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ShooterAZ
02-17-2012, 07:16 PM
I'd like to look into getting set up to cast for my .30 M1 Carbine. If anyone has any recommendations on a good mold and some loads I would appreciate feedback.
Are there problems associated with the gas system I need to be aware of when using cast boolits? Thanks...

Echo
02-17-2012, 07:20 PM
Lee makes (Made?) a neat little 120 gr RNGC boolit that I had good luck with in the carbine. The 130 gr doesn't look right, and the Lyman 311359 just doesn't look right, either. I put a lot of store in the loads looking right. Of course, they have to shoot, too.

And I used 14 grs of H-110...

Rocket Man
02-17-2012, 07:30 PM
If the nose is not shaped right the bullets will not feed.

Also you need to file the sharp edge off on the clip where the lead bullet feeds out. The sharp edge is not a problem on copper bullets but it digs into lead bullets like a sharp knife. Sometimes the lead bullets will not feed and the gun jams. Some times it just cuts a slice off the bullet. You need to file to fit with a very tiny file. If you can cycle a whole clip of bullets through the gun by hand very slowly without the bullets getting snagged the clip they will work fine.

I use to make and sell 10 cavity bullet molds 25 years ago I designed a really good bullet for my M2 carbine.

I also had a problem will the piston on the under side of the gun barrel that ejected the empty shell getting filled full of lead after about 500 shots. I had to buy a special wrench and a small screw driver so I could clean it out.

I also had trouble with barrel leading. I loaded my clips with a copper jacket bullet every 10th bullet this cleaned the lead out of the barrel.

I also dropped my hot bullet right out of the bullet mold directly into a 5 gallon bucket of water to heat treat the bullets. The bullets did not get hard for a whole week. I could dry the bullets and size them the next day but if I waited a week the bullets were too hard to go through the Star Die.

All that and the lead bullets still leaded the barrel and jammed the piston.

williamwaco
02-17-2012, 07:41 PM
Don't know about the Lee bullet but I loaded about a zillion Lyman 3118 s in my M1-Carbine. Plain base, shoots good, and cheap.

Known as 311008 today.

barkerwc4362
02-17-2012, 08:17 PM
SAECO makes a great mould #302, that is perfect for the M1 Carbine. Cast out of Linotype, lubed, and gas checked the bullets weight 115 grains. And yes it is available in a 4 cavity. It is the proper round nose shape also. I have been using 2400 to load mine with good results.

Bill

zomby woof
02-17-2012, 09:28 PM
Noe 311115

Le Loup Solitaire
02-18-2012, 01:52 AM
Have been shooting RCBS 120 grain Round Nose with GC. Powder is 13-14 grains of 4227...prety much a compressed load. Burns clean, no leading and velocity around that of GI Ball ammo. Accuracy also around the same as GI Ball. No failures to feed- a slight taper crimp is necessary. Other molds from other manufacturers are good too; Lee, Lyman, Saeco. Nose of bullet has to be round or pointy-ish to ensure reliable feeding. A number of other good powders work very well too. LLS

beagle
02-18-2012, 11:06 AM
The Saeco #254 is the same bullet without check and works really well in mine. No leading of the gas port has been detected after thousands of rounds but they will pick up powder residue and lube (?) residue and need cleaning ever so often.

HP'd, either of these bullets makes a dandy shooter for the carbine for small pests./beagle


SAECO makes a great mould #302, that is perfect for the M1 Carbine. Cast out of Linotype, lubed, and gas checked the bullets weight 115 grains. And yes it is available in a 4 cavity. It is the proper round nose shape also. I have been using 2400 to load mine with good results.

Bill

Will
02-18-2012, 07:39 PM
I like the lee 120r gc with 12gr 2400. I also uae the lee soupcan but have to size down to 308 or polish the front driving band with steel wool to get reliable feeding. I also use the old lee 130r and the lyman 311410 130gr pb, but the pb opens the group size above about 1600fps. Never had a leading problem. Larry Gibson has a lot of info on the 30 carb if you will search his posts.

cbrick
02-18-2012, 08:26 PM
Swede just completed a group buy foe 311008, use the link for what he has left at the moment.

In stock NOE 311008 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=140112)

Both my Ruger 30 Carbine and 10" T/C Contender shoot this bullet very well with 8.5 gr SR 4759. A light but accurate load.

Rick

rond
02-18-2012, 08:59 PM
Lee 113 gr. FP sized .309 with a gas check, LLA, 14 gr. of Lil Gun.

Cherokee
02-18-2012, 09:17 PM
Lyman 311359

Baja_Traveler
02-18-2012, 10:13 PM
311008 is an awesome bullet for the M1 Carbine.

Once a year we have a D-Day commemorative silhouette shoot using M1 carbines. I shoot 311008's over 11.5 gr 2400, and its super accurate out to the 200 yard rams, and surprisingly it has no problems knocking them over!

ShooterAZ
02-19-2012, 06:56 PM
Thanks guys, I think I will order the Lee 120 gr GC from Midway. With this GC boolit I should be able to use the same "hardball" alloy I'm using for handgun loads right?