Ranch Dog XCB

[Yodogsandman]

That's a beautiful mold! Those boolits look absolutely deadly, too! Can't wait to hear how they work for you!

[35 shooter]

Does look good. Hope your on to something there. I'm betting it shoots as good as it looks!

[oldblinddog]

This mold has to be the best I have ever owned (and I've owned a lot!). Once at temp the boolits dropped easily and came out perfect. I was also casting with the two Lymans as well. The 33889 is also a single cavity and casts well. It is much smaller, smaller even than the 311672 two cavity, but is almost as good as this Accurate mold. It was made about 1967. The 311672 is also a new mold to me and is current production. While it cast well, it was no where close to the other two.

At one point I placed the Accurate mold on the hot plate and alternated between the two Lymans for 15-20 casts each, then picked up the Accurate again and went right back to easily cast, perfect boolits. The difference was very noticeable from one to the other.

In the lineup are two NOE boolits that are from aluminum molds. Casting from those two molds is very similar to casting from the current Lyman 311672. I rate those three as "difficult". In NOE's defense, I have a NOE 311041 aluminum mold that casts as easily as the 1967 Lyman 33889.

I think I am sold on Accurate molds! I would also say that I have always had good results from single cavity molds and like them very much.

Here is a dummy round made to check dimensions and feeding in the rifle. The oal is 2.583". The nose on the boolit is 0.299" and the drive bands are 0.311". I normally size to 0.310" for this rifle and it works well.

It cycled through the rifle just as slick as could be. Unfortunately it is just too hot to go to the range right now. Temps are ranging anywhere from 100-103*F.

[oldblinddog]

First group with Ranch Dog XCB, fired from my Remington 700 .308 Win. 1-10" twist 20" barrel, at 100 yds. Load is 30 gr Varget. I don't have a chronograph, but my best guess is that is about 1600 fps.

[TXGunNut]

Looking good! Seems like you're just a few tweaks away from a very good load. I'm pretty happy with my Accurate mould as well, may be time for another one.

[oldblinddog]

Yes, I think so. I'll go up on the charge to see if I can get more velocity and keep/improve the accuracy.

[oldblinddog]

Cast a few today. It is still HOT! My car said it is 102F in the driveway.

[popper]

Interesting, sized or shot as cast?

[oldblinddog]

They come out of the mold at .311" and I size to .310".

[JesterGrin_1]

I have to ask why a single cavity mold?

I do know that for many molds that the cavities in a single mold may not be identical of which can cause accuracy discrepancies between bullets in a multi cavity mold being used. But I would hope that any mold you get from Accurate Molds would have identical cavities or at least close enough to not effect accuracy to any noticeable degree.

[oldblinddog]

It is single cavity because I prefer them. I have a single cavity mold for .45 ACP on the way as well. I am certain that all the molds he makes are outstanding no matter how many cavities there are.

[JesterGrin_1]

It is single cavity because I prefer them. I have a single cavity mold for .45 ACP on the way as well. I am certain that all the molds he makes are outstanding no matter how many cavities there are.

Ok so as the norm I was over thinking it lol.

[TXGunNut]

I have to ask why a single cavity mold?

I do know that for many molds that the cavities in a single mold may not be identical of which can cause accuracy discrepancies between bullets in a multi cavity mold being used. But I would hope that any mold you get from Accurate Molds would have identical cavities or at least close enough to not effect accuracy to any noticeable degree.

Some days a single or double cavity mould is good therapy. Working with a couple of them is even better. Two FE moulds puts me in a calm, retro mood. Some days its not about the size of the boolit pile, more about the satisfaction.
I think I need some Lyman therapy, lol.

[oldblinddog]

...its not about the size of the boolit pile, more about the satisfaction.

Yeah, this ^^^^^^

[oldblinddog]

Went to the range late this afternoon. After I arrived I discovered that I would have less than an hour to get 40 rounds downrange. It was/is a 100 deg. F to boot. Here are the groups, such as they are. The Varget load (first target) was the first fired and therefore representative. The other groups are all basically rapid fire from a hot barrel and pretty disappointing. The 4759 and 5744 deserve a re-shoot at least. All of these loads should be in the 2000+/- fps range. The lube is Lyman moly and it is certainly worth trying something else.

[Bjornb]

Two things that stand out: You are sizing to .310 in a factory .308 chamber. Try sizing to .311 (or in your case load unsized), most .308Win rifles will accept that. Secondly, your loads with the 4 powders you shoot appear to be a tad on the stout side. I would back off as much as 25% with all of them, then use fluffed dacron judiciously as a filler, and work my way back up one grain at a time. I have no doubt that you will find a MOA combination. My bets are on 4759 and 5744.

[oldblinddog]

The previous load with Varget was at 30 gr and this one at 33 gr is not much different. Otherwise, I was thinking the same as you. I'd like to get the velocity and the accuracy if possible. Just ordered some 2700+ to see if that makes any difference. On the 5744 and 4759 loads I'll work down until the accuracy shows up. But I have to point out that the 25 gr charge of 4759 is only 1.5 gr above the suggested starting load for a 180 gr boolit (Lyman #4). Not the same boolit of course but one has to start somewhere.

The pic below is the NOE 311041 sized .310" over 25 gr of Varget from the same rifle. (At 50 yds)

I also have 4198 and RL15 (among others) that can be tried.

[Bjornb]

Yeah, Varget and 4895 wouldn't be my primary choices unless I was trying to go substantially faster. And 100 yards vs.50 is usually where the truth starts showing up. My good friend Sgt. Mike has shot several excellent groups with 4759-loads in the low 20's, that's where I pulled that intel from.

If you have any 2400 I would suggest trying a few shots in the 16-grain range, that's where I always start when I have a new bullet in any 30-32 caliber rifle. Your choice of 2700+ from White Label is excellent, It's my go-to lube at all speeds.

You'll get there, just keep shooting and only change one variable at a time.

[oldblinddog]

Yes, all the groups with the RanchDog XCB are 100 yds. 2300 fps is the goal but a 1900 fps load would be handy as well.

[Bjornb]

For what you have set as a goal, I would highly recommend this short read: http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index....pic,533.0.html
It gives you detailed information about how Larry Gibson tested another bullet (the NOE XCB, designed for HV shooting in 30-cal rifles) in fast twist rifles (308 Win, 10 and 12" twists).

Larry used very slow powder in his testing, something you may want to try.

I wish you all the luck and I'll be following your shooting.