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Thread: 311291 lyman

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    triggerhappy243's Avatar
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    311291 lyman

    a friend is looking for a mold to cast for his 30-30. would this 311291 be a good choice or is there better?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master waco's Avatar
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    Lots of good flat nose options over at the NOE bullet mold site. Accurate molds also.
    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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  3. #3
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    The 311291 was designed for the 30-30.
    It is a good choice....dale

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    It's a good choice, as is the 311041. I have the Noe version.

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    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I have a winchester 94 made in 1970. Its got a short throat. The 311291 will NOT chamber in my rifle. It would chamber if it was seated deep, over the front driving band... but thats not cool with me. The 31141 will chamber however in my rifle. In both the NOE version and the original lyman version.

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    I have an old IDEAL#308291 1cav that cast from #2 drops at .3095, it pops out of the sizer at .3085. I crimp in the crimp groove and it chambers in my 1982 94 Top Eject and Handi-Rifle easily. The LYMAN #311041 2cav that I bought as a replacement in 2006 drops it's bullets at .311, it sizes at .309 from the same .308 sizer. If I crimp in the crimping groove it chambers HARD in the model 94. I have to crimp over the top of the front driving band. I can crimp it in the groove for the Handi-Rifle, and it chambers easily.

    I've never done a chamber cast for either rifle. Lots of different CUTTING CHERRIES in 70+ years.
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    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Walks, thanks for sharing, thats interesting; backwards of mine.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master Maven's Avatar
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    th243, The answer may depend on whether you have "normal," e.g. Win. 94, Ballard, or Microgroove (Marlin/Remlin) rifling and type of action (bolt, lever, single shot) too. My Marlin #336 (Microgroove) didn't shoot #311291, #311041, or #311284 especially well; i.e., accurate enough for deer @ 50 yd., but not much better than 4 m.o.a. overall. OTOH, Saeco #315, the Lee 113gr. "soup can", and Ly. #311466 shot to 2 m.o.a. at the very least, and often much better. Btw, I sized all CB's to .310" for that rifle.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
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    311291 is a very old Ideal design, well over 100 years old. As noted it was designed for the 30-30 and it does very well in that caliber. It also does very well in a numberof other 30 caliber rifles, including the 30-06.

    Over the years there has been a big variety of specs as Lyman's cherrys wore out and were replaced. I have about a half dozen 2 cavity molds and a four cavity in this bullet. I like it allot.

    While you don't want to use a sharp nose bullet in a tubular magazine, a blunt round nose like 311291 will never present a problem. The 30-30 does not generate enough recoil to set off a primer with such a nose. The early factory 30-30 ammo had a similar blunt nose design.
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    I have a winchester 94 made in 1970. Its got a short throat. The 311291 will NOT chamber in my rifle. It would chamber if it was seated deep, over the front driving band... but thats not cool with me. The 31141 will chamber however in my rifle. In both the NOE version and the original lyman version.
    Winchester and Marlin leverguns in 30-30 are notorious for having very little, if any leade/throat/free bore. Often it is nothing more than a bevel at the chamber end of the barrel. You can either put a throat there with a throating reamer of just bullet a bullet that has no full diamter portion sticking out of the case mouth. There are several good designs out there.
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    A $20 Lee 170 gr FN mould is another option, it chambers and shoots well in my 94, whereas the 311291 doesn't.

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    I already have this 311291 mold. I cast up a hand full with some of my range scrap. they sure did come out purty. What dia. should these be in order to shoot as cast?

  13. #13
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    One thing to check is fitment of the bore riding portion of the boolit in the firearm in question. My old Savage 219 never shot the 311291 particularly well, and I had two different Lyman molds I tried. One day I noticed how loose the bore riding section fit in the muzzle. I got in on one of the old LEE group buys of the same design, and they cut the nose on them a little fatter, a perfect fit in my Savage. As a result, 50 yard groups went from around 1.5-2", down to around 1/2" on average, a night and day difference.

  14. #14
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    I've used the #311291 and #311041 in '94 Win. .30-30s. These bullets work well and accurate loads can be developed with them. However, after discovering the RCBS 30-180-FN twenty-five or thirty years ago, I could see little need for the Lyman designs unless you like the lighter weights. The RCBS version, cast of ww alloy weighs close to 190 grains and is as accurate as the Lyman designs. For hunting use with a .30 caliber cast bullet, I think any extra weight is certainly an asset.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master Jack Stanley's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=triggerhappy243;4472734]I already have this 311291 mold. I cast up a hand full with some of my range scrap. they sure did come out purty. What dia. should these be in order to shoot as cast?[/QUOTE/


    If they are a slip fit into a fired case they should be just fine . If you have difficulty chambering a round you may need to size . The Marlin I had would easily use .310" diameter .

    Jack
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  16. #16
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    My 311291 throws a .301 nose and will not chamber in any one of my 4-30-30's. It shoots MOA at 100 out of 3 30-06's I have. great boolit if it fits. 311041 will chamber in two rifles,crimped in the crimp groove, and two require crimping about half way up on the front driving band. Trim the cases to the short trim length sometimes helps. As far as sizing goes, .310 and .311 do best for me in both Winchester and Marlin.
    Tony

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by triggerhappy243 View Post
    I already have this 311291 mold. I cast up a hand full with some of my range scrap. they sure did come out purty. What dia. should these be in order to shoot as cast?
    I've shot numerous 311291 bullets cast from old and new Lyman moulds, including my own 311291 mould which I've had since the late '60s, and never had a chambering problem when seated and crimped in the crimp groove of properly trimmed 30-30 cases. I suggest you simply load a couple dummy cartridges with your 311291s and try them in the said 30-30 rifle to see if they chamber.

    I've always sized 311291s at .311 for use in most 30 cals including 30-30s. If your 30-30 is a Winchester or Marlin sizing at .311 would be my 1st choice. However, I do have a Contender Carbine barrel with a very tight chamber. When using Federal (FC) cases I have to size the bullets at .310 to chamber but with Winchester cases .311 sized bullets chamber.
    Larry Gibson

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  18. #18
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    The Lyman 311291 sized to .309 and lubed with NRA 50/50 shoots awesome out of my 14" Contender...dale

  19. #19
    Boolit Master LAH's Avatar
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    My M94 takes a .300 nose. A .301 will chamber but with difficultly.

  20. #20
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    I have two of these Lyman 311-291, which as you know is a 170 grain, Gas Check mould, using a #465 top punch in the Lyman 450 lub sizer. I have a few firearms in both .30WCF as well as .30 Remington, and this bullet fits and works fairly well in both calibers. I size to .310, fyi -- and, *I* use an even thirty grains of IMR 3031 powder in all. I apologize as not being able to recall the "brand" of gas checks, as they are now in a zip-lock bag with only diameter labeled -- but, I'd guess them to be old Lyman or Hornady brand.
    Regardless, imho, yes -- you can probably do better than this loading... but for me? I'm quite content with it!
    geo

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check