Load data for 230gr cast in a 308

[Tackleberry41]

Did some googling, but not much luck. Bought a new NOE 230gr BO mold. Stability might be an issue out of a standard 1-10 twist. But was wondering about using these at full power in a 308. Lyman book only goes to 200gr.

[Outpost75]

Standard twist for .308 is 1:12", are you SURE yours is 1:10"?

[Tackleberry41]

Dealing w 2 rifles, not sure on my CETME, my friend has a Rem 700. Guess the Ruskies were thinking ahead a little using 1-9.5. 308 data isn't much different than for a mosin.

[oldblinddog]

Remington 700's are 10 twist except for​ the varmint which is 12 twist.

[jcren]

I run the lee 230 through a 30-06 with 35 g of imr4895 for a nice General load. 75 yard poi is 1" below full load 100 yard and around 1-1.5 moa.

[Tackleberry41]

I was going to try to talk my friend into trying these 230s in his 2 rifles, but hes a bit close minded about such things. One is a blackout, the perfect use for these heavy bullets. Funny hes opposed to my cast bullets, but will run reloads from somebody else that tend to blow up.

I am considering a fast twist build, chamber it in 308, so it could be used subsonic and full power, more velocity than something like the 300AAC. Not sure how they will do in my mosin, going to lathe off the gas check section on the back for a shorter plain base, around 220gr, see how those do to.

I was figuring 4198 could be used as it seems to work with cast so well, for full power loads anyways. Subsonic I would stick with pistol powders, not concerned about cycling an action. But no idea on load data as lyman doesn't go past 200gr in anything 30cal. But they do have data for the 338 federal, which is a 308 necked up, and data for 220gr cast.

[oldblinddog]

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook does have data for several boolits that are heavier than 200 gr. When you are at the starting load for a particular powder it doesn't much matter which mold the boolit fell out of. If you are loading the 230 gr (and I wouldn't go to the trouble of altering them btw) and you have data for a 218 gr, just use the starting load and work up carefully. For a subsonic load I would use 4.0 gr of Bullseye and adjust up or down as needed.

I have a good IMR 4198 load for the NOE 311-218-RN (Lyman 311331) that shoots very well in my Rem 700 .30-06, so I expect you would have good results.

[Tackleberry41]

Had a chance to shoot some of them today, hard to use the chrony in the rain. Went a bit safe, the max charge of 4198 in the 338 federal, which was closer to the bullet weight. The 338 was for 220gr. 30.5gr of 4198 was max in 338 fed, I went with 30gr. Lyman book said 30.5 would get 2089fps. I got 1785avg with 3 shots. Im running a shorter barrel than Lyman, also considerably longer OAL. I pushed the bullets out to the rifling, which in my mosin is 3.17in. Going to imagine that will drop the pressure a little. Have some 2400 and R7, both in the manual, see how they do.

[Harter66]

Remember too that the 338 has a bigger hole to vent the pressures into than a 308 .

I had a fast twist 06'. 150 jackets would put 5 touching at 2650 fps and 4"@2700 buy 2750 the load was off a pie pan . I think it was rifled with a 7mm twist at1- 8.5. It was fed from 12 boxes of factory ammo and not 1 grouped . The rifle was also very touchy about cases . They had to be weigh lotted to 3gr to keep groups . I can't blame it exclusively on the twist but I know that it didn't help.

[Moonie]

I've used the 245/247 gr in my Savage 30-06 and it shoots quite well with 35gr h4895 at 1,950fps but it is a 1-10" twist barrel.

[303Guy]

, going to lathe off the gas check section on the back for a shorter plain base, around 220gr, see how those do to.



Just a suggestion, since you are going to lathe cut your mold shorter, consider cutting it just short of the G/C shank and giving it a chamfer so that the trailing edge is not formed by the mold face. The idea being that the the trailing edge would be guaranteed defect free (it is thought that trailing edge defects are a major cause of accuracy issues). Give it a small rebate so as not to have a sharp mold edge to get damaged.

[Tackleberry41]

I wasn't going to mod my brand new $70 mold. But just stick the bullet in the lathe and take off the shank. I tried them as is without gas check, and shot the same as ones with gas checks. I was more concerned about length and weight in that twist of barrel. I go thru and check each bullet, if its not perfect goes back in the pot, so not like I m shooting ones with the back edge dented or otherwise messed up. My 198gr mold is plain based. I clean them up with a chamfer tool from NOE and make sure their straight with a file. But those 230gr shot fine out of the mosin. Not so great at full power tho, would have to try messing with the charge to find a spot they shoot straight. The groups subsonic were dime size at 50yds, but opened up to several inches at full power.

I tried 4198 and R7. Went with 32gr of 4198 for some. That got me 1816-1822Fps an ES of only 6.2, but not very good groups. They were PC, sized to .311, used my new .312 exp from NOE. May need to be sized a little bigger for the mosin, would have to open up my .311 sizer as their not quite .314 out of the mold. Would love to compare them to my 198gr from NOE but their plain base. R7 gave a little more velocity, 34gr got 1877-1899fps, ES of 22.6, groups were no better. So will try backing off a little to see if accuracy is any better. Also have 2400 can try maybe get better results.