Thinking of casting for some old warhorses

[asmith80]

So I have quite a few old military rifles that I haven't shot for a while due to the fact that ammo is so hard to find for some of them. Now that I've been casting for a little while, I feel like I could get off my butt and do something about that.

Ideally I'd like one mold (or maybe two) that I could use for all these old rifles. If I could get away with sizing the same bullet in a variety of sizes to meet each caliber I feel like that'd make my life a lot easier.

So here's a partial list of some of the rifles I'd like to cast for, and if I could get any recommendations for them I'd appreciate it. I'm not planning on doing anything impressive with these rifles, not competitions or anything, just punching holes in paper every once in a while.

M1 Garand
M1 Carbine
Type 99 Arisaka
k98 Mauser
k31 Swiss
Lee-Enfield

thanks in advance!

[iron brigade]

M1 Garand
34 grains of IMR 4895
.5 grain of dacron
311334 sized to .311
Carnuba blue lube
CCI primer
Just got home from shooting this load. 5 out of 8 were in 3/4". I have tried quite a few different loads in my M1, but this shoots the best.
Only thing I don't like is the single cavity mold.
Load functions perfectly

[koehn,jim]

The mi garand and carbine use different weight bullets the k31 and mi could possibly use the same bullet sized different. Most Lee Enfield I have cast for needed a bullet to big for the garand, The mauser is 8mm or is it one of the old 7mm. If you get the 314299 bullet you might be able to use it in the Garand, Lee-Enfield and maybe the k31, it would depend on the bore diam. of each. Hope this helps some, there are more knowledable people who may speak up.

[charles1990]

You can buy Lee molds for all that will work just fine for your needs.

Tumble lube them, no need to size or gas checks.

M-1 and carbine will be hand operated.

Unique will work fine.

KISS applies ! (keep it simple smart guy)

[asmith80]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Can I get a copy of the 314299 from Accurate or NOE?

[curator]

asmith80,
BEFORE buying bullet moulds, make a throat slug for each gyn. Bore diameter is less important than the diameter of the throat where the chamber meets the rifling. Boolits need to be no less than .001" smaller than the throat or you are pretty much wasting time and powder. Probably you will need a different mould for each rifle. You MIGHT get away with using the same boolit in the Lee Enfield and the Arisaka M99 as they both usually have similar bore diameters (.315-.316.) Depending on the throat diameter on your Garand, the 311299 or 314299 Lyman may work for you. The Lee .323/175 mould works well in most M98 8mm rifles if it is not too worn. The lee .30-180 mould will probably work with your K31 Swiss as these rifles have really tight bores and were well cared for before being exported. The M1 Carbine may give you fits, but nose shape is important for feeding and gas checks almost always needed for any accuracy. Don't fall into the "one size fits all" trap and waste money and time in frustration.

[EMC45]

For the K98 I like the Lee 175gr. RN GC bullet. It works nicely.

[koehn,jim]

noe makes a copy of the 314299 and their molds are top rate. Excellent quality.

[runfiverun]

the 314 is well suited to the 7.65 argie round.

the K-31 has a completely different throat/bore/groove dimensions than any of the others you mention, it will like a silhouette design.

[asmith80]

SO it looks like I'm looking at at least two molds to cover most of these rifles. The more I'm reading about the M1 carbine I'm thinking it's enough of a strange beast that it's something I'll have to work on separately.

That leaves a mold for the Garand and the k31 and one that could work in the m99 and the enfield. I'll probably wait on getting something for the mauser when I get some more time and funds.

I saw this on the NOE website, says it's specially designed for the k31, but I was thinking if it worked well in that, it could probably be easy to make work in the Garand. Thoughts?

[guicksylver]

Don't be in such a hurry to throw the M1 carbine aside..it's probably the most fun gun to shoot and just loves lyman's 311359 or NOE'S equ. https://www.buffaloarms.com/311-115-...359-lym2660359 over an appropriate load of 2400 .

And it's the easiest to load !!

[asmith80]

Oh I'm not abandoning the carbine by any means, I just meant I'm putting it on the back burner until I can get setup for some of these other rifles. Out of all the rifles I own, my AK SBR and my Rock-Ola carbine are the ones I enjoy shooting the most

[Went2kck]

Watch the K31 it has a very shallow throat. I have to seat them deeper than normal on most bullets i cast and use. I also have the noe mold designed for the K31. Seams to work very well in mine.

[Outpost75]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Can I get a copy of the 314299 from Accurate or NOE?

NOE clone of #314 is my "go-to" bullet for any .30 cal. or "near .30". The larger diameter forepart really helps in worn bores.

I lube only and crimp on GC without sizing in a .315" die for my .303s, having honed a Lee .314" up to size.

In .30-'06s with worn throats and bores, I size .312", which is about the max you can go in USGI brass and have adequate neck release clearance.

In commercial .30-'06s, Winchester Model 70 and 54 with tighter, less worn barrels I size .3105-.311" and they fit and chamber a bit snug, but shoot wonderfully!

For gallery, small game, youth training load I cast from wheelweights, no GC, tumble in Lee Liquid Alox and load 5.0-7.2 grains of Bullseye, depending upon accuracy results in the subject rifle, I generally use 600 yard dope on military sights to shoot on at 100 yards on the SR1.

For 200-yard military-bolt matches I use wheelweight alloy, but gascheck the bullets, load 15-16 grs. of Alliant #2400, same 600-yard sight dope.

For deer hunting use 1:4 linotype/wheelweights and 30 grains of either IMR4895, IMR4064, RL15 or Varget, approximates .303 Savage ballistics and I use the same powder charge in .30-40 Krag, .303 British and .30-'06. Use 1 grain WEIGHED of Dacron filler tucked in loosely under bullet to take up free airspace.

To function in the Garand I use 50-50 linotype and wheelweights. and start at 36 grs. of the above powders, increasing charge as needed to get reliable function. In a new CMP rebuild with stiff new springs which have not been "run in" you may need to go as high as 40 grains to get reliable function. I also use 1.0 grain Dacron filler unless using the full 40 grain charge, which is accurate and uniform without it (about 2000 fps.)

[Shiloh]

All I shoot in my relics are cast boo;its.

SHiloh

[TCLouis]

I have had relatively stock Type 99 and a Sporterized version and used my 150 grain RCBS RNFNGC 30 cal boolits sized to .311' in both.
May you be so lucky also.

Type 99s and SMLEs can really vary in bore dimensions.