Best 308/30-06 mold

[b money]

Well it seems the general consensus is a 200grn bullet seems to work well, but from all my j word bullet reading I've learned that 200grns is for the most part too heavy for the 308 and it on the higher side for 30-06. Is there something different about cast bullets?

[oldhickory]

Anything weighing 150-200gr. should shoot well in either of your guns. All you need to do is fit the boolit to the throat and work up an accurate load.

[Larry Gibson]

Well it seems the general consensus is a 200grn bullet seems to work well, but from all my j word bullet reading I've learned that 200grns is for the most part too heavy for the 308 and it on the higher side for 30-06. Is there something different about cast bullets?

Don't know where the idea ever came that 200 gr bullets are too heavy for the .308W. Fact is the .308W handles appropriate 200 gr bullets very well, the factories loaded 200 gr bullets for the .308W. The difference between J and cast in these two cartridges is the effective velocity range with cast bullets vs j bullets. With heavier bullets slower burning powders can be used with efficient ignition which gives smaller extreme spreads within the most easily attained accuracy/velocity ranges. Also the heavier bullets in the M1 are going to attain the needed port psi for functioning with appropriate powders while keeping the velocity within the best accuracy range.

Additionally several bullets mentioned have design problems with the .308W in that the GC will have to be seated down below the case neck. This generally is not condusive to best accuracy I've been shooting cast bullets in both cartridges with those twists for a very long time. 311284 is great in the '06 but not so great in the .308W. The 311299 has the weight and design to work well in both cartridges. My M70 Target .308W with a 26" twist 26" barrel shoots the 311299 excellently as do my 12: twist M1As. The same 31299 does equally well in my '06s including several M1s over the years. The real difference between the 2 is with the twists. You will get excellent accuracy at 2100 -2200 fps with the 12" twist .308W and excellent accuracy at 1850 - 1950 fps in the 10" twist '06.

When you learn about cast bullet loading and shooting you can push those a bit with different bullets but that is not what you asked for ("To start off I want to get ONE mold to work in both"). You requested one cast bullet for both. The 31299 is the bullet that will get you started with easily attainable sucess (that means accuracy) in both rifles/carridges.

Larry Gibson

[badbob454]

i would go for the heavy boolits , as you will want to shoot cast slower than fmj's so you will still have the heavy knockdown of the heavier boolit imho..

[oldhickory]

I have to agree with the above, I've had good results in both the '06 and .308 with the Lyman 311299. I've had better results on paper with the Lyman 311332 in my '06s, but have yet to try it in my .308s.

The LEE 170gr. flat nose is also another boolit that seems to shoot well in just about any .30 rifle. I just last fall bought an RCBS 30-180-FN for cast boolit hunting, I'm still developing loads for it in several guns, but it shows potential in .30WCF, .30-06, and .308.

I guess if I had to choose just one cast boolit for .30-06 and .308 it would be the 311299, and yes, I do shoot a Garand with cast, and it's pure joy!

[b money]

Ok thanks for the input guys, lyman 311299 it is.