Lee for 30 M1 Carbine

[WineMan]

Thinking about a mould for the 30 Carbine and was wondering how the Lee 311-100-2R which I believe is a plain base compares to the 309-113-F and 309-120-R moulds? Gas Checking is not really an issue vs. plain base. Thanks for all of the help in advance.

Wineman

[jonk]

Well all I can say is I have the 309 120R and it does as well as jacketed. Which is to say, not so hot- no one is ever going to say a carbine is a MOA gun but it hits maybe 5" at 100 if I do my part.

[mj2evans]

I am using the 120g from the group buy and it feeds and functions well. Loaded with 2400 at 10.3g its a lot of fun at 50yds (2.5"). I tried 11g that seems to be the "universal" load but that seemed a little more violent than needed and the next cavity down on the Lee disc gave me more accuracy and function was still 100%.

[WyrTwister]

Thinking about a mould for the 30 Carbine and was wondering how the Lee 311-100-2R which I believe is a plain base compares to the 309-113-F and 309-120-R moulds? Gas Checking is not really an issue vs. plain base. Thanks for all of the help in advance.

Wineman

I have the 90364 mold .

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/cata.../bullmol2.html

Accuracy in my Inland is not great . My cousin's Winchester will hit the 200 meter rams , but not knock them over .

God bless
Wyr

[leadman]

I have the 113 gr. Lee mould. Works well with 10.5 grs. of WC820 shooting slower but as accurate as the jacketed loads. I have shot these at close to 2,000fps out of my 300 Whisper but this seems to be toooo fast as accurracy is not good.
I am thinking the 120gr. Lee bullet might be better for the M-1.

[mooman76]

I had issues with the 113g mould in my m1c. I had trouble getting the rounds to fire in it. What I found out was due to the bullet design if you don't set the bullets real deep the chamber wouldn't close all the way and the rounds wouldn't fire. I did eventually work it out but with all the problems I had, I just as soon use another bullet design. Lyman has a 311359 115g pointed bullet that works real well in it and allot of other 30 cal. and I would think the Lee 120g would work well also.

[jcwit]

I've been using the LEE 311-100-2R cast bullet w/13 grains of IMR 4227 with good results. I use my own lube concoction which I won't go into here (but it works for me) anyway I have NO leading and accuracy is under 2" at 70 yds which is about as good as these old eyes can do. I have no feeding problems, just a good load to shoot. Oh BTY I size to .310.

[Newtire]

Thinking about a mould for the 30 Carbine and was wondering how the Lee 311-100-2R which I believe is a plain base compares to the 309-113-F and 309-120-R moulds? Gas Checking is not really an issue vs. plain base. Thanks for all of the help in advance.

Wineman

If you want to get a good mould for that carbine, the Lee 120 RN shoots great for me with 12.5 gr. Win 296. I also have gotten even better shooting using the Lyman 311359 at 115 grains & 14 grains of H-4227. I also have used 8.5 grains of BlueDot with the Lee 120 grainer. Let us know how the little plainbase 93 grain does OK? I'm going to load up some saeco #322's with something but haven't figured that one out yet. It's 123 grains roughly so probably the 12.5 gr. 296 load would do it. I still have a bushel basket of other loads to shoot up for the carbine that I loaded 2 years ago.

I get 2" regular all day long at 50 yds. with that Lee 120 grainer. Mostly the Lyman 311359 shoots a little better.

[WineMan]

I was out of town for a couple of weeks. Thanks for all of the replies. I think I will get the LEE 120 GC after reading all of the advice.

Wineman

[mto7464]

GC's are a waste of money is this boolit. Get a plain base one IMHO.

[ra_balke]

Well, I have not used the lee bullet. I was tempted to buy it, but I wanter a flat nose, so for my 30 carbine, I choose lyman 311008.

It casts .314, and I hand lube them, and shoot them at full diameter.

14 gr 296, small pistol primers, and a 1/32 in poly wad .314 diameter, and seat the bullet, cast from ww and quenched.

I get a little fouling on top of the lands, and a very dry lube coated muzzle crown, but in 200 rounds, I have seen no increase in fouling.



I did use this bullet bare naked, ( lubed, but no wad ) and it leaded the works up badly.



I'd guess the velosity with this bullet, and my poly check is 1850 to m1900 fps, and I am very happy with the load.

[oldhickory]

Thinking about a mould for the 30 Carbine and was wondering how the Lee 311-100-2R which I believe is a plain base compares to the 309-113-F and 309-120-R moulds? Gas Checking is not really an issue vs. plain base. Thanks for all of the help in advance.

Wineman

I just bought that Lee mould several weeks ago and cast up a little over a hundred of those fine little bullets, (wheel weight alloy)lubed them with Lyman Orange Magic, loaded them with 12 grs of IMR4227 atop a Winchester small rifle primer and went to the range. They feed reliable in my Underwood 10-42 carbine and group as well as G.I. ball out to 100 yds. For cheap plinking, I would recommend this mould to anyone who takes the time to cast.

[Echo]

I use the Lee 309-120-2R, and have for many moons, with very good results. Groups, not patterns, and 2 1/2-4" at that(@100 yds). Not super, but for Mr Williams' little gem, not bad.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

While I don't own the mold in question, I do have the group buy plain base mold and based on my experience with that, I wouldn't buy a gas check mold for the .30 carbine. The velocity, basically similar to a .357 magnum, doesn't need the gas check, so why spend the money? The plain base are shooting very well for me and giving me the same results as GI ball or better.

Dave

[Newtire]

While I don't own the mold in question, I do have the group buy plain base mold and based on my experience with that, I wouldn't buy a gas check mold for the .30 carbine. The velocity, basically similar to a .357 magnum, doesn't need the gas check, so why spend the money? The plain base are shooting very well for me and giving me the same results as GI ball or better.

Dave

Now what would be the fun of having only one mould Dave?

[WineMan]

OldHickory,

Which of the three LEE moulds do you have?

Wineman

[oldhickory]

OldHickory,

Which of the three LEE moulds do you have?

Wineman

It's the 311-100-2R listed in the LEE on line catalog under pistol molds, .32S&W Long.

(Sorry it took so long to reply, I was looking for loads for the Lyman 311410 and stumbled on this)

[WineMan]

No sweat. I still have not done much on the Carbine project, I got derailed by a couple of K31 Swiss carbines and a M1 Garand shooting a bunch of jacketed slugs. JC Garand matches and metallic silhouette shooting seem to like a bit more copper.

Sorry to say but the casting bug lost out on time vs money: have time but no money or plenty of money but no time. I am sure I will get back into it but the quality of the end product was bad and I have not been able to make enough time to get things right. I know it is probably just a couple of tweeks and good boolits will be the result but after hundreds of misshaped, off center and barrel leading boolits I had to take a step back and figure out what I need to do to have fun. I have several moulds that have not seen a drop of hot lead but winter is coming and more time may be in the future.

I follow the forum everyday and I am sure sometime the secret will come after more work at the melting pot.

Wineman

[oldhickory]

Yep, I know all about the time/money thing! The LEE 311-100-2R, (90301) is a cheap and easy load for the M1 Carbine for short range shooting, no gas check to fuss with and easy on the lead supply. I haven't tried it past 100yds, but with 12.5gr. of IMR4227 it keeps it's shots under 6" at that range, and they feed and function in the Carbine just fine. Now for the time thing, I finally got 2 more molds for the Underwood to mess with, (a Lyman 311410, a LEE 309-120-R) cast some of the Lyman 311410 boolits and even loaded some... Now I have to make range time.

[justwondering01]

Those of you using the 309-120 what COL are you using? I am having trouble with it allowing the bolt to close all the way. When I compare it to bullets I bought from Remmington, which close all the way, it seems that the shape is not as pointy.