RCBS 165 Sil sizer

[farmer66]

Just getting into casting boolits for my 30-06's, a Rem 700,about 1982 vintage, and 1903 with a new 2-groove barrel. I cast several using 50/50 wheel weight/pure lead and water quenched. They were beautiful and rounder than my other cast boolits. On a sample of 5, the noses measured between 0.3004 and 0.3008 inches in diameter. The driving bands measured between 0.3083 and 0.3088 inches in diameter. After one month I could not see any diameter increase. Most of the postings suggest a 0.310 or 0.311 sizer as best for a 30-06, but I assume I go with a 0.309 sizer and hope for the best?

Is the driving band diameter correct for this mold? Any comments on expected the accuracy will be appreciated.

Ken

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Your bullet should do well in your 03-A3 as 2 groove barrels like long bore riders. Col. Harrison in his investigation and writings on 30 cal in the NRA Handloading Book, mentioned that bore diameter should be .309-.310 and the nose section should be at least .301-.302. You can play around with the alloy using more or less tin when using WW metal and see what that changes in terms of dimensions. I use straight WW with 1-2% tin, no quenching or baking and get good groups from my A3's and 1917's. The bullet I use is Lyman 311334. It casts with the bands at .311 so I have been sizing to .310. LLS

[fatnhappy]

Without knowing any of the specific dimensions of your .30-06s not withstanding: those boolits are a proven design but pretty small.

The general advice being, fit is king. Fitting as large a boolit into your throat as it will allow tends to give excellent results. By way of example, I load for 4 different 06s. The loosest of the 4 is my garand, with a well worn but seemingly smooth throat. My 314299 fits it very nicely even though the nose is .302" and I size .312" You wouldn't think a bore riding design would do well in the 4 groove garand. The targets prove otherwise and I'd like to attribute that to a well fitted concentric start. All 3 of my other 06s get boolits sized to .311 without regard to design because they happen to fit snuggly. My winchester does equally well with the 311290, 311291, 311041 and 311284. My 4 groove springfield has a decided preference for the 311290.

I guess what I'm saying is try it and see. At this point you might as well size .309 since it can't hurt anything. If you experience leading or accuracy isn't up to your expectations I suggest your first recourse to educate yourself on beagling. Mould lapping might get you .311. Changing alloys can get you at least a thou.

There's plenty of information on the board.

[BrassFinger]

I just cast my first batch of about 200 boolits with a new 165-SIL mold yesterday. Alloy was unknown, but believed to be vaguely similar to one of the old Lyman "recipes". Driving bands measured about .310 and the nose .301 to .3015. Roundness was +/- .0005. I had very few rejects - the mold really runs nice.

Today, I received my order of White Label "BAC" lube and ran some through a .309 die in my old 450 lubesizer. It was just enough to "take a little off the top" of the drive bands, seat the copper Gator Checks and lube the groove. The nose and band dimensions match up to a batch of 311041 boolits I obtained with a large assortment of reloading supplies from my uncle. Those 311041's shoot a 1" group at 50 yds. out of my '71 Ruger 77 ahead of 16gr. of 2400. I anticipate the 165-SIL to do as well or better!

Chris

[RickinTN]

I have that mold and love it. My 30-06's do too. Mine drops it's bullets at just under .310" in the body and .3015" on the bore ride section. This is with an alloy which approximates clip on wheel weights. I size to .309" as the throats in my rifles are just a touch under .310". Your bullets may work well in your rifle. If you find the need for a larger body you may be able to get there by leaving the 50% pure out of your alloy.
Hope it works well for you.
Rick

[cbrick]

Agreed, drop the pure and use the WW and also add 2% tin.

Rick

[bobthenailer]

Rcbs rifle & silhouette moulds are set up to throw the correct weight & diameter with linotype alloy !
However you can use a softer alloy if your mould will cast them large enough to size to your desired diameter ..