3/4" group 311299 in 30-06!

[Jeff Maney]

Today I was adjusting my new CDS dial on the Leupold VX-R 3-9 x 50 scope and shot one 3/4" group at 100 yards. Most other groups were just about 1" and nice triangles. 311299 Lyman 200 Gr. RNGC cast from 7# COWW, 3 # SOWW with 2% tin added. 2400/18.0 gr., 1,541 FPS, Sd. 13.2, OAL = 3.244", just touching the lands. Rifle is a 1975 Remington 700 that seems to like cast bullets. This is my first attempt at rifle cast bullets but I have cast/shot thousands of pistol bullets years ago.

Jeff

[mrbill2]

Way to go Jeff. Looks like the start of a love affair with the rifle and cast boolits.

[JeffinNZ]

That's spectacular!

[Digital Dan]

You seem to be doing something right!

[Doc Highwall]

Nice shooting! What size were the bullets and what did you use for bullet lube? What diameter expander did you use for the case neck. These are important things that you should keep a written record of.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Very Nice, thanks for the pic's

[Jeff Maney]

Nice shooting! What size were the bullets and what did you use for bullet lube? What diameter expander did you use for the case neck. These are important things that you should keep a written record of.
I sized 0.309", rifle barrel slugged 0.3083". Have not tried 0.310" size yet but have die in hand. Blue Angel lube. Lyman "M" die, not for sure of expander diameter but could check & reply later.
Rear band diameter has averaged 0.3109" and the nose has ran 0.2995/0.301", I have cast 4 lots about 2M boolits. I sampled 10 from each lot recording rear band diameter, nose diameter & weight. Weight averages 200.9 gr. has only varied 1.6 grains across the 4 lots! I do keep a lot of data, sometimes to a fault. The Lyman DC mold was produced 06/09.

Jeff

[leadman]

Very nice shooting. The 30-06 seems to me to be one of the cartridges that responds very well to cast boolits. Of course it has had alot of development work done to it over the many years it has been around.

[TXGunNut]

Pretty awesome, good job!

[Doc Highwall]

Jeff, write the dimensions down for safe keeping. For my 7.62 NATO I am sizing the bullets .310" and my sizer is .309". I have sizing dies in .3100", .3105", and 3110" and I am making expanders in .3090", .3095", .3100", and .3105" just to play with for accuracy.

[smokeywolf]

Welcome to the Cast Boolits forum Jeff. Very nice shooting. I too lean toward heavier boolits in the 30-06 and 30-40. There seems to be more of a track record of greater accuracy with boolits weighing 180-220 grns and I don't think this is solely attributable to their resistance to the influence of wind.

smokeywolf

[milprileb]

Outstanding casting and shooting.

[Char-Gar]

Jeff...You did everything just right first time out and you got the expected results. I will predict that sizing .310 might help the group a smidge, but not a whole lot. .310 groups will certainly not be bigger.

welcome to the forum and thanks for the good report. Well done!

[Jeff Maney]

Jeff, write the dimensions down for safe keeping. For my 7.62 NATO I am sizing the bullets .310" and my sizer is .309". I have sizing dies in .3100", .3105", and 3110" and I am making expanders in .3090", .3095", .3100", and .3105" just to play with for accuracy.
I have seen neck tension make differences in bench rest shooting years ago but had not even considered that in starting up cast! I will check my "M" die expander and add that data point to my reloading data. Too much engineer in me not to believe in the data! I retired this March so I have more time than anything else! After working 50-70 hours a week for 35 years, it does get hard to fill up some days! This pursuit will certainly help, thanks for everyone's support and advice.

Jeff

[Char-Gar]

Neck expanding and bullet tension gets pretty arcane quickly. How hard the case necks have been work hardened by sizing also comes into play. Bullet hardness is also a player.

RCBS makes a 30 caliber cast bullet expander with interchangeable expanding plugs that run from .308 to .312 by thousands. In a case that has not been sized to often .001 - .002 under the bullet size is about right. Cases that have been work hardened can be brought back to heel through annealing. Horsing an alloy bullet into a hard neck does more damage to the bullet than doing the same thing in a softer neck.

The M die is a wonderful design, but at times Lyman makes these to small. You will just to measure and see what you have.

[mehavey]

It ain't as good as your 3/4" marvel there, but that 311299
bullet and the 30-06 were simply made for each other.
("...like pea`n carrots....")

86841

:-)

[Jeff Maney]

It ain't as good as your 3/4" marvel there, but that 311299
bullet and the 30-06 were simply made for each other.
:-)
Your group looks excellent, especially given the number of shots. I also have tried 311291-about 2" groups; 311365 about 2.5"+ groups, using the same R700 rifle! Having several other rifles that shoot 'bugholes' almost at will, I was about ready to give up on cast until I started working with the 311299 mold. I almost wish I had tried this in years past when I shot a rifle pretty sporty! At 65 now, it is a struggle to force myself to go thru the correct mechanics that at one time I did almost with ease! I guess that is why I am proud of the 3/4" group. In years past, any rifle I had that only shot a 3/4" group, went to the next gun show!

Jeff

[Jeff Maney]

I sized 0.309", rifle barrel slugged 0.3083". Have not tried 0.310" size yet but have die in hand. Blue Angel lube. Lyman "M" die, not for sure of expander diameter but could check & reply later.
Rear band diameter has averaged 0.3109" and the nose has ran 0.2995/0.301", I have cast 4 lots about 2M boolits. I sampled 10 from each lot recording rear band diameter, nose diameter & weight. Weight averages 200.9 gr. has only varied 1.6 grains across the 4 lots! I do keep a lot of data, sometimes to a fault. The Lyman DC mold was produced 06/09.

Jeff

Given that this rifle shoots 3/4" groups with 0.309" sized 311299 boolits (barrel slugged 0.3083") should I try sizing to 0.310" for another trial? I would keep everything else constant. Is there a safety/pressure issue with being too large or will it just be reflected in group size?

Jeff

[Shiloh]

What does the nose of your 311299 measure?? Mine was two small at .298.

Shiloh

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

I shoot a NOE dropped 314299 in my 1891 Aregentine Mauser 7.65x53.
20 grains of 5744, shoots 1/2 groups all the time if I do my part.
Its an excellent boolit. 2400 shoots almost as well.
Nice job with the Remy!

[atr]

Nice shooting Jim !
#311299 is one of my favorites also...I use it in both my .308 and my 30-30....always gives me good performance
atr

[Jeff Maney]

What does the nose of your 311299 measure?? Mine was two small at .298.

Shiloh

nose diameter has been 0.2995-0.3010" across 4 lots cast, about 2M bullets. I have been seating to just touch the rifling.

Jeff

[Shiloh]

Mine would spin in the muzzle and hang up onthe wide side. I went to a .314299. I'd love a 311299 that would give me a .300-.301 nose and minimum of .311 at the bands.

Shiloh

[dverna]

Many will shoot for years and never achieve that level of performance.

Likely a mix of being anal, doing everything right, a good mold, good alloy, good powder selection and a wee bit of luck.

Having a capable rifle/scope helps a lot too. Still, amazing..... and you should be proud of what you accomplished.

Don Verna

[dualsport]

NOE did produce a 312299. Mine gives right at .312x.302 with ww+1%. Maybe there's still some out there for sale.

[jonp]

Outstanding group.

[35 shooter]

I' ve noticed a lot of good 06 groups posted lately. Seems like good things are happening with that cal. Good shooting! I'd be hanging on to that rifle.:)

[tygar]

Today I was adjusting my new CDS dial on the Leupold VX-R 3-9 x 50 scope and shot one 3/4" group at 100 yards. Most other groups were just about 1" and nice triangles. 311299 Lyman 200 Gr. RNGC cast from 7# COWW, 3 # SOWW with 2% tin added. 2400/18.0 gr., 1,541 FPS, Sd. 13.2, OAL = 3.244", just touching the lands. Rifle is a 1975 Remington 700 that seems to like cast bullets. This is my first attempt at rifle cast bullets but I have cast/shot thousands of pistol bullets years ago.

Jeff

Good job! I'm trying to get this rifle thing down also. Pistol since the 60s, no problem, rifle for 6 mos. & still can't get anything.

Keep posting, maybe I can sponge off your success. lol

[CastingFool]

All good info. I have the same rifle, but not casting for it yet. I have heard many good things about the 311299, but I wish they were lighter. Just my preference.

[zomby woof]

I have both the Lyman 311299 and the NOE 312299. Here are the average measurements from each boolit. The Lyman boolit seems to shoot better than the NOE. I'm not sure why.

Lyman 311299____NOE 312299
Nose .3006________.3011
Bands .311________.312
OAL 1.182_________.1.174
Weight 191.4_______.195.1