Cast bullets for highpower silhouette

[Nobade]

Since those nasty copper covered bullets are getting so expensive, I have been on a quest to find a good cast bullet load for highpower silhouette. Today I think I had some good success. The RCBS 165 SIL, cast hot and water quenched, over a case full of AA3100 worked great in the 308. I was getting groups of about 10 inches at the rams (500M) off the bench with the wind switching all over, and shot an 18 for score, about average for me. I think I'll use this load for a while and see what happens, maybe even chronograph it if I really get ambitious. Anybody else out there like to play this game with cast bullets? Got any good recipies?

[Nueces]

Sounds to me like your recipes are pretty good. I've got a GB mould in this design on the way, for use with the 300 Savage and 30-06. I'm interested in how you do with it.

Mark

[GrizzLeeBear]

There is a range in this area that shoots rifle silhouettes and I have shot them a few times. Haven't shot them for a couple years (busy with IHMSA handgun silhouettes) but I used to shoot a 308 also, but it was before I started casting. Always though the 308 with cast boolits would be fun for them. How were the 165 grainers for knockdown on the rams? For cast I figured 150 - 170 grains would work well out to turkeys, but that you would have to go to 180 - 200 grain bullets for the rams or you would ring too many.

[Larry Gibson]

Any idea what the velocity is? The twist of your .308 barrel? Some years back I had some success on sihouettes with 311299 out of a 12" twist M70 Target that had the barrel cut two 22" and put in a sporter stock to make weight. It wasn't my rifle and I was just playing around but it worked fine in Rams. If I recall correctly the velocity was around 2100 fps. Don't remember the powder but it may have been a case full of old 4831.

Larry Gibson

[shooter93]

It would require a custom mold but the LBT bullets from Veral knock em right down.

[Nobade]

Rams at every range are different, but I didn't ring a single one yesterday. Even with belly or leg hits, they all went down. I would guess the velocity is between 2100 and 2200, judging from the Accurate loading manual. AA3100 is about the same as 4831, so should have similar effect. I tried 7383 as well, and while it worked the 3100 was a little more accurate. The twist rate is 1:12, it's a factory Remington takeoff barrel that I set back 3/8 inch and rechambered with my Kiff match reamer. Screwed into a long M700 action in a Bell & Carlson Weatherby style stock, with a Weaver T10 scope it makes a nice hunter class rifle without getting too expensive.

[Trailblazer]

I have played with cast bullets a bit on the silhouette range. Years ago I tried the 180 Lee in the 30-06 and it worked fine on everything except rams. I never chronoed it but velocity was supposed to be 1800 FPS per the book. More recently I have played with the Saeco 301 in a 30-30 with better results on rams. IIRC these drop at 195 grains and I was pushing them at about 1900 FPS.

[Larry Gibson]

That's a good load; you're running them between 126 and 132,000 RPM with about as slow a time pressure curve as you'll get. Should be deadly on steel.

Larry Gibson

[Steelshooter]

Nobade
Shot high power sillywet with the rcbs 200 sil. in both the 308 and the 30-06 cast with linotype and water dropped, was a pain to size but both shot a heck of alot better than I could hold. I used imr 4895 for the 308 and reloader 7 for the 06.
Good luck
Chuck

[lastmanout]

I got to try out cast bullets on the steel animals this year (for the first time). One rifle is a Tikka T3 in 308W ( one in ten twist)and the second a Howa in 308W (one in 12 twist). I have an old NEI 200 grain mold similar to the RCBS 200-SIL pushed with IMR 4064 to about 2200fps. It was nicely accurate and took the Rams with less felt recoil that my j-loads. Impressive. I think the 200 grainer is the way to go. Bullet weight really helps tumble the steel, more so than velocity (velocity does help trajectory and wind drift). The longer boolit has a hair higher ballistic coefficent. All things are a trade off. Good luck and good shooting.

[Larry Gibson]

I got to try out cast bullets on the steel animals this year (for the first time). One rifle is a Tikka T3 in 308W ( one in ten twist)and the second a Howa in 308W (one in 12 twist). I have an old NEI 200 grain mold similar to the RCBS 200-SIL pushed with IMR 4064 to about 2200fps. It was nicely accurate and took the Rams with less felt recoil that my j-loads. Impressive. I think the 200 grainer is the way to go. Bullet weight really helps tumble the steel, more so than velocity (velocity does help trajectory and wind drift). The longer boolit has a hair higher ballistic coefficent. All things are a trade off. Good luck and good shooting.

Which shot more accurately with that bullet at 2200 fps, the Tikka or the Howa?

Larry Gibson

[lastmanout]

Which shot more accurately with that bullet at 2200 fps, the Tikka or the Howa?

Larry Gibson

The Tikka has a beautiful trigger and the barrel is beautiful also (made at Sako factory), The Howa has a just ok trigger but a tighter bore. Off the bench at longer range the Howa is a little better, but from a standing position the Tikka IS the Rifle. I like the tikka better than a stock Remington 700. I may sell off all my Remington's for a few Tikka's

[Larry Gibson]

lastmanout

Something to be said for the "shootability" of a rifle.

Larry Gibson

[Nelsdou44]

Nobade,

I got a chance today to run some 3100 behind water quenched WW 155 grain boolits in a 12 twist 7.62 barrel. 3100 left a lot of residue in the barrel, but accuracy and velocity was impressive!

Like others have suggested a heavier boolit for steel, but I'm wondering if a heavier boolit might assist in a bit cleaner burn. Gotta play with this powder some more!:-D

Nels

[w30wcf]

I have also found that the 165 RCBS works great on silhouettes as does the 160 LBT in my 788 .30-30's out to the Turkeys. The 180 RCBS is a great one as well.
The newer 311672 bullet looks like it could also be a good one.

Rams at the Ridgway Rifle Club in Ridgway, PA need a heavier cast bullet for reliable knockdown. The 311299 is a go to bullet for that job. Bullets from my mold in HTWW weigh 208 grs. A healthy charge of 748 in the .30-30 788 gets them started at 2,200f.p.s. :-D

w30wcf

[Marlin Junky]

I don't know if the accuracy will hold out to 500m but RCBS 30-180FN (191+ grains bare in 13 to 14 BHN metal) from a 24" 30-30 will shoot 1.5-2.0 MOA all the way out to the Rams on the Lever Action Silhouette course and the power is decisive. Hits in the foot area will put the rams in the dirt every time. I start them out with a near capacity load of H-380 and they leave the 24" barrel at 2100 fps. They are pretty blunt (I think the BC is .255) so 500m may be outside they're effective range.

MJ

[w30wcf]

MJ,
I have shot the 180 RCBS FN at 500M and they do maintain their accuracy quite well. The problem is that at the range I shoot on (below), the rams require a heavier, higher b.c. bullet for more reliable knock down.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o25/w30wcf/RidgwayJune2007.jpg

w30wcf

[Steelshooter]

John
Are you going to hold the cast bullit matches at ridgeway this year. If so could you please post the date.
Thanks
Chuck

[w30wcf]

Chuck,
The dates are June 21 & 22 with a warm up on the 20th.

Haven't seen you for awhile. I must have the incorrect address for you since a Match Bulletin I mailed several years ago came back to me.

Please email me w30wcf@adelphia.net your current address so I can update the mailing list.

Hope to see you in June.


Thank you,
w30wcf

[Steelshooter]

John
PM sent.
Chuck