C309-113-F in .30-30

[HABCAN]

Recently I rebought that mold to have the GC capability again. Even at Cdn. prices it didn't break the bank. Previously I'd drilled out the first one I bought with a 5/16" drill to remove/fill out the GC base. Over 2000 fps I load the GC'd boolit, under that, the PB. Both are now PC'd and both work fine in the .32-20, 7.62x39, .308, .303 Brit, .30-06, .300 win Mag, etc. over 4227, 4198 and RL7, sized as required from .309 to .314 or even unsized. YMMV.

[kaiser]

I've used this bullet for at least the last 30 years and it has been one of the most accurate cast .30 caliber, Lee bullets I've ever used. This bullet loaded to a velocity around 1500fps (or lower) leaves a nice .31 cal hole in a squirrel, rabbit, or Ptarmigan. I leave my bullets unsized at .310 diameter and use Unique, 2400, SR4759, 4198, or Red Dot powder for "fuel". The 30/30's I've successfully used them in have been a H&R Topper, Win. 94, Win. 64, Savage 1899, and Marlin 336. I've had no problem working up a load that will print POA at 50 yards using the same sighting solution used for my "deer loads". I've never tried them without using a GC. And, I have used them in .308Win and .30/06 "bolts" with equal success.

[FergusonTO35]

That's been my experience with this boolit. I poured a bunch the other day which I am going to size .310 without a gas check to see how they do. I'm only pushing them to 1500 fps with 8.8 grains of Unique in my Mossberg 464 so I see no reason why they wouldn't work. I also neck size the brass since this is my only rifle that uses this load and it saves time and wear on the brass.

[10x]

Great bullet for the 30-30. I shoot them out of a 99 Savage in 30-30. Unique works well. no recoil, small report.

[braddonovan67]

I've got the lee 113 and 160gr rn molds. My mossberg 464 loves the 160s. Just picked up a pre-64 winchester and the rounds won't even chamber. It looks to me like my mossberg chamber is a lot bigger than the winchester chamber. So I've got to source new brass for my winchester...

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[FergusonTO35]

Tried the 309-113-RF sans gas check with my usual load of 8.8 grains Unique today in the Mossberg. They did not shoot well at all at 60 yards, some shots would group ok and others were in orbit. Loaded up with the same ammo but with gas checks and groups settled down to normal: 2 inches, which is as good as I can do without a scope or my glasses. I imagine this boolit would work plain based if I backed the charge down and/or modified the mold to produce a true plain base boolit. I'm quite happy with how it shoots with inexpensive aluminum checks and have no desire to drop the velocity down to where the unmodified boolit might work without a check. If I get another mold for cheap I may have it plain based to see if that changes anything.

On a semi-related topic, anybody ever try large pistol primers in the .30-30 for lower pressure loads? I've got several packs of these primers and thought I would see how they worked.

[FergusonTO35]

Guess I'm gonna find out. I rolled up the last of the non-gas check slugs with 7 grains Unique and Federal Large Pistol primers. The LP primers do seat noticeably lower, however I've seen factory rifle rounds with primers seated pretty deep too. Heck if they work well enough for practice I'll be happy.

[Texas by God]

I've used LP primers with mild loads in my 30-30 with no drama whatsoever.

[Jniedbalski]

The 3.2 to 3.5 gr of bullseye works really good with this bollet in my 308. My chamber will take a boolet sized .311 .a 312 is tight in my bolt action axis

[FergusonTO35]

Sounds good. My understanding is that it is safe to try large pistol primers in large rifle cases but not the other way around. I wonder if Green Dot would work well in .30 WCF with this boolit? I have a can that needs used. I may try some of these slugs unchecked and unsized rolled in LLA. I've got a bunch cast and I need practice so why not.

[FergusonTO35]

Another thing: anybody ever plain base this mold? I'm thinking about picking up another one to have modified as such. I figure this boolit should stabilize quite well without the gas check shank.

[FergusonTO35]

Tried the plain base slugs with 7 grains Unique and large pistol primers. The good news: the primers worked great and have a normal appearance. The bad news: these rounds still shoot like poo even with 1.8 grains less powder. I'm thinking this boolit just doesn't like going without a check, no big surprise I guess. I like these large pistol primers, they seem softer than rifle primers which is a plus. I'll roll up a box of 8.8 grains Unique with gas checked slugs and large pistol primers and see how they do, this load is more accurate than my shaky hands can do in my Mossberg.

[TCLouis]

Might want to try 15.5 gr. 2400 and the Lee Boolit

[FergusonTO35]

I don't have any 2400 but will remember that. Today I shot 8.8 grains Unique with large rifle primers and large pistol primers side by side at 60 yards. I was surprised to see that the large rifle loads printed about two inches higher, they run around 1560 fps. I haven't yet chronographed the large pistol primer rounds so I don't know if they are faster or slower. Next I'm going to try 9-10 grains Unique. People report good results with 10 grains under 150-170 grain slugs so apparently my 8.8 with a 113 is pretty mild.

[PBSmith]

I'd try the Lee 309-113 were I not gun shy of Lee undersized molds. The last Lee mold I bought dropped three thousandths undersize.

For those of you who own and use the Lee 309-113, what are your as-cast diameters and with what alloy?

Thanks.

[Texas by God]

My 309-113 was used when I bought it and it drops .310" with 50/50 coww/ pb. I use LLA and size to .309" with good results.

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[FergusonTO35]

All my Lee .30 caliber molds drop around .3105 or so, right on the money. Now, they do like to be good and hot. I usually pour large spruce puddles to keep them hot.

This hot weather is really spoiling my rifle shooting. Hard to shoot well when the stock is covered in sweat and my glasses are fogged up. I'm enjoying this little boolit in .30-30 but really can't tell if it is shooting well at all. It doesnt help matters that I am not much of a marksman to begin with. Hopefully my best friend can shoot it for me soon, he is very accurate.

[FergusonTO35]

Now that it is cooling off, I am back to trying the soupcan in .30-30. Anybody ever try H4198 with this one?

[Texas by God]

Now that it is cooling off, I am back to trying the soupcan in .30-30. Anybody ever try H4198 with this one?

No but I'll bet it works. It's big brother IMR 3031 does.

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[FergusonTO35]

Thanks, I've been having inconsistent accuracy with Unique. I'm wondering if this powder and the light boolit just aren't getting along.