Undersize boolit w/ GC ?

[DeadWoodDan]

I found 2 boxes of Oregon Trail .30 cal 165gr sized at .309 with GC that i had purchased oh so many yrs ago. These actually lead me to this site with questions. Never used any that i can remember.

Was thinking since there GC'd if i could get away with loading them at lower velocities for "plinking" loads under 50yds?

My Win.94 likes .310" sized boolits.

Thanks
DWD

[bhn22]

My advice is for you to simply try a few to see how it works in your particular application. As far as theory, and conjecture go, there are no absolutes.

[mdi]

May work. A .001" difference isn't very much, so go ahead and try. With normal loads the bullet base will prolly "bump up" a bit and a gascheck will more than likely eliminate leading...

[Dusty Bannister]

Sometimes, if you are close, you can cheat and "fatten" them up with a little tumble lube to slow down the hot gasses. And if you have some CFVentures soft gas checks, that will stop the gas cutting. Good luck. Dusty

[Larry Gibson]

The hard cast Oregon Trail (Laser Cast) rifle bullets generally do best when pushed to top end velocities in the 30-30. I've shot quite a few .309 sized ones in my own M94s and they shot very well over 28 gr H4895. That's what I'd load them at if I had them.

Larry Gibson

[MtGun44]

Hard and undersized in a bare butt is a recipe for leading and problems, unless you manage to whack them
with enough pressure to get them to expand to the bore. With GCs it should substantially help, probably
will eliminate leading, but I think Larry is right, get them loaded to high pressure and you'll have your best
chance for accuracy.

I have tried moderate loads in .44 Mag with commercial hard cast with GCs and usually get no leading but
no accy - like 18" at 25 yds. This is part of the reason I avoid hard and GCs in my pistol loads. Proper
sized soft alloy bare butt never has given me any problems in any mag pistol at any load level.

Bill

[zuke]

Try'em out and post the result's.
Or just sell'em.

[GabbyM]

I'd tumble lube them in Lee Liquid Alox then load and shoot.
Good time to use up some old powder you've laying around since you'll likely not duplicate the load in the future anyway.
I'd also go for loading them up for a kick to obturate. 5 to 10% under max.

[dtknowles]

You did not indicate what is you groove diameter? I shot 0.308" dia cast with gas checks in my M94 30-30 with good accuracy and no leading, it had a 0.308" barrel.

Since you have a couple hundred of these, I would not waste them on plinking loads, I would develop a full power load and I expect they will shoot well.

Tim