Looking For An Alternative To Buying Factory FMJ .308 Bullets/Projectiles

[Bonz]

I am looking for an alternative to buying Factory FMJ .308 Bullets/Projectiles for shooting "full power" loads in my FN SCAR

I watch for the sales and buy them at 0.18 to 0.20 per Factory bullet/projectile

I have never shot cast boolits in the SCAR. I would assume that the lube could damage the gas/piston system in this very expensive rifle

Thought about swaging them and did some research: Almost $1600 for a .308 swaging die set with the boat tail option along with copper jackets at 0.22 per jacket and about 0.05 per core of pure lead.

Difficult to believe but I can only see that Factory FMJ bullets/projectiles are the least expensive to load "full power" rounds for my FN SCAR

Am I missing something else to consider ?

[scattershot]

I can't cite a source at the moment, but I have seen several suppliers advertise pulled bullets from either military or commercial jacketed bullets. Try a Google search for pulled bullets and you may find what you're looking for.

good luck!

[popper]

I shoot full power cast 308W in my AR10, no problem, ESPC of course, ~$15/100, close as I can get to MOA. MInd is Di but those with PSA piston uppers don't seem to have a problem.

[StratsMan]

I'll wager that I don't have enough fingers and toes to count all the folks on this forum who regularly shoot cast through their. 308 autos.... FAL/M1A/Garand... all have found Pet Loads that cycle reliably... Check out the Military Rifle forum... Of course, if you just want to stay with jacketed, then you just gotta keep your eyes open to opportunities.... which sounds like what you're doing....

[Outpost75]

I shoot cast in my M1 Garand all the time with no issues.

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[dverna]

Bonz

If you decide to run cast bullets, it may be prudent to purchase 50 each of various designs to see how they work in your particular gun. Most members here will be glad to help you out. If you purchase naked bullets, 2500 would be a good lube to start with. There are a handful Powder Coating .308's so going to that forum may yield results.

On another forum, I have read that PC can leave deposits, but others here seem to run it fine.

[warf73]

Bonz

If you find a cast boolit you like and want to try out PC, send me 50 or how ever many you would like to try and I'll PC them. You send them to me naked I"ll pay to send them back with a pretty PC on them.

If you like the result head over to the coatings area and see how cheap it is to get PCing your own.

Robert

[mdi]

http://patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.aspx?category=Bullets http://rvow.com/server/index.php/projectiles Here's a couple suppliers for "pulls". Not "bench rest" quality, but inexpensive...

I shoot cast in my Garand with no abnormal wear or residue in the gas system...

[Bonz]

Thanks to everyone for all the replies.

[leadman]

I shoot Hi-Tek coated boolits thru my AR15 at 3,000 fps with no leading. Better accuracy is found around 2,700 fps. This is a 22 caliber but you can do the same for your 308.
I shoot cast thru my 30 caliber bolt guns and in my M-1 carbines. In the 30-06 I have obtained almost 2,700 fps with a 200gr boolit with no leading. Again better accuracy is found at slightly lower velocities. In my M-1 carbines The velocity is between 1,800 fps and 2,00 fps. No leading, no residue in the gas system and better accuracy than jacketed ammo.
I am going to run cast thru my M-1 Garand when I get the time.
It is actually easier to clean a gun shooting Hi-Tek coated boolits than the same gun shooting jacketed. I have no leading or copper fouling to try to remove from the bore.

[Bonz]

I shoot Hi-Tek coated boolits thru my AR15 at 3,000 fps with no leading. Better accuracy is found around 2,700 fps. This is a 22 caliber but you can do the same for your 308.
I shoot cast thru my 30 caliber bolt guns and in my M-1 carbines. In the 30-06 I have obtained almost 2,700 fps with a 200gr boolit with no leading. Again better accuracy is found at slightly lower velocities. In my M-1 carbines The velocity is between 1,800 fps and 2,00 fps. No leading, no residue in the gas system and better accuracy than jacketed ammo.
I am going to run cast thru my M-1 Garand when I get the time.
It is actually easier to clean a gun shooting Hi-Tek coated boolits than the same gun shooting jacketed. I have no leading or copper fouling to try to remove from the bore.

I have only shot 150gr FMJ-BT Mil-Spec bullets thru my SCAR so far (besides a bunch of similar factory rounds) and I get the most accuracy at about 2700fps. My buddy is going to bring me to a 200 yard range and I just have the feeling that 165gr - 175gr bullets are going to do the best at that distance.

I have never fired cast out of a rifle but I would assume for me to hit that 2700fps speed, the boolits will need to be made out of pure LINO with a gas check. I have never tried Hi-Tek but the thought of it requiring 2 coats doesn't make me real happy. Not real comfy trying PC bullets in my SCAR because of powder residue that I keep hearing about. I can buy bulk Hornady 150gr FMJ-BT bullets for less than 0.20 a piece but would love to come up with an alternative in case the factory bullets disappear just like they did a few years ago.

[wonderwolf]

Short of pulled Ball .308 bullets there isn't much on the "ready to load market" for cheap surplus, unless you went with grade III tracers.

A few years ago I went in on 12,000 pulled tracer tips with a friend. came out to about $.04 each. They do require hand sorting and they wont all light up...but for range trips and plinking sessions when there is little risk of fire we don't mind blasting with them. 6,000 tips will last me a good loooong while. The cast bullet in a combat rifle was one dilemma I considered when researching mine. I went PTR-91 route and don't worry about shooting cast....but my brass is another issue...

[gwpercle]

Lee $20.00 double cavity mould, cast of COWW , air cool and powder coated and you in Business !
Solves that supply problem ! Lee even sells a cheap sizer if you want them sized.

[Frank V]

Bonz

I've looked at the prices of FMJ & softpoint bullets & in the .308 & .223 there is so little difference in price I don't fool with FMJs
Casting could be a good alternative.

[Greg S]

I've ran 130 Barnes TSX, 145, 149 ball & 168 Amax through mine. Try a Hornady 168 Amax with 42, 42.2 and 42.5 IMR4895 is some good brass, sub MOA. Picked up alot of 145 ball from Widners before the change for between 10-19 cents ea. I'm using Hirtenburger Blanks that have had the tip cut off, emptied and neck sized. Primed case for .04 cents ea. Yes, it was cheap brass but alot of labor to prep 6.5k of blanks into loadable cases.

Still looking for an accurate load for the Barnes 130s. Want to use it for wolf, coyote and Sitka deer. If anyone have found the magic reciepe, hit me up.

If I see viable results shooting PC cast (WW only) I might look at moving from bullets to boolits for the SCAR.

[salfter]

I can't cite a source at the moment, but I have seen several suppliers advertise pulled bullets from either military or commercial jacketed bullets.

That's what I've been using so far to load for my Garand. Gun shows around here usually have them at $10 for 50 or $90 for 500...that's as low as 18¢ each. That said, I'd like to try casting for it at some point...just got started last month casting .44s (Magnum and Special) and am leaning toward targeting .40 S&W next (would also need reloading dies and possibly a replacement barrel for my Glock).

[wonderwolf]

If you go the lee route I would recommend the 150gr flat nose. It is the most versatile bullet mold I think they offer for the .30 cal. The flat nose makes it a good lever action bullet and the design has worked well in my semi's and bolt actions.

Cleaning up a gas system after shooting cast as is the initial concern of the OP is not something I worry about as the PTR does not use a gas system.