311284 flat point

[Earl54]

Been playing around with a 311284 single cavity HP mould that was modified in the past(not a factory HP mould). Bored out the HP pin bore to .260 dia and made a flat point pin. The bullet cast is 214 gr -w- GC, have shot a few in my NEF 30/30. Seem to be stable at 50 yds. I intend to work up a load for a new to me Rem pump rifle -w- an 18 inch 10 inch twist 308 barrel. Use will be 100 yard or less shots shots on feral pigs. Is 2000 FPS possible with this bullet in my barrel? Bullet is 1.10 inches long, .311 dia., 214 grains -w- the gas check, .260 dia. flat point. Want the tissue destruction of the flat point, but need the penetration for corner to corner shots on big pigs.

[Larry Gibson]

The weak point on a 311284 for higher velocity is the scraper groove. If the bore ride portion of the nose is a tight slip fit in the bore 2000 fps is entirely possible out of your 18" barrel. I'd use slower burning extruded powders such as 4350, RL19 and H4831SC.

[Earl54]

The weak point on a 311284 for higher velocity is the scraper groove. If the bore ride portion of the nose is a tight slip fit in the bore 2000 fps is entirely possible out of your 18" barrel. I'd use slower burning extruded powders such as 4350, RL19 and H4831SC.

Thank you Larry - my bullet will push in with finger pressure and has no wiggle room, the lands do not engrave the bullet- but they do make marks on the nose. I will try your suggested powders. We are having pig problems in our hunting club and need to thin the herd. I live on the gulf coast of Florida and a long shot in the hammocks is 100yds.

[Larry Gibson]

At 1880 - 2000 fps they should do the trick. Good hunting.....

[Earl54]

Thanks again Larry, count is up to 30 pigs at this point.Ended up using 2400, with my cast bullet, 1700 fps, 1 inch at 50 yds. Have not stopped a bullet yet, even with Texas heart shots. Most shots at 50 to 65 long paces, estimates on weight 60 to 200+ pounds and no lost pigs. Kept the small ones for eating, big smelly ones get the backhoe treatment. Just added 2 more bait stations with traps, going for 50% reduction by mid summer. We will see how it goes (200+ gone by then). Hunting out of 3 old man stands, enclosed, 15 foot elevation,all the comforts of home.

[jaysouth]

No need for a backhoe. Drag them off a ways and the other pigs and buzzards will take care of the dead pigs.

[Earl54]

Finely caught one of my modified 311284 flat points, I shoot to kill what I shoot at,and I watch my background. Yesterday I lined up a shot on a large boar hog and shot him through the shoulders. Did not see the pig on his off side (I was standing on the ground at about 50 yds ), hit the pig through the lungs. Did not mess with the boar, he was smelling kinda bad. Did clean the pig,and when I got done pressure washing her I found a bulge in the hide. Cut out the slug out and it was intact- unfired the bullet is 1.95 inches long, .310 dia., with a .260 dia. flat point. Recovered bullet is .930 long and nose dia. is .416, so I am getting a little expansion.(cast of air cooled wheel weights with 50% stick on wheel weights.) Will get my Daughter to teach me to post pictures so they can be added.

[Mark Daiute]

Thanks again Larry, count is up to 30 pigs at this point.Ended up using 2400, with my cast bullet, 1700 fps, 1 inch at 50 yds. Have not stopped a bullet yet, even with Texas heart shots. Most shots at 50 to 65 long paces, estimates on weight 60 to 200+ pounds and no lost pigs. Kept the small ones for eating, big smelly ones get the backhoe treatment. Just added 2 more bait stations with traps, going for 50% reduction by mid summer. We will see how it goes (200+ gone by then). Hunting out of 3 old man stands, enclosed, 15 foot elevation,all the comforts of home.

how much 2400 are you using?

[mnewcomb59]

Finely caught one of my modified 311284 flat points, I shoot to kill what I shoot at,and I watch my background. Yesterday I lined up a shot on a large boar hog and shot him through the shoulders. Did not see the pig on his off side (I was standing on the ground at about 50 yds ), hit the pig through the lungs. Did not mess with the boar, he was smelling kinda bad. Did clean the pig,and when I got done pressure washing her I found a bulge in the hide. Cut out the slug out and it was intact- unfired the bullet is 1.95 inches long, .310 dia., with a .260 dia. flat point. Recovered bullet is .930 long and nose dia. is .416, so I am getting a little expansion.(cast of air cooled wheel weights with 50% stick on wheel weights.) Will get my Daughter to teach me to post pictures so they can be added.

Your toughest balancing act is an alloy hard enough to give you good accuracy and ride the riflings instead of skidding, but also be soft enough to mushroom at extended ranges. 30 cal is the hardest bore diameter to make effective game bullets that are also accurate. The bullet has too much sectional density and is too long and skinny; the bullet needs too much RPM and rifling twist rate to chuck a 180 grain bullet of any appreciable softness. One thing I can promise is that if you switched to a slow twist .358 rifle, shooting the same speed and same bullet weight, you would have much easier-to-achieve terminal performance. A 30" twist 357 mag rifle can shoot a butter-soft 190 grain bullet at 1800 fps and, with a shallow cup point, still mushroom to 60 caliber at 200 yards. A hard, skinny 30 cal 150-200 grain bullet at a terminal velocity of 1500-1800 fps will always make a smaller wound than a softer 358 cal 150-200 grain bullet at 1500-1800 fps.

Hell, if you pick a bullet weight and speed, lets say 170 grain at 1900 fps, the 30-30 with a gas check and hard lead might still be less accurate than the 357 (same velocity and bullet weight) while the 357 is using 10 BHN lead and no gas check. Put the gas check on the 357 and at 1900 fps at 100 yards, I guarantee the 357 will be more accurate 4 out of 5 times. There is really no comparison. The 357 kills deer like a jacketed 30-30 load, and a lead bullet 30-30 is a notch below the 357.