Any love for the 311291?

[Bazoo]

I see a lot of love for the 31141 in 30-30, with good reason im sure. (I've not yet tried it). But I dont see any mention of the 311291 round nose. How would the round nose do on game compared to the flat nose?

Anyone use the 311291?

~Bazoo

[Thumbcocker]

If the nose is .300 or bigger it is a fantastic boolit in most .30 cal rifles.

[Shuz]

My understanding is that the 311291 was designed for the .30-30.
To answer your question about use on game,I'd venture that the round nose will plow on thru without expanding much if any, on game. That has been my experience with round nosed boolits like the 358009 outta my .35 Whelen. It is for expansion reasons with the 311291, that I had one cavity hollow pointed. I have yet to see how it performs because I keep using my NOE 311-165FN, because I have it in a 5 cavity mould! Once I got used to 5 and 6 cavity moulds, I find it hard to go back to single cavity or even 2 cavity moulds.

[rintinglen]

The 311-291 is a great boolit for target shooting, but not so good on game. I have shot hundreds, maybe thousands of them, from 30-30, 30-40, and 30-06 rifles with good to great accuracy, but only at targets, never at game. The RCBS 30-180 FN gets my nod for that.

[Char-Gar]

311291 was one of the original Ideal designs by "Mr. Barlow". It has stood the test of time in both accuracy and effectiveness in the hunting field. Being in production for over 110 years, mold vary considerably in their dimensions. At the present time, I have about 6 molds of this number. The design have proven to be consistently accurate when fitted to a particular rifle.

Much of what you read and here about cast bullets in the field is theory and not fact. Unless hollow pointed or cast of very brittle alloy, cast bullets don't expand, shatter, or blow up on game animals. Their ability to kill cleanly is entirely based on precise shot placement. A blunt round nose bullet will kill just as well as a similar bullet with a flat meplat. A poorly place bullet of each type will not be effective in producing a clean kill.

The big issue with either 311291 or 31141 is when crimped in the crimp groove, the round won't chamber is many 30-30 leverguns due to little or no throat in in the chamber. When used in such leverguns with proper throats, both prove effective in the range and in the field.

[guicksylver]

Check this out ...http://www.artfulbullet.com/index.php?threads/ok-so-maybe-the-311291-aint-so-bad.2509/

[Larry Gibson]

I also am fond of the 311291 and have had several moulds over the years, single and double cavity. I have used it in the 30-30 on several deer with very good success. I used a softer alloy and did HP the bullets with a 1/8" Forster HP tool. As Char-Gar mentions chambering in most lever action 30-30s can be a problem because of minimal throats. However, I solved that by adjusting the "trim to" length of the cases. I only prefer the the 311041 because my mould is already a HP mould so I don't need to do the extra HPing. Cast of the same alloy with the same load I've not noticed any difference in terminal effect on deer between the 2 bullets. I go for a heart shot btw and "lung" shoot them only incidental to getting the bullet into the heart. Either bullet works for me.

However, where I really like the 311291 and the C314291 (GB mould for .31 cals) is in .30/.31 cal bolt action rifles. The round nose feeds much more reliably from the magazine, especially a full magazine, than any cast bullet with a meplat. This is especially the case with milsurp rifles.

Larry Gibson

[jimb16]

I shoot the 311291 in .30-06, .30-30 and 300 B.O. One of my all time favorites. Excellent accuracy in all 3. The only problem I've run into with it is that since the nose is a bore-rider, you need to size the nose if you PC it.

[Bazoo]

This greatly concerns me. I have a lee 309-150-F, and if it is fine in the crimp groove. A member sent it to me, with a handful of powder coated bullets cast from it. The powder coated bullets would not chamber when seated in the crimp groove. I do want a 311041, Wondering now if im going to have problems with it?





The big issue with either 311291 or 31141 is when crimped in the crimp groove, the round won't chamber is many 30-30 leverguns due to little or no throat in in the chamber. When used in such leverguns with proper throats, both prove effective in the range and in the field.

[Bazoo]

If I was going to get a lyman or ideal mould in either the 311291 or 311041, how best should I stave off any undersized moulds? Should I find an old vintage one, or buy a new one, or just go NOE? NOE is cheaper than a new lyman. I like vintage stuff though.

[fatelvis]

If I was going to get a lyman or ideal mould in either the 311291 or 311041, how best should I stave off any undersized moulds? Should I find an old vintage one, or buy a new one, or just go NOE? NOE is cheaper than a new lyman. I like vintage stuff though.
Buying a NOE is a surefire bet. No rolling the dice here....It WILL have the correct dimensions.
(This ad was not a paid advertisement for Al and his crew...) Lol

[guicksylver]

+1. Above...or if you want to tweak the numbers to suit your needs ..Tom at Accurate will take care of you.

[jimb16]

Noe....

[Thumbcocker]

IIRC some 311291 molds are marked U311291 to show a smaller nose. I think these were for rifles with tight throats.

[Shiloh]

Works very well in many rifles. I borrowed that mold las week and cast up 150 to try. I'll report back.

Shiloh

[higgins]

I have a 311291 that drops a .310 bullet and another unmodified one that drops .314 (both single cavity molds). I'm set for 30 cals and fat 30s with the same style bullet. I have loaded 311291 with very good results in .30/30 and .308 Win.

[Kraschenbirn]

My old 311291DC consistently drops .3115-.312 from 50/50 Lyman#2 and range scrap. Was my first mold for CF rifle and I've shot it with some degree of success from just about every .30 cal. that I own. That's not saying that it was always the 'best choice'...'cause it wasn't...but I still keep a couple hundred on hand for load development in case another .30 should take up residence in my safe.

Bill

[dubber123]

The bore ride section size made a huge difference in accuracy in my old Savage 219. I had a few Lymans, and the nose was too small for the looser bore of my particular rifle. LEE mis cut a 6 cavity group buy with a .302" nose, and those shot MUCH better than any of the Lymans I had, but that nose would be too big for many guns. If you could measure your bore first, it would probably help.

[Walstr]

I shoot the 311291 in .30-06, .30-30 and 300 B.O. One of my all time favorites. Excellent accuracy in all 3. The only problem I've run into with it is that since the nose is a bore-rider, you need to size the nose if you PC it.

Greetings jimb16: I'm in an auction for an Ideal 311291 mold & need to verify if it will chamber in my OEM M1917 barrel??? whilst using the crimp groove??? thanks pard.

Wally J.

[Wayne Smith]

More than likely it will but no guarantees - if it is indeed an Ideal it is 100 or more years old. Who knows what indignities it may have suffered over that time? or just sat in some closet and not been used for most of it's life?

[Winger Ed.]

My late 80's issue 311291 170RN is my favorite for .30 cal.
I've had great luck with it in a 03-A3, Rem700 in .30-06, M1A, and both a .30-30 lever action Marlin and a top eject Win. 1894.

I'm not smart enough to get all scientific, and split hairs over meplats & such.
But of the 6-7 small-ish Texas white tail deer I've hit with them from 75-100 yards, none ever took another step.
They all passed through, so I don't know how much, or if they expanded.
From looking at the wound channels, if they expanded at all, it wasn't much.

[jimb16]

Greetings jimb16: I'm in an auction for an Ideal 311291 mold & need to verify if it will chamber in my OEM M1917 barrel??? whilst using the crimp groove??? thanks pard.

Wally J.

I use it in my M1917 with a 18 dated barrel. No problem in mine. It works well in my 03-A3 as well. I've had quite a few aught-six military rifles and it has worked in every one. I really doubt that you will have any problem. and BTW, one of my 311291 molds IS an Ideal mold.

[Lance Boyle]

One of the more accurate ones in my .30-40. The 312299 bests it though. My 1903 likes it too.

My first mold too. Mine I think is later that says Lyman and Ideal on it. Purchased used either here or on Ebay.