If You Were Gonna............

[ktw]

I'd like to obtain a similar rifle someday - dedicated cast bullet target shooter. I am planning on doing it as a Wiinchester 1885 in 30-30.

That one and a Sharps 1874 repro in 45-70 are only guns I still need to acquire in order to be truely happy. Promise.

-ktw

[waksupi]

ok for the 223/222 what boolit mold ?..........someone have a bator 22 for sale ?? what comercial mold ???

I've got a Bator 22 that could use a new home. Don't remember what I gave for it. Make me an offer, cover shipping, and it could be yours.

[mike in co]

With the .224 cal choice, would there be any issues of shooting lead bullets in the ar-15 and it's gas system?

what gas system ???
( ok its a joke...my 223 br actually still has a gas system, but is shot single.
my 308 win br has a gas port( full of copper) but no gas system, my 6ppc has no gas port...all rifles are ar platforms.)

not worried about it.....

[mike in co]

ok
a mention was made to modifiy the std 358 reamer.
and there were two twists listed
and whos bbl do i buy...

ok looks like a 24" tube,, but what profile,,,straight heavy ??
what twist?
just how much do i change the stock reamer?
and whom would you get your bbl from ???( yes i like hart and krieger)

should i buy 358 win brass...or neck up 308 win lapua ..so i start with better quality brass?

and then how about a couple starting mold recomentations ??

thanks
mike

[felix]

Mike, go with Krieger, land height around 475 thou, or whatever you guys on the phone come up with. Krieger will guarantee you a choke barrel, and the choke does not have to be significant, but definitely there. You want a boolit designed to minimize freebore which would make the throat last longer with the heaviest of loads. Heavy boolit, consider bore rider. You already know about twist. Get the best brass and neck up; or get "normal" brass and neck turn. ... felix

[gzig5]

The 30BR was mentioned and it would be a great candidate. I would think the 7BR or 30BR would be great and brass is easily available. BUT, be aware that the BR case can be a bit tricky to feed reliably out of a double stack magazine.

I second the Kreiger recommendation, as well. Be prepared for a 12week wait unless you go with a standard BR size barrel, that some suppliers keep in stock. I think my smith also keeps Palma barrels on hand as well.

Greg

[mike in co]

i did not consider the 30br...cause my next ar10 will be ...a 30br.....with no gas port...so i will be able to play there.
this was/is strictly a milsurplus bolt gun project with cast boolits...

so onward and upward we go with 358win.....

think i will expand some lapua necks and see how thin they get......

[Dan in Wa]

Have not seen the .30 Herrett mentioned. The neck is long enough for a 150 gr. bullet and you can't get more than 27 grs of 4198 in it.

[HORNET]

If you want something really different, you could go with the .270 Titus Savage. Can make brass out of lots of donor cases, the RCBS 270-150-SP has one of the highest ballistic coefficients that RCBS lists, the case should be small enough for consistent ignition, dies can be easily modified, and it should feed with minimal hassle.

[PatMarlin]

You won't be dissapointed witha 358 Winchester. Man what an awesome cast shooter. Mine is scary accurate with the 250gr saeco boolit.

It's now my favorite bolt action hands down...

[mike in co]

ok guys we are half way there..i ordered a bator..it was in stock!..........the 223/222 will start with the existing 223 1/14 26" ar15

[PatMarlin]

I just ordered a Bator too. Didn't know they had Cast Boolit molds.

[DPD]

Could a 6mm PPC be necked up to 30cal? It sounds like the right relationship
between case capacity and boolit, but then I don't have enought experience to be
talking with any authority on cast boolits in rifles.

[mike in co]

Could a 6mm PPC be necked up to 30cal? It sounds like the right relationship
between case capacity and boolit, but then I don't have enought experience to be
talking with any authority on cast boolits in rifles.

yes its called...30 ppc...which was why i was hopping someone knew of a 7.62x39 kit for large ring mausers....but the ppc's are based on smoking velocity......was hoping someone had played with the combo....

[felix]

The exact PPC case capacity is a little small for 30 on up. Go with the 30 BR case as a minimum here, which is more like the standard 7.62x39 having a normal head size. ... felix

[AZ-Stew]

Mike,

I'm guessing a bit here, but I'm thinking that the 30-30 case capacity is just about right. It should work well with either a fast or slow powder; somewhere in the vast selection of powders we have available to us now should be one that produces fine accuracy. Unfortunately, the 30-30 is rimmed, requiring a special bolt action. It could be worked easily in a falling block, if you're willing to live with a single shot.

Now for the zinger....

How about a 30 Rem.? Same case capacity, but rimless. OK, no brass. On Midway I see some 32 Rem. brass that should turn into 30 Rem. easily with a single pass through the 30 Rem. dies. Now you have brass.

Action? Remington is producing a 6.something SPC (?) whatever that is (if the Mil. wants something more effective than the .223, it should go back to the .308. It works. No time wasted screwing around with unknowns.), in the 700 action. This gives you the correct bolt face for the cartridge. You'll want a custom barrel anyway, so you're basically just buying it for the action.

Bullets? This is why I selected 30 cal. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of bullet designs to work with. Personally, I'd order my custom barrel with an 11 or 12 inch twist and go for the shorter bullets. Less recoil, less lead, and less powder required to launch them. With the slower powders available, there should be enough case capacity to launch a bullet at medium velocity and low pressure. I'm thinking this setup would give you a lot of options in a single rifle.

But I'm just speculating. However, if cost was no barrier, I think this is where I'd start.

Or, how about a shortened .300 Savage? Short 'n fat seems to be all the rage today. Hmmmmm.....

Regards,

Stew