grove diameter You have to slug the boar to be sure or try different size bullets. Some older guns and some from other countries don't go by our standard of .308 for their .30 cal and are closer to .311 or .312 or even bigger. Also the faster twist rate in the barrel the longer the bullet can be. A lot of people say a heavier bullet instead of longer and for the most part a longer bullet is heavier but there is a formula that will tell you the optimum bullet size and it goes by length. if you talk to a few others and you will they can tell you what works best for your gun. And Welcome to the board!

[9.3X62AL]

Good question--and welcome to the asylum.

You'll get a whole range of answers, based on the various experiences of the folks here. My own general rule is to let the rifle tell you what it wants--first by getting the throat and groove dimensions, and the bore diameter if a bore-rider design is intended. THEN--shoot the slugs that are sized to correspond to the data you have, and see what works. When it comes to cast boolits--and to a large extent any rifle or handgun projectile--each platform is a law unto itself.

1) There is no such thing as ALWAYS.

2) There is no such thing as NEVER.

3) SIZE MATTERS--esp. when it comes to leading prevention, and leading prevention will enhance and lend itself to accuracy.

Have you decided on a boolit design yet? For the 30-06, I've used Lyman #311291 for quite a while, with good success in 3 different rifles. Heavier-for-caliber designs like #311284 and #311299 have done good work also. The Loverin designs have adherents too.

If shooting is viewed as a one-dimensional pursuit--reloading gives you a second dimension to expand your horizons--and boolit casting provides the depth of involvement that many of us here are quite enthusiastic about. An inquisitive mind and and passion for experimentation helps a lot, too.