Casting for GI M1 Carbine - Am I Asking Too Much?

[308Jeff]

I have quite a bit of 30 Carbine brass. Way more than I have bullets.

What I want is to produce cast bullets, with no gas checks, and jacketed bullet reliability. I plan on PCing (medium blue bullets would look neato in 30 Carbine).

Can it/has it been done?

[rondog]

Paging USSR.......

[lightman]

I use a 130 grain Lyman mold and Unique. Straight wheelweights work fine.

[GONRA]

GONRA suggests you USE GAS CHECKS! These verk Just Fine in M1 and M2 carbines:
119 grain .309 diameter Lyman U311359 cast boolit, 13.5 grains 4227 powder, CCI 400 primers.
Same OAL as GI carbine ammo.
Should able to use most any scrap lead, boolit lube for the boolit....

[georgerkahn]

I agree 110% with GONRA re using Gas Checks!!! In my (Indland) carbine, no matter what the alloy, I do not get the performance I wish sans the GC. I use the Ideal 311-359GC, LYMAN 311359 .30 Carbine 115 grain mould, w/#359 top punch, and LYMAN 311410 130 grain, 2-cavity w/ #467 top punch all with great success.
BEST!
geo

[308Jeff]

Thanks, guys. I suspected I was hoping for too much by skipping the gas checks. I will probably just keep loading FMJs.

[runfiverun]

don't get discouraged so easily.
you just have to think and measure your way through most of these little problems.
I bet it can be done

[Thumbcocker]

The Lyman 130 rn is a plain base designed for the .30 carbine. It worked for me.

[P Flados]

Until recently, gas check were the easiest way to get non-leading bullets for higher perfomance loads.

I had a number of guns that were certain to build up lead any time I shot hot loads with cast bullets.

Since I started PC (ASBB HF Red), I have had no leading problems for lots of full power loads.

The closest I have come to 30 carbine, are my 327 loads. I have pushed 90 & 110 grn bullets to full power with no problems.

I have also pushed PC coated bullets to full power with no leading in 357 mag, 357 Max & 44 mag.

It is my opinion is that the number of guns "requiring" gas checks to get full power are few and far in between.

If you are set up for gas checks and like them, fine. I do not have a check maker and have no interest in paying market prices for these items.

My recommendation is give PC an honest chance before comitting to gas checks or J words.

[308Jeff]

don't get discouraged so easily.
you just have to think and measure your way through most of these little problems.
I bet it can be done

I reckon you're right, good sir.

The Lyman 130 rn is a plain base designed for the .30 carbine. It worked for me.

I like it. Thanks!

Until recently, gas check were the easiest way to get non-leading bullets for higher perfomance loads.

I had a number of guns that were certain to build up lead any time I shot hot loads with cast bullets.

Since I started PC (ASBB HF Red), I have had no leading problems for lots of full power loads.

The closest I have come to 30 carbine, are my 327 loads. I have pushed 90 & 110 grn bullets to full power with no problems.

I have also pushed PC coated bullets to full power with no leading in 357 mag, 357 Max & 44 mag.

It is my opinion is that the number of guns "requiring" gas checks to get full power are few and far in between.

If you are set up for gas checks and like them, fine. I do not have a check maker and have no interest in paying market prices for these items.

My recommendation is give PC an honest chance before comitting to gas checks or J words.

Alright. I'm gonna have at it and see what happens.

Thank you.

[jimb16]

130 gr. lyman plain base and 4227 powder. Has worked great in every carbine I've ever had and I've had more than 25 of them. (I only have 2 right now) I even shot them successfully in the M2 carbine I used to own. Keep the velocity down around 1400-1500 fps and you should be fine.

[308Jeff]

Thank you, Jim!

Is that the 311410?

[15meter]

I use a saeco 254 sized to .310 with (usually) redding green lube in the sizer, shot in 4 different carbines over the years all shot great, no leading and accurate enough for plinking and occasional 100 yard matches. This is a 115 gr., bevel base, round nose design. Loaded with Alliant 2400 to cycle action nicely. I don't have a clue on the velocity. The lead I use is typically "dead guy lead". I bought this lead from an estate a number of years ago with the instructions of "he always used 3 of these big ingots with one of these little ingots". Nice lead that is plenty hard enough to work through the carbine well.

[Larry Gibson]

308Jeff

You can certainly get jacketed bullet reliability with a PB'd cast bullet in your M1 Carbine. However, you will not get jacketed bullet performance.

I have been shooting cast bullets in M1 Carbines (a few M2s also) since '68. I have shot thousands of cast bullets through them. With several GC'd cast bullets I have always gotten better accuracy with 100% reliability at 1850 - 1950 fps than with FMJs. Most often the cast bullets at full performance level (1850 - 1950 fps) even are more accurate or as accurate as the best commercial jacketed bullets. You will not get that level of performance with accuracy using a PB cast bullet. The GC is definitely needed. It is not any more painful to put on a GC than to PC the bullets. The cost isn't much more either.

Larry Gibson

My "shooter" M1 and the 313631 SWC (for the 32 H&R sized .309 and HP'd) loaded at 1975 fps. All 15 of those will stay inside 1 1/2 - 2 moa at 100 yards. For casual shooting the Lyman 311359, RCBS 30-115-SP and the Lee C309-120-R are excellent choices.

Attachment 187956Attachment 187955

[Victor N TN]

Back in the early 1980s, the man that taught me most of what I know about bullet casting, told me that any rifle that used a GAS system to cycle the action needed a gas check. Or be prepared to strip it and clean the entire gas system.

Like I said, this is hear-say from a trusted and pretty smart man. If anyone knows for sure that information is wrong, please let me know or post it here.

Thank you.
Victor

[bstone5]

I have a 117 grain cast bullet sized at .309, the bullets are plain base. The bullets are powder coated and a home made gas check made from cola can material is installed. The bullets will shot with zero lead in the gas system of the M1 Carbine. At a velocity of 1850 the bullets shoot a good group at 100 yards. Use the same bullet in a 308 bolt gun, small ring Mauser, that are loaded with Trail Boss, my 9 year old grand son shoots this gun a lot for plinking, he can go thru ammo fast since there is very little recoil with the Trail Boss load. Always keep several hundred of these bullets available, bullets cast with an automated Master Caster.

[308Jeff]

Thank you, all.

[jimb16]

Yes, 311410. Been shooting that one for years. I size it .309.

[fatelk]

I don't have near the experience as some of these guys, but from what I've seen loading for mine, I'll second what Larry Gibson says about accuracy.

I've been using the Lee 100gr RN pistol bullet, powder coated and pushed to about 1800fps. So far they've been completely reliable, with no trace of leading, but accuracy is nothing to brag about. They're basically minute-of-tin can for my ten year old son.

[beagle]

Why do so many ignore the wealth of information on castpics? Sure, PB bullets will give accuracy comparable to jacketed bullets in the .30 M1 Carbine. See article "Cast Bullets in the .30 M1 Carbine" on castpics./beagle