Casting for M1 .30 Carbine ??

[Pop_No_Kick]

I am a Newbie Bullet Caster.
And Would like to know if casting M1 .30 Carbine is Viable ?

This is the U.S. M1 .30 Carbine and Ammo is getting Scarce here in La.
(Thats Left of Alabama (Louisiana) .

I wondering if it does more damage than Good. Because of the Gas Operation
and Pondering the Leading in the Gas Tube.

Also, Reloading Suplies Here are Getting Scarce..

Dies Can be Had cheap. AVG $ is about 5 bucks for 3 peice Set (RCBS etc.)
because nobody's Reloading any more. Common Dies are gone But alot
Old odd balls still around.

Also Thanx's For all the great Post. Ya'll are Best source of info. !!

Thanx's again
Chuck.

[grumble]

Chuck, there are several guys here who routinely use cast in their gas-operated semiautos. Personally, I don't -- if one gun in a million would choke off the gas system from leading, it would be mine.

So, I won't advise against it. But, if you are concerned, check out the milsurp 110g carbine bullets. They're cheap, and reasonably decent bullets. Another plus is that they make great hi velocity varmit rounds in other chamberings. My truck gun is a 30-30 loaded with these, and a number of coyotes have wished I didn't use those bullets.

[Poygan]

I've used cast via the Lyman .311359 for years. Initially I lubed them with melted alox 50/50 without sizing. Although I didn't shoot in any great quantities, I only recently bought a gas piston wrench to clean it out. I actually found minimal leading after many decades. The lead I used in those days was mostly soft range lead as well. Oh, yes, this mold is a gas check design but I didn't use gas checks either. So, my suggestion is that you give it a try. These molds come up on e-bay with some regularity. There's also a .311410 thats about 130 grains w/o gas check. The 311359 is around 115 grains.

[Pop_No_Kick]

Thanx's GRUMBLE for the input, Gonna check-out MIDSOUTH for the store bought. And also a G-H & I for the sizer (old RCBS Lube A Matic ) And Magnum Mike Sending Some of that GREEN SPEED LUBE from Bull...

I'm With you about the one in the million lead choker, I'm That Lucky myself
I Think I'll Prob. Exp. with Cast and Store boughts and see what happens

if you or some-one here of some combination of mold # and pwdr.
Please Post...

Thanx's again Ya'll For the Help!!

Get Er DONE !!! [smilie=l:
__________________________________________________ _______

I't Always Easier To Be Wise After The Fact !!!

[Pop_No_Kick]

THANX's POYGAN

I Am Checking to locate some Mold's

I also Picked up a M1 .30 Carbine RCBS (Pacific) 3 Dies Set for $5.00 at
a Local Gun Shop...
It Was Used But Looked Good..

Thanx's Again Ya'll For ALL the Help...

Thanx's
Chuck
__________________________________________________ ______________

I't Always Easier To Be Wise After Fact !!

[grumble]

Chuck, if I were going to shoot cast in my M1 Carbine, my first load would be standard small rifle primers, about 12 gr of 2400, and the Lee C309-113F boolit. I'd adjust the powder up or down in 1/2 gr increments to get the best accuracy for the least amount of recoil that would operate the action. If things worked out fairly well with that, I'd try to move on to AA9 or WC820 with about an 8 gr charge. That's IF I were going to do that -- I haven't tried these loads, so take them with a HUGE grain of salt.

Good thing about it, it's a 30 cal, so you have a LOT of options and could easily go to boolits as heavy as 130 or so, or move to tin can loads with the 86 gr 32-20 boolits. But, you gotta start somewhere, so going with a boolit weight close to the standard 110 gr would probably get you going the quickest with the fewest surprises.

I'd also be sure to slug the throat to make sure there's a nice tight fit to reduce the liklihood of leading, and be sparing in the use of lube to avoid a lube plug in the gas tube.

[Pop_No_Kick]

Thanx's POYGON

That Sounds Like very good advice (for a grain of salt )
I dont have any 2400 (yet) But do have some 4227

Thanx's for the recipe'
chuck

[C1PNR]

My longtime .30 Carbine load has been 12 to (mostly) 13 gr H 4227 behind the Lyman 311359 PT GC cast from WW (mine weigh ~120 gr) with WW 6 1/2 116 primers in LC 5 brass. Cycles fine and shoots straight, with no apparent leading or gas tube choking.

I've also used 100 and 110 gr "plinkers" with OK results. I really do like the cast better, though. I now have a 311410 RN PB mould that I'll try, too.

[bobthenailer]

try useing ww 820 surplus powder the slower burner not the fast 820 this is the surplus powder that was orgionaly loaded in the 30 cal carbine it is pretty reasonably priced and works well in most pistol cartages, i would recommend getting a tc sizing die , i also have a saeco 4 cavity # 302 a 120 gr gas check bullet mould for sale that was made for the 30 m1 carbine in perfect condtion for $65.00 + shipping bob

[Leftoverdj]

I've used the Lyman 311410 in the carbine and recommend it highly. It was designed to function the carbine with a PB bullet and does that well.

GCing bullets is the part that I like least about the whole casting/reloading process, and I avoid it when I can.

[Bob S]

I've used the Lyman 311410 in the carbine and recommend it highly. It was designed to function the carbine with a PB bullet and does that well.

Another vote for the 311410 in the carbine here also. I used this one with whatever the rcommended charge of DuPont 4227 was in the 1967 Lyman book; 12 point something grains, Remington small rifle primers, GI cases. Functioning was perfect as long as the bullets were sized to .308. Cast out of straight wheel weights with the old black Ideal lube, no leading and grouped about as well as the GI ball. Needed extra elevation to get centered at 100 yards ... I think that ramp backsight had to be set on 200 or 250.

That mould is a versatile little bugger. I also use it for Gallery loads in .308, 30-06 and 7.5 x 55 with smallish charges of Red Dot. Out side, these are strictly 50-yard loads, giving about 1" groups prone at that range. Things begin to fall apart at 100 yards, tho.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[beagle]

The .30 Carbine is a great cast shooter. I just finished running a couple thousand cast loads through one.(GI Standard Products version) I checked the gas system at 500 rounds, just after 1,000 rounds and again after I got done shooting. At no time did I pick up any significant lead and this was with PB and gas checked bullets. Fouling, yes, but no lead.

The 311359 bullet shot well as did the Saeco 302 and 254. Lyman's 3118/311008 also shoots well but you need to use a top punch for a RN bullet during sizing so you'll bump the edges of the meplat to a rounder configuration for feeding purposes. Same on the 311316.

A taper crimp die is a must for the .30 Carbine if you're loading a bunch of them. 2400 and 4227 are good "normal suspect" powders. I also had good luck with Lil Gun and WC820.

Bullets in mine were sized at .310". Load with the longest OAL length that the magazine and chamber will take.

Beware of military cases. Some are thick and if you're at the top of the pressure envelope with commercial cases, you'll run into pressure problems. Same as with Norma cases. They're really thick.

Case length should be 1.286 or less. Now, a lot of military cases will run at about 1.275" and I had no problems with them in my rifle.

It's a great shooter with a 311359HP or a 311008HP. Plenty of expansion and a lot of fun as a plinker./beagle

[Newtire]

Used the 130gr. Lee RNGC with 11.5gr. H-4227 and got best groups with that. Loaded up a bunch of 115gr. Oregon Trail Storeboughts .309" & 13gr. H-4227 and they were almost as good as the Lee 130 grainer. Saw they don't sell that on Lee site anymore so bought another one off their surplus page. Takes alot of bullets to feed one of those guns tho! I tried the Lee 113 gr. but it won't feed. Maybe it was just the aftermarket 10-shot magazine? Might try one of my old 15 round pre-ban clips & see. Gun is a Plainsfield made from G.I. parts mostly. Here's a site I found about M-1 Carbines that has all the stuff about the guns. Nothing much on loading tho except for those disgusting FLGC designs. Mine likes lead just fine by the way. No big amount of anything in the gas port after firing 200 rds. Easy to clean. Anyway, that's my 2C worth.

[Newtire]

Oops...forgot the site http://battlerifles.ambackforum.com/
Blame it on "Old-timers"

[Junior1942]

I used the shoot the Lee 311-93-1R in my Ruger 30 carbine BH, and it was a tack driver. Don't remember the load. Some dirty %$#@&*^ stole the pistol circa 1985.

[Lee S. Forsberg]

I've used cast bullets for 30 Carbine for a very long time doesn't bother the gas system. I use H110 with a 120gr gas checked bullet. Used the same load in a Ruger, did just fine.

[trooperdan]

I used the shoot the Lee 311-93-1R in my Ruger 30 carbine BH, and it was a tack driver. Don't remember the load. Some dirty %$#@&*^ stole the pistol circa 1985.


Junior, I read about your Ruger Blackhawk .30 Carbine and it reminded me of a review I read about this gun when it first came out; I THINK it was by Skeeter Skelton. He said when he touched off the first round in that Blackhawk he "felt like being smacked in the face with a wet towel just as someone set off a dynamite cap in each ear!" I take it the muzzle blast was a mite fearsome!

[Junior1942]

Junior, I read about your Ruger Blackhawk .30 Carbine and it reminded me of a review I read about this gun when it first came out; I THINK it was by Skeeter Skelton. He said when he touched off the first round in that Blackhawk he "felt like being smacked in the face with a wet towel just as someone set off a dynamite cap in each ear!" I take it the muzzle blast was a mite fearsome!Dan, as best I can remember I never shot anything but 1200 - 1400 fps cast loads in that pistol.