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View Full Version : Which cast boolit for my SMLE?



rvpilot76
10-15-2005, 05:02 AM
I would like to stay somewhere in the 175 to 200 grain range. I slugged the bore the other day and the grooves are at .315 and the lands are at .303. I want to use wheelweight exclusively with this rifle. Thanks fellas. Much abliged.

Kevin

Bad Ass Wallace
10-15-2005, 07:34 AM
I use a locally produced 190gn bullet which casts .314. These shoot very well in both my SMLE ans 1896 Martini Enfield.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v152/BAWallace/303_cast.jpg

NVcurmudgeon
10-15-2005, 08:22 AM
Lyman 314299 (200 gr.) is very accurate in my No. 4 rifle. Start with 16.0 gr. Alliant 2400. I use Winchester LR Magnum primers and no fillers. My rifle slugs just under .314", castings are .314+, and my .314" Lyman sizing die is a bit oversize and does not really size at all. However it is very useful for lubing and seating GC. For a very mild plinking load try Lyman 311413 (173 gr. spitzer) with 9.0 gr. Green Dot. My 413 also casts oversize, which is a good thing when loading for a .303.

rvpilot76
10-15-2005, 07:53 PM
I was looking at the 314299, but I need to cast some really large diameter projectiles with wheelweight and I don't know if the 314299 will cast a .316 boolit(.001" over from my slugged measurement). Can anyone help me out with this?

Kevin

Frank46
10-16-2005, 02:58 AM
My lyman 314299 cast at .314 on the body and .303 on the bore riding part. The alloy is wheelweights with 2% tin. Just a suggestion but why don't you look at a mould for the .318 bore diameter 8mm mauser. That should be plenty big enough. Frank

Buckshot
10-16-2005, 07:17 AM
................When you get over .314" the commonly available moulds thin out to the point of being invisible:D. You can have a custom mould made, you can do as Frank46 suggested, but they too are not common. You can 'Beagle' a Lyman 314299 (see Castboolit Articles) to fatten it up. This was just the reason for having 3 custom Lee moulds run. A C316-220RF, C3120200RF, and a more recent C316-185F. May be time for another?

There is another option. I have a M1909 Argentine Cav Carbine with a hard to feed set of barrel dimensions. It slugged at .303x.314. I couldn't match both with a commonly available boolit. I took the Lyman 165gr 8mm mould 323470 which is a RN Loverin slug of 165grs and lube-sized it to .323".

Then I honed out a Lee .314" push through die to .315" and pushed the slug up through it. Piece of cake. Shoots very well. The Loverin design with the multiple narrow bands lends itself to this very well.

..............Buckshot

Bret4207
10-16-2005, 08:30 AM
You can always have Dan at Mountain Molds cut you a custom design, or one he knows to work.