Loading Lee C312-185-1R for my M-38

[DVacek]

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OK. I have cast some nice Lee C312-185-1R. The have be lubed with LLA, Size with a Lee Sizer .311 with gas check. I am going to use Harris's "The Load", i.e. 13 grain of Red Dot. I used 50% wheel weights and 50% linotype with the bullet dropped immediately into water.

I have 2 questions.
1.What should be my overall length? If I crimp on the first groove the OAL is around 2.9". On the second groove it is about 2.7".

2. How much crimp is suggested?

[dromia]

Welcome to Cast Boolits DVacek

I'd seat the boolit out as far as possible, ideally touching or a thou' or so off the lands.

That really depends on your throat however, if there is much wear or it is generous by design then you may never be able reach the lands, taking a throat/chamber/rifling slug/cast will tell you all you need to know.

The boolit needs to fill the throat area as much as possible, good boolit fit is the key to accurate shooting.

Also OAL is determined by whether you want to feed from the magazine or not, too long a cartridge and it won't fit the magazine

I don't crimp my cast boolits unless it is required for under lever actions or such like.

For the load/velocity you are shooting at the boolits don't need to be so hard. I'd try them with straight wheel weights, you might save yourself the lino type and a the water quenching step.

At the end of the day only shooting your rifle and load can tell you what works in your rifle.

[beemer]

Have you sluged the bore of the M-38. I have that mould and it drops .314, I use a .314 sizer to crimp the GC and leave the boolit unsized. The boolit is best if it is 1 or 2 thousands oversize. Most Russian rifles I have seen are .312 or larger but you never know. I use about 1/3 lino and 2/3 ww for most of my shooting but I probably shoot the a little harder.It works fine and saves the hard to find lino.

Welcome!

beemer

[Craig67]

Max OAL is 3.037 as per "Modern Reloading", so I would try try 2.9 first checking for pressure signs and accuracy, then try 2.7.

I loaded those same bullets in my M44 to 3.035 over 27 to 30 grains for IMR 4895. The heavier charges shot closer to POA @ 50 yds. Bullets were sized to .311.

Craig