mold help... need suggestions on 30 cal

[hickfu]

I am finally teaching my nephew how to cast but he doesnt have a rifle for any of the molds I have. He has a 308 and a 30.06 and since I have a 300 Savage I figured I would get something that all could use. I figure that the savage can use the same as the 308 but maybe want a little heavier for the .06?

All I have been casting are wide flat nose for 45-70, 35 rem, 44mag, 45acp so I figure I want to cast for a faster rifle with pointy boolits (powder coated of course) Hopefully someone can point me to a good mold or molds for these calibers.

If things go good then maybe I will want to cast for my 6.5x57, 7mm mag as well.

EDIT: oh, I really like NOE and Accurate molds so those would be top picks if someone has tested them out..

[Wolfer]

My first 30 cal mold was a Lyman 311041 that weighs 177 gr. I never saw a reason to change. I shoot it in 30-30,30-40 Krag and 3 different 30-06s

If I was doing it over I would buy the NOE version. My Lyman drops at .309 and while it works great in my rifles I suspect it's too small for some.

I believe the NOE will drop bigger allowing one to size as needed.

[wmitty]

Lyman 311466

[bearcove]

The NOE 311 175 is I think a copy of the Saeco315 I have a NOE mold I just got, and it casts nice. Easiest of my rifle molds. Ben a member here has posts with that bullet that show what it will do. I bought that mold cause it shoots well. I have not shot it yet, but it seems a good design.

[Lonegun1894]

Will this be a hunting bullet, or just a paper puncher? If hunting, I would go with something with a flat, or at least a round nose, instead of a spitzer design. Lots of good options out there. Currently, I'm trying to figure out if my guns prefer the Lyman 311041 or the RCBS .30-180-FN.

[leadhead 500]

Saeco 315 or the Rcbs 180 sp is a outstanding bullet and is very accurate. I shoot both in 2 different 308s and both will shoot under 1inch at 100 yards with Varget powder

[hickfu]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, yes this will be a hunting boolit but will punch paper now and then.
Anyone shoot any of the suggested boolits in a Savage 99 300 Savage? The only data I can find for a 300 savage is for 150gr boolits, nothing in 170 to 180 grain range.

[Lonegun1894]

Lyman #3 (pages 182-183) has loads listed for 169gr and 178gr boolits in .300 Savage.

"169gr:
Red Dot 7.5-10.5grs for 1185-1460fps
700X 8.0-10.0grs for 1245-1420fps
Green Dot 8.0-11.0grs for 1205-1485fps
PB 9.0-11.0grs for 1250-1410fps
Unique 8.5-13.0grs for 1235-1625fps
SR-7625 9.0-11.0grs for 1240-1415fps
SR-4756 10.0-12.5grs for 1310-1520fps
**630 18.0-*20.8grs for 1815-2044fps
**SR-4759 20.0-22.5grs for 1888-2047fps
**RX7 22.3-32.4grs for 1812-2339fps
**IMR-3031 26.7-35.0grs for 1823-2388fps
**748 29.4-41.4grs for 1817-2456fps

178gr:
Red Dot 7.5-10.5grs for 1185-1425fps
700X 8.0-10.0grs for 1230-1400fps
Green Dot 8.0-11.0grs for 1210-1470fps
PB 8.5-10.5grs for 1205-1370fps
Unique 8.5-13.0grs for 1240-1600fps
SR-7625 8.5-10.5grs for 1195-1360fps
SR-4756 10.0-12.0grs for 1290-1450fps
**630 16.8-21.3grs for 1699-2018fps
**SR-4759 18.0-20.8grs for 1685-1920fps
**RX7 26.0-32.0grs for 1746-2198fps
**IMR-3031 26.0-30.0grs for 1689-2103fps
**748 28.0-*36.0grs for 1737-2113fps

* designates potentially most accurate load
** designates use of Remington cases"

[Lonegun1894]

I tried putting in spaces twice, and it still keeps running everything together, so I hope the above is legible.

[Shiloh]

My first 30 cal mold was a Lyman 311041 that weighs 177 gr. I never saw a reason to change. I shoot it in 30-30,30-40 Krag and 3 different 30-06s

If I was doing it over I would buy the NOE version. My Lyman drops at .309 and while it works great in my rifles I suspect it's too small for some.

I believe the NOE will drop bigger allowing one to size as needed.

Mine is about .3095 IIRC. I shoot a .3125 boolit.

Shiloh

[mto7464]

If he is just starting out get him an inexpensive Lee mold, the 180 should do fine. Then if he stays in it he can move up to some better molds.

[Mk42gunner]

My first .30(ish) caliber rifle mold was the Lee 312185.

I have used it successfully in both the .308 and .30-06, no reason I can see that it won't work in the .300 Savage. I size to .311" and lube with FWFL.

I do not know how it would work with powder coating, or for hunting.

Robert