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Thread: hard cast bullets for 308 win

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    hard cast bullets for 308 win

    I was wondering if I could order some hard cast bullets for my 308 some and use them. I guess since there not coated they would lead my barrel would they not?
    can I use some thing like this at a reduced load?

    http://www.missouribullet.com/detail...ary=&keywords=

    Im just looking to reduce my cost. since most places want around $100 per 500. hard cast bullets are much cheaper. I only cast bullets for my 9mm at the moment and I have been told by the wife she dose not like me doing it so im looking for a good plinking round thanks much
    Last edited by raven.warsong; 03-16-2012 at 07:56 PM.

  2. #2
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    mpmarty's Avatar
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    Hard Cast is a common misconception. Hard boolits do nothing to prevent leading. Fit of the boolit to your firearm is paramount to not leading. The only way to fit the boolit to your firearm is to cast your own. Commercial cast boolits are mostly junk unless you ger VERY lucky with a particular batch.
    Marty-hiding out in the hills.

  3. #3
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by mpmarty View Post
    Hard Cast is a common misconception. Hard boolits do nothing to prevent leading. Fit of the boolit to your firearm is paramount to not leading. The only way to fit the boolit to your firearm is to cast your own. Commercial cast boolits are mostly junk unless you ger VERY lucky with a particular batch.
    that sucks with me not being able to cast at the moment and the bullets costing so much it looks like my 308 is a wall hanger then

  4. #4
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    If you slug your bore, and if you can buy cast bullets that are at least .001 over that size, you may be able to shoot them without leading. And I agree that hard cast is hype. You will not be able to load them to jacketed velocity without knowledge, testing, and experimenting or paper patching. If you plan to push them over 1500 fps, they had better have a gas check on them. Spire points will most likely not work for you, the Loverin design will be much easier for you to find sucess with.

  5. #5
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    PM me and I can send a few 150 and 170 FP at .310 dia. for you to test with. That will give you a shot at finding something that will work. Then you will know what to look for.

  6. #6
    Boolit Mold
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    Im a little new to all this and im not trying to blow my self up. with the only load data I have at the moment it looks like it would be 2400 or a little slower. I guess I will just stick with jacketed bullets or not shoot it

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Never give up.

    Go to the Swappin' & Sellin' sub-forum and click on The Boolit Exchange. Put in a request for some boolits cast to your rifle's dimensions and see what response you get.

    If you have something to offer in trade, mention it in the request.

    Spend some quality reading time, here. There are faster and slower powders that will work, as well. Get a couple Lyman reloading or casting handbooks, too, and read them.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I've been experimenting with air cooled WW in my 308 and have had no issues so far. Still trying to find the perfect load but all the ones I've shot so far I've got zero leading and real decent accuracy. I size mine to .310 and they are gas checked.

  9. #9
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    310 on the body is only half the equasion the nose must fit the rifling also.
    a 300 nose and 310 body would be about right.
    the issue will be figuring out how much 300 and how much 310 you need to fit your throat and not be seated into the case.
    17 grs of 2400 will give you what you want.

  10. #10
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    I think he means he wants 2400 fps.

    Why is the wife down on casting?

    Bill
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

  11. #11
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    Greetings
    I size all my caliber 30 boolits .310. I have tried .308 (ugh) and .309 (OK) but found .310 a great place to start with a non-erroded barrel. But when the throat area is a bit erroded then a fatter boolit willl work better.
    Hardness.. I use the softest proper diameter boolit needed to support the base pressure. I use alot of 50/50 mix (WW - Pure) for under 1800 fps. Up to 2200 straight WW. What most sellers call "Hardcast" I would use for 2300 + FPS. But again if it is undersized for the barrel you will learn alot about lead mining. With lead-- fat is good.. but you can go to far with that also.
    Mike in Peru
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  12. #12
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    Those "hard cast" are PB'd and will do fine if you want to keep velocities under 1500 - 1600 fps for practical accuracy. If you want higher velocity then as with anything if you want to dance you have to pay the band. Quality cast bullets with GCs cost almost as much as jacketed bullets. If you want to put your own GCs on or want them already GC'd then I suggest you check with Oregon Trail Bullets at ; www.laser-cast.com

    Check out these 2 bullets for your .308W. They can be had with or w/o the GC sized and lubed. The left is a 170 gr FN and the right is a 200 gr RN. They are quality hard cast bullets BTW.

    Larry Gibson
    Last edited by Larry Gibson; 04-28-2012 at 08:18 PM.

  13. #13
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    Those "hard cast" are PB'd and will do fine if you want to keep velocities under 1500 - 1600 fps for practical accuracy. If you want higher velocity then as with anything if you want to dance you have to pay the band. Quality cast bullets with GCs cost almost as much as jacketed bullets. If you want to put your own GCs on or want them already GC'd then I suggest you check with Oregon Trail Bullets at ; www.laser-cast.com

    Check out these 2 bullets for your .308W. They can be had with or w/o the GC sized and lubed. The left is a 170 gr FN and the right is a 200 gr RN. They are quality hard cast bullets BTW.

    Larry Gibson
    Can I use those with normal load data? or do I need to reduce the speed. Im sorry you used a lot of terms I dont understand. PB, dance ?

  14. #14
    Boolit Mold
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    Unhappy

    Quote Originally Posted by MtGun44 View Post
    I think he means he wants 2400 fps.

    Why is the wife down on casting?

    Bill
    She thinks im going to give her lead poisoning or some thing

  15. #15
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    For the unitiated... PB = Plain Base, GC = Gas Checked. There should really be a sticky around here with commonly used abbreviations...

    What Larry means about the "dance" is that there are practical limitations as to how fast you can push a plain base boolit. If you really want to run up to jacketed bullet speeds, you are going to need to go with a gas checked boolit. But for plinking and velocities up to around 1500-1600 fps, you can get away with a plain based boolit using smaller charges of pistol type powders... There are lot of threads around here about reduced loads in rifle calibers... Take a look around.

    Cheers!
    _coder

    "Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.” - William Pitt

  16. #16
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by raven.warsong View Post
    She thinks im going to give her lead poisoning or some thing
    If you do not eat or smoke or drink when you are casting and was your hands after you are done and make sure you have alot of air around you . You will be ok and she will also . Also wash your hands after you done reploading . Then you will be ok . just let her know that all . As for not sure about casting get the manuel of lyman casting it will tell you all you need and more . That is how i started my casting from . Yes i am still learning . but i maken it all work and all the advice you are given on here all is also a help . I did not have the internet when I started and now if I have any thing to ask I put it up on here and there are many willing to give advice . Hope all this help
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    Lead poisoning is caused by ingestion -- not boolit casting temperatue fume inhalation nor the proximity to lead -- and normal sanitary habits are all the prevention needed. Don't let the agenda-driven, whacko, radical, fanantical fear mongers ruin your shooting enjoyment.

  18. #18
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    i believe there is a sticky here with the abbreviations we use.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by raven.warsong View Post
    Can I use those with normal load data? or do I need to reduce the speed. Im sorry you used a lot of terms I dont understand. PB, dance ?
    PB is a s already defined; i.e. no GC. The "dance" and "paying the band" means if you want play at a higher level of performance then you must pay for it.

    With those GC'd cast bullets best accuracy will be in the 1800 - 200 fps range with medium or slow burning powders if your rifle has a 10" twist. If it has a 12" twist then you can bush either bullet to 2100 - 2300+ fps with good accuracy with the same powders. If you've a Palma barrel with 13 or 14" twist then you can push them to 2500+ fps with good accuracy.

    Larry Gibson

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master

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    It is difficult to get any useful accuracy with "normal" loading data in rifles. In many guns,
    you can have excellent results at 1500-1600 fps, and then carefully and skillfully work your
    way up to maybe 2000-2300 fps in many rifles. As you start getting past that level, you
    get into steadily increasing difficulty keeping your accuracy without doing a lot of stuff that
    takes knowledge and effort.

    So - the short answer to "Can I use those with normal load data? or do I need to reduce the
    speed." is NO, you cannot use normal load data, and YES you need to reduce the speed
    if you want to keep reasonable accuracy. If you need to shoot full velocity with the .308,
    you should use jacketed. It is not impossible to get good accy with full velocity with cast,
    but it is quite difficult and requires a good bit of work (or luck) to get there. Some guns
    will never get there.

    As to the lead poisoning, it as mostly hogwash. If you wash your hands after handling lead
    and do not eat, smoke or drink (basically put lead into your mouth from dirty hands) you will
    not have any lead in you. Just that simple. It does not significantly vaporize when melted,
    and you really need the ventilation when casting more for nasty smells from mixing stuff
    into the lead to clean the lead of impurities - makes smoke.
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check