Best bet for a plain-base 311466 mold?

[PBSmith]

I'd consider picking up a GC 311466 type and reaming the GC shank but hope someone can recommend something easier. Was there a group buy on such a mold, with options on PB/GC?

If not, what would be the favorite among readers here for a custom mold of this design?
Thanks.

[wmitty]

This Loverin design seems to work well with the gas check. I'm curious as to why you would want to ream the shank to create a plainbase? It looks like N.O.E. has a four cavity plainbase in stock. I bought their 311407 modified with one cavity gc and one plainbase and like the mould/ design, but it's considerably heavier than the 311466.

[Ben]

Tom at Accurate Molds will cut you a nice plain base .30

He did for me :

http://www.artfulbullet.com/index.php?threads/at-the-range-today-h-r-30-30.1716/

[PBSmith]

This Loverin design seems to work well with the gas check. I'm curious as to why you would want to ream the shank to create a plainbase? It looks like N.O.E. has a four cavity plainbase in stock. I bought their 311407 modified with one cavity gc and one plainbase and like the mould/ design, but it's considerably heavier than the 311466.

Reason for wanting a plain base is that I shoot at low velocity and don't feel that I need a gascheck bullet. Glad you asked, however. I should have mentioned in my first post that I have been getting excellent results with the 311466 with a GC in my .30-30. Assuming I get a good flat base on a PB bullet of the same design,alloy, size, lube, etc., is their any reason why it should NOT shoot just as well as the checked bullet?


BTW, the point on the 311466 is not an issue - it takes me seconds to flatten its nose with a simple jig I made for use in a drill press vise.

[PBSmith]

Tom at Accurate Molds will cut you a nice plain base .30

He did for me :

http://www.artfulbullet.com/index.php?threads/at-the-range-today-h-r-30-30.1716/

Thanks Ben. That's great shooting. I'd consider ordering the Accurate mold if I had good reason to believe the heavier bullet would shoot as well as the 311466 does in my rifle.

[fecmech]

Two bullets that shoot sub 2 moa accuracy at low velocity in my 30-30 are the Lee312 1552R with no check and the Lyman 311410 130 gr PB carbine bullet. Running 1200 fps and less with Bullseye they work great. I can run them a bit faster(to 1500 fps) with loads of 2400 and AA9.

[wmitty]

Have you tried the 311466 without the gc? If your velocity is low, you might be surprised to find you don't need to modify the mould to obtain the accuracy you want.
If you can shoot it as cast and tumble lube it with BLL, it would make an easy load to assemble. As to your question, if the base is flat and it fits the throat; it ought to shoot.

[PBSmith]

Two bullets that shoot sub 2 moa accuracy at low velocity in my 30-30 are the Lee312 1552R with no check and the Lyman 311410 130 gr PB carbine bullet. Running 1200 fps and less with Bullseye they work great. I can run them a bit faster(to 1500 fps) with loads of 2400 and AA9.

Thanks, fecmech. I believe I might have a few of those Lee 312's in the cupboard. Will give them a shot, though I've rarely had any luck with checkless GC bullets, at least not in 30 cal, not even at low velocities.

What is your rifle?

I didn't mention that mine is a Western Field/Montgomery Ward/Mossberg lever. Part of my challenge rests in an oversize bore, thus the quest for a tapered bullet.

[PBSmith]

Have you tried the 311466 without the gc? If your velocity is low, you might be surprised to find you don't need to modify the mould to obtain the accuracy you want.
If you can shoot it as cast and tumble lube it with BLL, it would make an easy load to assemble. As to your question, if the base is flat and it fits the throat; it ought to shoot.

Without GC: will give it another go. However, as I said to fecmech, I've never had much luck shooting checkless GC bullets. The checked 311466's that shot well were unsized, lubed with diluted LLA.

[Ben]

Thanks Ben. That's great shooting. I'd consider ordering the Accurate mold if I had good reason to believe the heavier bullet would shoot as well as the 311466 does in my rifle.


I do want to say that I've never fired this bullet out of a 30-30, 30-06, or 308 Win. in which I didn't receive great performance out of this particular bullet design.

Keep in mine, that you must stay below 1,400 fps with my particular alloy. A lot of my shooting is in the 1,100 fps range.

[runfiverun]

accurate will cut it with a small meplat.
he only does flat points.

[PBSmith]

I do want to say that I've never fired this bullet out of a 30-30, 30-06, or 308 Win. in which I didn't receive great performance out of this particular bullet design.

Keep in mine, that you must stay below 1,400 fps with my particular alloy. A lot of my shooting is in the 1,100 fps range.

Thanks for that addition. Have you shot it in any lever .30-30 carbines?

I'm casting wheel weights - sometimes sewer pipe with small tin %age - and charging with 6-8 grains IMR 700-X or Red Dot, so I'd guess I'm well below the 1,400 mark. Does that sound about in the same range where you're operating?

[Ben]

Yes, the beauty is you can have a ball at the range at the velocities that you're suggesting with what I call " Scrap Alloy ".

Works great.

Ben

[fecmech]

What is your rifle?


Savage 340 with 2X weaver scope.

[popper]

Lots of moulds will work without the GC < 1200 fps. Even the RD style with a 4895 'youth' load does the job. Fit and alloy matter. Bottom is 170gr PB, ~1300 fps, upper is RD with GC. Not as good a shot as Ben but they work. Out of a 336.
188449

[PBSmith]

Lots of moulds will work without the GC < 1200 fps. Even the RD style with a 4895 'youth' load does the job. Fit and alloy matter.

Maybe I need to work more on this. Practically everything I shoot anymore is "youth load," or "OF load," if you will. The only success I ever got with checkless GC bullets - and that was just two 3-shot groups, hardly a good test - was with the Lasercast version of the 31141. I thought for sure that was going to be the bullet I would settle on for my Western Field .30-30. However, subsequent groups were patterns and not groups, gas checked or not.

[Ben]

I'm not 2nd guessing anyone with this statement.

" I've never been able to shoot any caliber cast bullet ( with decent accuracy ) that was designed for a g/c and me leaving the g/c off the base of the bullet prior to loading "

Some may be able to do it ? ?

I've been shooting cast rifle bullets since 1967 and I've never been able to have any success with that technique.

Ben

[Kraschenbirn]

After trying, maybe, a half-dozen boolit designs, the 311466 (w/GC) is the only boolit I load for my Savage 340. Never got around to running it through the chrono but over 15.5 gr. 2400, it's a great 100-yd can-killer...not to mention removing a few ground squirrels from our club's 50 and 100-yd berms

Bill