7.62x51 NATO (.308 WCF) in the Springfield M1A

[Gunload Master]

Make it civil or a good thread gets locked. All there is too it.

[cga]

1. Very doubtful that anyone on that site would ever consider shooting cast in their M1A / M-14. so they wouldn't know about the undesired situation of having the base of the bullet below the case neck ,And 2. Mention trying to shoot cast bullets in an M1A /M-14 on that site and one would be ridiculed and compared to the Anti Christ

I'm a member there, and you would find that there is some interest in cast bullets. Although the topic rarely comes up. The last time it came up, I sent them here.

I have used the old Ideal 311299, cast to weigh 200g. by adding tin based babbitt to wheel weights. Right now I'm using a Lyman 311332-BX (what ever the BX means) cast to weigh 180g, size at .308.5, and now .309. Gas check is slightly below the neck. Using Fed.match primers, 24.0g IMR4227, VooDoo lubed, W/W brass as a starting point. This is shot at 200 yards, at a steel plate, for something different to do during the snowy season.

Rifle is a new M1A standard, bedded, match sights, gas system shimmed, and the trigger reduced to 4.0lbs. I have not shot this one at paper yet with lead bullets.

The 311299 Ideal gets used in a S/S Savage M12-308, 03-A3 heavy barrel 30-06 and a Rem. 700 varmit syn. in .308. In the .308's I use 21.5g IMR 4227. The 30-06, I don't remember right now.

[Wayne S]

Keep an eye on NOE's classifieds, there should be a 311331 GB extra's on there soon, which is close in length and bearing surface to the 311299. WHAT size steel disks at 200 ??

[cga]

Thanks for the tip on the 311331.

18'' in dia. x 2 1/4'' thick. 100 yards short of where it's supposed to be.(heavy) Mostly let new (to shooting) people shoot the 50 BMG bolt guns at it. Plus youngsters.
The .50AP never went through it, but the steel core is fully embedded.

Match loads for the M1A hit point of aim at 200, but the lead load listed, aimed at the center, went over the top of the steel. ?? Had to use the 6 o'clock hold to hit it.

[kavemankel]

Had a norinco m14 that i used to shoot cast out of and it was quite accurate with a 165 sil load.

[10mmShooter]

These are some of my cast lead bullets with gc's for my M1a, this is the mock up bunch just to check specs and see how they function. They are from my NOE 311 -155gf FN-GC mold sized to .311. Should be a nice inexpensive alternative for plicking at 100-200 yards. They weigh 160.5 grains on average dressed out with lube and gc

[Wayne S]

Nice looking bullets, lube ? be sure to report back with loads & groups

[gvanzeggelaar]

Does anyone have a problem with accuracy going south after you barrel heats up. I have a Norinco I am trying cast bullets in. Also is a powder like H322 a good choice. The reason I am asking is because I have a whole bunch of W735 surplus powder which is similar to H322.

[Wayne S]

I've got one of the "loaded" from SA, in the "tupperwear" stock. I shoot 10 shot groups, and get two or three fliers, BUT they come random in the test string.
As to the W735/H332 it is # 68 on my burn rate chart, I use AA 2230 which is # 70 on the chart. so you be the judge.
I just found a jug of H 332,after the 2230 test I'll try the H332 and see how it does with the 200 Gn. casts.
Ain't it always something

[FrankG]

Wow !! That was a long but very good read !! Just recently got a SA M1A/M14 and was wondering about cast in it . Now I have a starting point . Give me some fun time in loading room till weather warms up !

Thanks for the great info BruceB !!

[10mmShooter]

Hey Guys,

Well here as some of my mock up rounds I used these for function testing in my M1A cartridges are 2.600-2.605 in overall length as I mentioned in my previous post they weigh in at 160-161. I loaded them up in a mag and cycled them through the weapon to confirm they are dimensionally sound I was a little concerned that with LC brass my loaded rounds are .340 at the neck with the .311 size bullet which is correct for brass thats .0145 thick, I also ran them though my taper crimp die just to make sure the necks were uniform and make sure there was no bell left in brass from expanding the neck with my Lyman M die. I verified that the bullets are still snug in the neck no set back at all after chambering from a magizne(honestly they appear snugger than my 168SMK when I seat them, I think the lead my actually grab a bit tighter, than the copper jacketed 168SMKs. Im going to load up about 12 grains of Green Dot and fire them at roughly 1500fps and cycle the bolt manually just to confirm everything is good, want to make sure I have no leading at the lower velocity.

If everything checks out, I'll move up to the a real load of IMR 4895 at 28 grains and see if she cycles, otherwise I'll go to 29 grain. I really hope to I dont have to go to 30grs to get it to cycle because I'll be likely at nearly 1900 fps at that point. Oh yeah I plan to use no filler at this point. Im only going to be shooting at 150 yrds.

any pointers would be helpful...I would like know what charge weight of IMR4895 you guys are using for lead rounds??? to get proper cycling(currently I need stick with IMR 4895)

I laid them on the scanner to scan thats why the look a little funny.

[suedeiceland12]

I look hard to the barrel and saw no visible leading. The outside of the suppressor can sometimes tell us a face of gun, but in this case I found it totally clean, without gray wash
Springfield Locksmith

[HABCAN]

LEE CTL160-2R, COWW w/d, GC, LLA, sized .311 crimped LEE F/C die, 24.0 grs. IMR4198 NO filler, CCI 200.......nice accurate midrange load, very mild recoil, cycles Norrie action. I'm happy.

Edited to add: some friends' rifles would not cycle with this charge, so 'we' upped it to the LEE 2.2cc scoop (27.8 grs.) and they all work dandy.

[drmellow]

Greetings,
I was hoping somebody had a good recipe for 311291 using Varget, IMR4895, Unique and #2400 for the SA M1A. I've read through the entire thread and althought some of these powders were used to different degrees of results, none of these were used with the 311291 (170 gr round nose). Thanks

[Steve Marshall]

Brand new here. I just read this thread and most of my questions were answered. Nice. I still have a few though.
# 1 Is it mandatory to use gas checks in the M1A?
# 2 Is there a place where I can find ballistic co-efficients for various cast bullets?
# 3 Is there a slow "max" re. powder in the M1A? (I have about 40 pounds of H-870?
# 4 Is there a fast "min" re. powder in the M1A? (I have about 100 pounds of SRB-118, a powder offered by Accurate about 15 years ago)

My plan is to find a load that will shoot 4 minute PBR out to 300 yards, preferably without gas checks.
For what it's worth, I spent about 3 hours browsing this site and was frankly amazed at the wealth of knowledge and patience evinced with even , to me, foolish/newby/quarrelsome questions. My only concern with this site is why it took so long for me to sign on. Even though I've cast not a single bullet, I am certain this will change in the very near future.

[HABCAN]

Welcome Steve!! Now, if you had a lot of 4227 or 4198, I could give you some very nice loads for the M1A that work in mine and friends'....with gas checks tho'. Anyway, again, WELCOME!
RCBS posts BC's in their Handbook, and LEE shows them in their catalogue illustration. I don't know about others.

[BSalty]

I want to thank BruceB for this thread. It is the reason I finally registered here after a LONG time of lurking. And 10mmShooter for dragging me back here from the M14 board with this thread and offering advice on which boolit mold to look for. I figured this was as good a place as any to make it my first post here.

[Wayne S]

Welcome Steve!! Now, if you had a lot of 4227 or 4198, I could give you some very nice loads for the M1A that work in mine and friends'....with gas checks tho'. Anyway, again, WELCOME!
RCBS posts BC's in their Handbook, and LEE shows them in their catalogue illustration. I don't know about others.

A few of Lyman designs
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ghlight=311299

[Wayne S]

Does anyone have any info on the BC of Saeco's # 311 a TC 165 gn and the # 301 [old RG-4] another TC that goes about 195 gn. This one will require really deep seating due to it's nose being .301+

[fixit156]

First off thanks for all the info that Bruce and others have shared on this thread. I starting to load cast bullets for my Grand, M1A, and my 1903 A3.i Have made bunch of 311299 bullets. But I’m having trouble in seating them with the dies I have. The dies that I have are rcbs for 30-06 and a froster bench rest die for the 308. The bullets are getting stuck in the seater plug of the die. I had no trouble when I use hornady 168 jacketed bullets. So I think have to change the seater plug. I can’t seem to find one for this bullet. What do you people use? Thanks for any help you can give.