hard cast bullets for 308 win

[raven.warsong]

I was wondering if I could order some hard cast bullets for my 308 some and use them. I guess since there not coated they would lead my barrel would they not?
can I use some thing like this at a reduced load?

http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=105&category=6&secondary=&keywords=

Im just looking to reduce my cost. since most places want around $100 per 500. hard cast bullets are much cheaper. I only cast bullets for my 9mm at the moment and I have been told by the wife she dose not like me doing it so im looking for a good plinking round thanks much

[mpmarty]

Hard Cast is a common misconception. Hard boolits do nothing to prevent leading. Fit of the boolit to your firearm is paramount to not leading. The only way to fit the boolit to your firearm is to cast your own. Commercial cast boolits are mostly junk unless you ger VERY lucky with a particular batch.

[raven.warsong]

Hard Cast is a common misconception. Hard boolits do nothing to prevent leading. Fit of the boolit to your firearm is paramount to not leading. The only way to fit the boolit to your firearm is to cast your own. Commercial cast boolits are mostly junk unless you ger VERY lucky with a particular batch.

that sucks with me not being able to cast at the moment and the bullets costing so much it looks like my 308 is a wall hanger then

[DLCTEX]

If you slug your bore, and if you can buy cast bullets that are at least .001 over that size, you may be able to shoot them without leading. And I agree that hard cast is hype. You will not be able to load them to jacketed velocity without knowledge, testing, and experimenting or paper patching. If you plan to push them over 1500 fps, they had better have a gas check on them. Spire points will most likely not work for you, the Loverin design will be much easier for you to find sucess with.

[DLCTEX]

PM me and I can send a few 150 and 170 FP at .310 dia. for you to test with. That will give you a shot at finding something that will work. Then you will know what to look for.

[raven.warsong]

Im a little new to all this and im not trying to blow my self up. with the only load data I have at the moment it looks like it would be 2400 or a little slower. I guess I will just stick with jacketed bullets or not shoot it

[462]

Never give up.

Go to the Swappin' & Sellin' sub-forum and click on The Boolit Exchange. Put in a request for some boolits cast to your rifle's dimensions and see what response you get.

If you have something to offer in trade, mention it in the request.

Spend some quality reading time, here. There are faster and slower powders that will work, as well. Get a couple Lyman reloading or casting handbooks, too, and read them.

[Jailer]

I've been experimenting with air cooled WW in my 308 and have had no issues so far. Still trying to find the perfect load but all the ones I've shot so far I've got zero leading and real decent accuracy. I size mine to .310 and they are gas checked.

[runfiverun]

310 on the body is only half the equasion the nose must fit the rifling also.
a 300 nose and 310 body would be about right.
the issue will be figuring out how much 300 and how much 310 you need to fit your throat and not be seated into the case.
17 grs of 2400 will give you what you want.

[MtGun44]

I think he means he wants 2400 fps.

Why is the wife down on casting?

Bill

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I size all my caliber 30 boolits .310. I have tried .308 (ugh) and .309 (OK) but found .310 a great place to start with a non-erroded barrel. But when the throat area is a bit erroded then a fatter boolit willl work better.
Hardness.. I use the softest proper diameter boolit needed to support the base pressure. I use alot of 50/50 mix (WW - Pure) for under 1800 fps. Up to 2200 straight WW. What most sellers call "Hardcast" I would use for 2300 + FPS. But again if it is undersized for the barrel you will learn alot about lead mining. With lead-- fat is good.. but you can go to far with that also.
Mike in Peru

[Larry Gibson]

Those "hard cast" are PB'd and will do fine if you want to keep velocities under 1500 - 1600 fps for practical accuracy. If you want higher velocity then as with anything if you want to dance you have to pay the band. Quality cast bullets with GCs cost almost as much as jacketed bullets. If you want to put your own GCs on or want them already GC'd then I suggest you check with Oregon Trail Bullets at ; www.laser-cast.com

Check out these 2 bullets for your .308W. They can be had with or w/o the GC sized and lubed. The left is a 170 gr FN and the right is a 200 gr RN. They are quality hard cast bullets BTW.

Larry Gibson

[raven.warsong]

Those "hard cast" are PB'd and will do fine if you want to keep velocities under 1500 - 1600 fps for practical accuracy. If you want higher velocity then as with anything if you want to dance you have to pay the band. Quality cast bullets with GCs cost almost as much as jacketed bullets. If you want to put your own GCs on or want them already GC'd then I suggest you check with Oregon Trail Bullets at ; www.laser-cast.com

Check out these 2 bullets for your .308W. They can be had with or w/o the GC sized and lubed. The left is a 170 gr FN and the right is a 200 gr RN. They are quality hard cast bullets BTW.

Larry Gibson

Can I use those with normal load data? or do I need to reduce the speed. Im sorry you used a lot of terms I dont understand. PB, dance ?

[raven.warsong]

I think he means he wants 2400 fps.

Why is the wife down on casting?

Bill

She thinks im going to give her lead poisoning or some thing

[cf_coder]

For the unitiated... PB = Plain Base, GC = Gas Checked. There should really be a sticky around here with commonly used abbreviations...

What Larry means about the "dance" is that there are practical limitations as to how fast you can push a plain base boolit. If you really want to run up to jacketed bullet speeds, you are going to need to go with a gas checked boolit. But for plinking and velocities up to around 1500-1600 fps, you can get away with a plain based boolit using smaller charges of pistol type powders... There are lot of threads around here about reduced loads in rifle calibers... Take a look around.

Cheers!

[trapper9260]

She thinks im going to give her lead poisoning or some thing

If you do not eat or smoke or drink when you are casting and was your hands after you are done and make sure you have alot of air around you . You will be ok and she will also . Also wash your hands after you done reploading . Then you will be ok . just let her know that all . As for not sure about casting get the manuel of lyman casting it will tell you all you need and more . That is how i started my casting from . Yes i am still learning . but i maken it all work and all the advice you are given on here all is also a help . I did not have the internet when I started and now if I have any thing to ask I put it up on here and there are many willing to give advice . Hope all this help

[462]

Lead poisoning is caused by ingestion -- not boolit casting temperatue fume inhalation nor the proximity to lead -- and normal sanitary habits are all the prevention needed. Don't let the agenda-driven, whacko, radical, fanantical fear mongers ruin your shooting enjoyment.

[runfiverun]

i believe there is a sticky here with the abbreviations we use.

[Larry Gibson]

Can I use those with normal load data? or do I need to reduce the speed. Im sorry you used a lot of terms I dont understand. PB, dance ?

PB is a s already defined; i.e. no GC. The "dance" and "paying the band" means if you want play at a higher level of performance then you must pay for it.

With those GC'd cast bullets best accuracy will be in the 1800 - 200 fps range with medium or slow burning powders if your rifle has a 10" twist. If it has a 12" twist then you can bush either bullet to 2100 - 2300+ fps with good accuracy with the same powders. If you've a Palma barrel with 13 or 14" twist then you can push them to 2500+ fps with good accuracy.

Larry Gibson

[MtGun44]

It is difficult to get any useful accuracy with "normal" loading data in rifles. In many guns,
you can have excellent results at 1500-1600 fps, and then carefully and skillfully work your
way up to maybe 2000-2300 fps in many rifles. As you start getting past that level, you
get into steadily increasing difficulty keeping your accuracy without doing a lot of stuff that
takes knowledge and effort.

So - the short answer to "Can I use those with normal load data? or do I need to reduce the
speed." is NO, you cannot use normal load data, and YES you need to reduce the speed
if you want to keep reasonable accuracy. If you need to shoot full velocity with the .308,
you should use jacketed. It is not impossible to get good accy with full velocity with cast,
but it is quite difficult and requires a good bit of work (or luck) to get there. Some guns
will never get there.

As to the lead poisoning, it as mostly hogwash. If you wash your hands after handling lead
and do not eat, smoke or drink (basically put lead into your mouth from dirty hands) you will
not have any lead in you. Just that simple. It does not significantly vaporize when melted,
and you really need the ventilation when casting more for nasty smells from mixing stuff
into the lead to clean the lead of impurities - makes smoke.

[dbarnhart]

Hi-techammo.com has .308 M80 (147gr fmjbt) pull-downs for $120 per thousand. I've bought several thousand from him and have been very happy

[grbenchworks]

hiim new here and my spelling realy does need help but anyway hello
i thaught i would reply to your question on cast boolets
ok so first things first my advise to you is use a gas check and just a tiny amount of lube
like liquid alox cold
cast / quench/dry/then pre heet your oven to 450 put cast boolets on a flat pan put them in oven for about 30 min then drop into cold water
once you have done that then fit gas check on and recize through sizing die then tumble lube with liquid alox
[ tiny amount only then let sit and dry overnight now store for 30 days or so
you should be ending up with a Bh. of around 18 this will be ok without leading for speeds up to around 2400 fps. but if you want my opinion stay around the 2000 mark better accuracy and cheeper
a good powder for that would be imr 4064/imr 3031/ for the 308 i find a powder with a burn rate of around
anywere between 90 to about say 72 dont go hotter than that
however if you realy want to just have a good plinker round you could use reddot 13 gn. but you should use a 1" tish pc. as a wad to hold back the powder as it will not fill the case and you want to avoid a hang fire
ok so anyway hope this helps . by the way thats with 185gn crn. nice load good for a 100 yard plink
as for the other powders i sugested start with 20,gn. of 4064 work your way up
as for 3031 start load at say 18gn. work your way up find that sweet spot
as always its a great idea to get a book.

[Echo]

Im a little new to all this and im not trying to blow my self up. with the only load data I have at the moment it looks like it would be 2400 or a little slower. I guess I will just stick with jacketed bullets or not shoot it
Baloney. Tell SWMBO that you WILL cast, but do it outside where the aroma isn't so intimidating. And school her on the problems that exist with boolit casting, and how we cope with those problems. Several previous posts give explanations.
Re a load for the 308. Start with 15 grs of 2400 and move up to 17 grs by .3 gr increments, loading 5 of each. Shoot them @ 25 yds, and see where Professor Gun tells you it likes it best. Load up 20 at that loading, and advance to 100 yds. It was either Whelen or Hatch who suggested 16 grs 2400 for all 30 caliber rounds similar to the -06, and the 308 falls fairly into that group. One hundred thirty to 180 gr boolits, sized .001/.002 over groove diameter, and have at it. I size mine to .310.
And post your location. If a forum member lives nearby, they will undoubtedly offer to give on-site tutoring.