Extremely basic question from an extreme newbie...

[ecarfar]

So I've been shooting for years but never reloaded or cast my own boolits. A friend of the family recently passed away and I inherited a ton of reloading and casting equipment. I've bought books and studied articles online and looked around here for answers to my many questions. I'll start with a pretty basic one that I can't seem to find a definitive answer on...One of the things I acquired is a Seaco Lubri-Sizer along with some dies and top punches. I'd eventually like to cast some boolits for my M1 Garand and a Japanese Arisaka 99 (7.7mm). The M1 uses .308's and the Arisaka, .311's. What size moulds would I be looking for? I assume it would have to be slightly larger that the final boolit size/die, correct, like a .309 for the M1 and a .312 for the Arisaka? How much larger can I go, 1/1000th 2, 3, 4/1000th? What is the rule of thumb? Say I get a .310 mould for my M1 and swage it though the die to make it .308....what happens to that .002 of lead? Does it get squeezed into the boolit or is it shaved off on the outside of the die? Sorry if this is too basic!

[Wayne Smith]

To answer your last question first, the boolit gets very slightly longer. To answer your other questions it depends on your rifle. The largest boolit that will chamber will not only be safe to shoot but most likely will be most accurate simply because it starts into the barrel straight. A Chamber cast or pound cast (search the terms) will tell you what you want to know, i.e. Size of boolit to use and thus the sizing dies to purchase.

[rking22]

Welcome to the forum, lots of info here. As to where the lead goes, it remains with the bullet, sizing just spreads the lube grooves a smidge. You will want around .310 for the 06, generally my first try is +.002 to nominal bore. Actually what you want is to fit the throat, read up on “pound cast” in the stickies. A .311 mold will generally cast that size in Lyman #2 alloy, slightly different with other alloys. Slightly being .001 at most. Pick a generally accepted mold from the threads here and size to your throat dim. The make sure it freely chambers.

[megasupermagnum]

A quick search shows the barrels on Arisaka's can vary considerably. I'm seeing as high as .317" groove diameter from one guy. That is a gun you will absolutely need to slug the bore.

[Bazoo]

Howdy from Kentucky ecarfar.

Some of the old sizing dies indeed shaved lead off the bullet, but almost all of them swage the excess down. Most likely you don't have any of the former kind.

Size of bullet is a personal and gun specific thing. I'm not familiar with Arisaka bore sizes or needs, but it sounds like you might could get a mould that drops a bullet at .312 and size it smaller for the M1. You might come out fine with .310 size for the M1 but you might need .311 or .309. .310 is the place to start without doing a chamber cast.

I recommend to you, separate the casting from reloading at first. Learn to reload first with a few boxes of jacketed bullets, then reload using cast after you learn casting. The reason is, you'll have small problems with each and it's a lot easier to sort them out separately. Reloading is easy, and the learning curve is shorter compared to casting. If you learn both together, your much more likely to get frustrated and give up.

Not all manuals are created equal, and each has tidbits the others don't. Lyman 48/49/50 is a good place to start the basics. Lee modern reloading is good in addition to the Lyman but not in place of. Don't be afraid to ask any questions you have. We're glad to help.

[leadhead]

I don't think I would recommend doing a pound cast on a M1.....
Denny

[Rcmaveric]

I would also recommend From Ingot to Target by Glen Fryxell and Cast Bullets for Beginners and Experts. Both are free and cover some of your questions as well as to the why we do somethings a certain way. Like sizing to the throat.

Metals flow when swaged. It will just elongate making your lube grooves more shallow. Thus holding less lube. I think thats mention in From Ingot to Target.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[ecarfar]

Thanks for all the replies guys! I did forget to point out that I slugged both barrels, the M1 is .308 and the Arisaka is between .311 and.312. I do have some FMJ boolits that I'm going to reload BEFORE I get into casting my own. The question above was just one of those things I was wondering about and couldn't readily find the answer. So I guess 2/1000ths over the final size is good? So I'd look for a .310 mould for the M1 and a .314 mould for the Arisaka. I think the differences are too far apart to use just one mould? Thanks for the book recommendations, I just downloaded both.

[megasupermagnum]

You could easily use a .314" mold, sized either .313" or .314" for the Arisaka, and size that same bullet to .311" for the Garand. Sizing to .310" wouldn't hurt either if .311" wont chamber. Your biggest problem would be bore diameter (not groove), in that a bore rider will almost certainly not work in both. I'd look at a tapered nose bullet. Being an extreme newbie, it will take some time to understand the two nose differences. I still don't understand them myself. Just know a so called bore rider has a significant portion of it's nose proportioned such that it is a slip fit in the bore. A tapered style, often talked about loverin style, is as it sounds. The nose tapers down. If you order from Accurate molds, you can order any of the 30 caliber (31-XXX) molds with a .314" body diameter.

Examples may help...

Bore rider
https://leeprecision.com/mold-dc-c309-170-f.html

Tapered
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30_343&products_id=911

[Minerat]

Welcome ecarfar, I started the same way, was given 8 lyman steel moulds, a Lyman model 11, 10 lb pot, 20 lbs of unknown alloy and 3 sets of handles. I then spent about 2 months reading stickies here before trying to cast my first boolits. Should have just did it. I save so much money casting my own boolits that I have money to buy custom brass moulds now. (Purple text means sarcasm) By the way if your are not careful they multiply like rabbits.

Ask questions too there are no dumb questions on this forum the knowledge base here is unbelievable and someone will get you the answer.

[JM7.7x58]

You need to slug your barrels!

I have a M1917 in 30-06 that slugs at .310" and an Arisaka that slugs at .316". For my 30-06 I have an Ideal 311291 that is dropping at .312", that I size to .311". For the Arisaka I'm casting a Lee 324-175-1R, this is an 8mm boolit that I am sizing down to .317". I'm using Lee push through sizers.

The boolit will get longer from the sizing.

JM

[gpidaho]

Welcome to the forum. Take a fired cartridge from your rifles and determine the ID of the fired neck. This is the size bullet you should use. The brass springs back when it cools after firing So a bullet that just fits in with thumb pressure should be the correct size for your rifle. Gp

[15meter]

And post where you live, you may be near a member that could walk you through the reloading/casting steps on their setup, reducing the learning curve dramatically. I've started several guys on reloading by walking them through the basics on my setup.

[Larry Gibson]

Your M1 is a .308 and not a 30-06? There are both but the .308s are pretty few and far between. If rebarreled to .308W then I'd recommend the Lyman or NOE 311299 sized at .311 and GC'd and lubed. If still a 30-06 and used the 314299 would probably be the best mould sized .314, GC'd and lubed.

The Arisaka 99 could/might use the 314299 but most I've seen will do a lot better with the NOE 316299 sized, .316, lubed and GC'd.

Welcome to the forum and our bullet casting/shooting endeavor. I would suggest if you can find a copy on line or in a used book store to get the Lyman Cast bullet Handbook #3 (any edition as there are 3). The articles up front and the how to are explained well. I consider it to be the best cast bullet "primer" (old guy term used for a beginning school book).

[ecarfar]

Your M1 is a .308 and not a 30-06? There are both but the .308s are pretty few and far between. If rebarreled to .308W then I'd recommend the Lyman or NOE 311299 sized at .311 and GC'd and lubed. If still a 30-06 and used the 314299 would probably be the best mould sized .314, GC'd and lubed.

The Arisaka 99 could/might use the 314299 but most I've seen will do a lot better with the NOE 316299 sized, .316, lubed and GC'd.

Welcome to the forum and our bullet casting/shooting endeavor. I would suggest if you can find a copy on line or in a used book store to get the Lyman Cast bullet Handbook #3 (any edition as there are 3). The articles up front and the how to are explained well. I consider it to be the best cast bullet "primer" (old guy term used for a beginning school book).

Hi Larry, yes, it's a standard .30-06. As far as i know all M1's chambered for .30-06 use a .308, right? I was talking about the boolit, not the cartridge! When I slugged mine it was spot on .308. Thank you for the mould suggestions, I will look into those! I just ordered the Cast Bullet Handbook too.

[Bazoo]

One of the most valuable tips I've gained from this forum, which I've not read in any book is this, use a carpenters pencil to lube your moulds and to remove specks of lead on the block faces. I was using 2-cycle oil to lube my sprue plate and I always got contamination and had wrinkles and frustration. Now it's so much easier to get good bullets right from the start. Open the sprue plate and use the pencil to color the top of the blocks and the underneath side of the sprue cutter. I try to get a small amount of graphite powder at the joint so it will work in. I mostly do this with the mould hot. Then I color the alignment pins lightly and scratch at any flecks of lead on the block faces. You can pick at anything stubborn with a stick or bamboo skewer as well.

So, you're using the mould and you cut the sprue too soon, smearing lead between the blocks and the sprue plate. Stop right there, don't drop your bullets, whoop out your rag and wipe the offending spot to remove the bulk and immediately give it the carpenters pencil treatment. The pencil will scrape most of the offending spots off and relube your mould. Leaving the bullets in the mould keeps the mould hot during this operation but it also keeps any debris from making it in the cavities or on the block faces. The next cast is often still good.

Just thought I'd share.

Also, when I disassemble the mould for whatever reason, I color the too of the blocks, underside of the sprue plate, the sprue screw and hole in the plate, and alignment pins and holes.

[robg]

When you load jacketed bullets don't mix up the 308 with the 312 ,its easy to do and your 3006 won't be very happy .

[jeepvet]

Thanks for the book recommendations, I just downloaded both.

Where were you able to find the "Cast Bullet for Beginners and Experts" book? I got the book "From Ingot to Target" but the other one will not download.

[ecarfar]

Where were you able to find the "Cast Bullet for Beginners and Experts" book? I got the book "From Ingot to Target" but the other one will not download. I found it here: https://kupdf.net/queue/cast-bullets-for-beginner-and-expert_5afdb493e2b6f5cb4c794a91_pdf?queue_id=-1&x=1567079873&z=MTQ0LjIxMS4xODYuMjQz

[mdi]

You may not get the exact diameter bullet as listed by the manufacturer as there are factors that "control" diameter. Alloy, temperatures and technique will affect the dropped diameter. Find a bullet shape and weight you want and check the mold manufacturer's stats. To get the same diameter listed, you will have to use the same alloy and a good technique. I don't worry a lot about bullet diameter right from the mold as I size the bullets to fit the gun I'm casting for. Normally I'll shoot for .001"-.003" over finished size as cast diameter and for my rifles, and finished/sized bullets that are .002" over groove diameter work quite well.

[Burnt Fingers]

When you load jacketed bullets don't mix up the 308 with the 312 ,its easy to do and your 3006 won't be very happy .

Lyman once did a test with different boolit diameters. Even boolits .005 oversized didn't cause any noticeable pressure increase.

[Hickory]

Well, ecarfar, let me say this, I reloaded for 39 years and cast boolits for 38 years before I found this site. I though I 'knew it all' but, I soon learned I was pretty much a dummy in regards to the fine points of casting and loading cast boolits.
Don't be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. The good guys here are more than willing to share their knowlage and help you.

[ecarfar]

Well, ecarfar, let me say this, I reloaded for 39 years and cast boolits for 38 years before I found this site. I though I 'knew it all' but, I soon learned I was pretty much a dummy in regards to the fine points of casting and loading cast boolits.
Don't be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. The good guys here are more than willing to share their knowlage and help you.

Thank you Hickory...the wealth of knowledge here is incredible...it made me realize how much I really DON'T know! Been doing a lot of reading both here and in some of the books I bought.