Lee 312-185

[Greg_R]

Looking for a decent multi purpose mold that will work in both my T-53 and my N.E.F. 30/30 single shot. Thinking about the Lee 312-185.

Any thoughts?

[Duckdog]

I think you'd have better luck with LEE 150 or 170 GR FNGC in the 30/30. They shoot excellent in everything I've shot them in. The 185 gr would probably work OK too. Is the T53 a 30/30?

[Greg_R]

I think you'd have better luck with LEE 150 or 170 GR FNGC in the 30/30. They shoot excellent in everything I've shot them in. The 185 gr would probably work OK too. Is the T53 a 30/30?
T53 is 7.62x54R. I was hoping to use the .314 sized for the T53 and the 309 for the 30-30. Figure I will have to use the .311 as an intermediate step?

[flint45]

Iuse that boolit in my Enfields,Mauser in 7.65x 53 , .30-40Krag and .30 -06 1903a3 works fine give it a try oh yea in a 30-30 Contender.

[nagantguy]

The lee 312-185 is my go mold for all nagants, my 53's eat them up and ask for more. I never used it in a 30-30 but I size to 311 after pcing so I don't see why not, I've thought about using it in my 300blackout when I build it, I use it so much I have 2 of them, and buy happenstance one throws a little fat 313ish, one a little thin with the same alloy so I have them coded so depending on which of my girls I'm casting for I know if she likes em fat of thin 311-314 is the range my nagants slug at . My current best 30 cal boolits is the lee 170 with the flat nose after pc and a gas check it's tipping the scale at 181 grains with my house alloy. So the 312 properly sized could be used in 30-30

[Greg_R]

I'll probably try them in my blackout too. My blackout likes the Lee 312-155 run through the .311 sizer. The 30/30 likes them too, but at .309. The T53 likes them as cast. I just want a little heavier boolit for the 30/30 and 7.62x54R. Trying to kill 2 birds with one stone.

[Mk42gunner]

My Lee 312-185 drops about .3125-ish with ACWW. It is pretty much my go to boolit for all of my .30-.31 cal rifles. I install the gascheck and lube in a .313 die then size down with a Lee push through, if necessary. So far I haven't needed to go any smaller than .311".

My H&R .30-30 is from the late seventies and the .311" works fine with it, or it did a few years ago.

Robert

[minmax]

I was thinking at some point to try in the 300blk out too. It will be awhile of course.

[GhostHawk]

Lee .312 185 is my go to boolit for all 30 cal.

Beagled to .314 for the Mosin's, at .312 for my Yugo SKS, she likes them big and long. Sized down to .309 or .310 for my 7.62x39 Handi rifle ( tight .308 barrel) and the same for my .300BO.

I will advise that if you are going large for caliber (7.62 or 30-30) you might want to do what I did, drop the powder charge to lower the speed a third. With that extra weight it will still hit hard.

In my case I dropped from 26 grains of IMR 4895 down to 20.
i don't have a chrony but I'm guessing that puts it down in 1650-1700 fps area.
Big boolit, moving a little slower, good for brush, shoots fine to 100- 150 but not what I would consider a long range gun. Bit of a rainbow but that just means the shooter has to learn where it shoots at a given range.

Your mileage may vary.

[Greg_R]

Lee .312 185 is my go to boolit for all 30 cal.

Beagled to .314 for the Mosin's, at .312 for my Yugo SKS, she likes them big and long. Sized down to .309 or .310 for my 7.62x39 Handi rifle ( tight .308 barrel) and the same for my .300BO.

I will advise that if you are going large for caliber (7.62 or 30-30) you might want to do what I did, drop the powder charge to lower the speed a third. With that extra weight it will still hit hard.

In my case I dropped from 26 grains of IMR 4895 down to 20.
i don't have a chrony but I'm guessing that puts it down in 1650-1700 fps area.
Big boolit, moving a little slower, good for brush, shoots fine to 100- 150 but not what I would consider a long range gun. Bit of a rainbow but that just means the shooter has to learn where it shoots at a given range.

Your mileage may vary.
I'm jealous, you have a 7.62x39 Handi!