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I have a Savage 99 in 308 and my local store has 4 molds and I would like an opinion on which is best for a start and the reason for the choice. They are all Lee molds DC C312-155-2R, DC CTL312-160-2R, DC C309-160-R, DC C309-170-F. I will be hunting deer, moose, black bear and just plinking. Looking forward to any and all replies.
Hopefully, you'll get some replies from guys with a little more Savage 99 experience than me. My father recently came into a bit of an odd duck - it was a relatively modern production, but octagonal-barrel gun that Savage dubbed an 1895 (but obviously a 99), chambered in .308.
Unfortunately it doesn't seem to want to feed flat nose bullets worth a ****. Otherwise, I would be steering you HARD in the direction of the NOE/Ranch Dog - http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.p...o72q6lq26ebvq0 - as it was engineered specifically for the case and throat dimensions of a .308. Sadly, there's a couple of guns in the inventory that won't digest it (this Savage being one), but those that do REALLY like it and it hits HARD. Coupled with NOE's push through sizer to seat your gas checks and a good tumble lube, they're also easy to make a lot of.
Of the molds you list, the 170 grainer is the only one I'd really consider a hunting profile - but having been bitten, I'd want to learn what that Savage will feed before going too far down the rabbit hole. I'd probably start there - if the 99 won't eat it, you've probably got a .30-06 bolt gun that will. ;)
The Lee 309-170-F is the one you want to start with. I've used it in lever actions with perfect results, but not the model 99 specifically. It is a very accurate bullet inside of its velocity limits.
+1 ^^^ Flat nose is better for hunting and it is heavier than the others. Don't use that exact one in my 336 tube mag, I went to 185gr. You probably want a harder alloy while in bear country. A lot of feeding problems can be solved by COAL change. My moulds don't have a crimp groove. The 185 runs in 30/30, AR BO - haven't tried it in AR 308 yet.