How fast for WDWW?

[centershot]

I have a group buy mold for a plain base 311041 boolit. If I water drop them (WW alloy) how fast can I push them before leading becomes a problem? Is 1700-1800 doable? Thought I better ask here rather than have to scrub lead out of my bore! The rifle is a Marlin 336, 30-30 caliber, microgroove. The boolit casts .313", shoots great in light loads, just not sure how hard I can push it. I've had good results with Lyman 311041, gas-checked, over 17 gr of #2400 which gives a little over 1700 fps.

[Larry Gibson]

Between 1400 - 1600 +/- fps before accuracy falls off. Leading should not be the problem if a good lube is used. It's just the PB'd bullet gets deformed at much any higher velocity, especially of COWWs. I suggest you add 2% tin to the COWWs for a much better alloy, better bullet, less shrinkage and a better "as cast" diameter......easier and better casting also.

Larry Gibson

[centershot]

OK, thanks Larry!

[MT Chambers]

Why didn't you order the mold with a gas check design? With the plain base, I would hold velocity down to 1600 fps or so. My Marlin 30/30 is microgroove and doesn't like high speeds even cast hard and with the GC.

[cstrickland]

I have a group buy mold for a plain base 311041 boolit. If I water drop them (WW alloy) how fast can I push them before leading becomes a problem? Is 1700-1800 doable? Thought I better ask here rather than have to scrub lead out of my bore! The rifle is a Marlin 336, 30-30 caliber, microgroove. The boolit casts .313", shoots great in light loads, just not sure how hard I can push it. I've had good results with Lyman 311041, gas-checked, over 17 gr of #2400 which gives a little over 1700 fps.

can I ask what lube you are planning on using ? I have seen posts of some pushing this weight to the 2500 range with powder coating in a '06. Lyman lists the 170 / 173 cast 30/30 in the 2200 - 2300 fps range with H-335 or 748.

the 2400 load lists max at 1900 fps so yeah you should be able to hit 1700 - 1800 I would think rather easily

[williamwaco]

For many years, my favorite deer hunting load was the 31141 at 2100 fps.

It was cast from air cooled wheel weights and produced 3" groups at 100 yards with iron sights from my Marlin 336 and zero leading.

I used Lyman 50/50 lube. I still do.

That said, Wheel weights were harder back then and my bullet was gas checked.


.

[popper]

I tried the RD PB boolit in my 336, couldn't get any good results with it fast. I think you will have too much in the case for the PB to give you any accuracy. I did 1700 with a non check in 308 but it has a longer throat so the base was in the neck. Pop can checks may get the fps you want at lower $. I did get~ 2200 from the GC RD. Won't hurt anything to try.

[geargnasher]

Ask Bullshop how fast he shot, with accuracy, water-quenched WW alloy in a .22 caliber when testing one of his lubes. IIRC it was 3200 fps. I've pushed it to 2700 in .30 caliber with no leading, but using gas checks. Marlin Microgroove .30-30s (I have two of them) will shoot, no kidding, half-inch ten-shot groups at 100 yards with exactly the right load, at a shade over 2100 fps, which in my case involves a Ranch Dog WFN design and water-quenched WW. Also a gas check. Both of my Marlins lead the throats terribly with semi-hard, plain based bullets, even down to 1300 fps. Accurate for a few shots, then it goes to heck. Dacron filler helps this considerably, as does using a soft alloy about 9 BHN.

Gear

[centershot]

OK, to answer some questions:

Ihave two molds for this caliber, a Lyman 311041 173 gr. w/GC and a Group Buy 6 cav. mold for the same bullet except that it is plain base and made to cast at .313" for the Microgroove barrels.

Second, I'm using Lyman 50-50 lube, I'm going to try some 45-45-10 next week.

I'm not trying to re-invent the wheel here. I am able to shoot the PB cast of ACWW at 1000 fps over a light charge of Bullseye in my Marlin 336 and it makes a good close range small game load. I was just curious how fast I would be able to push a PB cast from WDWW w/o problems. For what I'm doing, I'll probably stick with the load I have for small game and switch to the GC bullet over 17 gr. of 2400 for deer season. Thanks for your responses guys!