311041PB disappointment in .30-06

[Patrick L]

This is the first time Ihave experienced a disappointment with any of the many GBs I've gotten in on.

The 311041 PB we did last summer, which does SO well in my iron sighted .30-30 carbine, positively sucked eggs in my 03A3. In the carbine, unsized/LLA has given me darn near 2 1/2 inches at 100 yds for my best efforts, and this is with iron sights mind you. In the 03A3, with the same boolit and 16 gr of 2400, it would not hold the paper of a B8 repair center (my normal 100 yd target since the black is very close in size to an SR1.) The paper is about 10x12 inches. Just to make sure it was not the rifle suddenly going south, I took my normal highpower load of a 196 SAECO over 18 gr of 2400 and put 5 shots in about 2 inches, which is fairly typical for this gun (iron sights as well.) All shooting was 100 yds, slung & prone.

Oh well, its still a swell .30-30 boolt, and perhaps a bit of tinkering will get it to shoot in the 03s. I keep hearing what a great .30-06 boolit the 311041 is, but it never has been for me, in either this PB version, or the GB GC version we did, or my original Lyman GC version.

[leadman]

The Lyman GC version is o.k. in either of my 03A3s, but there are better boolits in them.

[Larry Gibson]

Patrick

16 gr 2400 is under the starting load for a cast bullet of that weight in the '06. It may not be burning efficiently. Also if your 30-30 is a Winchester it has a 12" twist and the '06 has a 10" twist. Might not appear to be a lot of differences but they add up. I suggest you try 6 to 8 gr of Bullseye under that bullet in 1/2 gr increments. Velocity will be low so start at 50 yards to get the sight settings down before moving to 100 yards. PB cast bullets of that weight range always shoot well for me with such a load in my '03s.

Larry Gibson

[MtGun44]

2.5" at 100 is bad???

Most 03A3s will just about make that or a touch better with best loads with jacketed.

Bill

[Bob Krack]

Bill,
Looks like Patrick said 2-1/2 inches in the .30-30 but not able to stay on paper with the 03A3. He had been used to shooting 2 inches with a different boolit and a different load in the 03A3.

Bob

[Leftoverdj]

I never have any luck with PB bullets until I drop the pressure (and velocity) way down. I'd try something like 8 grains of Unique.

If we could shoot PB bullets at GC velocities, we would not use GCs.

[jimkim]

Did y'all ever do a group buy on an Ideal 308241? They shoot good in just about anything.

[MtGun44]

Yikes. I need to read closer.

My bad.

Thanks, Bob.

Bill

[Patrick L]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I have Bullseye and Green Dot on hand, so if I get around to it maybe I'll give them a try.

However, what I find interesting here is that even in its GC form, the 311041 has never shot worth beans in this gun. In addition to the plainbase, I have the group buy GC version we did last summer, as well as my real Lyman 2 holer.

[Groo]

Groo here
I read somewhere that 03a3's had a sweet spot when shooting cast bullets..
the powder was not as important as the bullet speed ,fast enough to stablize slow enough
not to over stress the bullet.
The shooter said the mark for his rifle [a 2 grove barrel war barrel] was about 1725 fps.
Suggest a different powder to fill more of the case-or filler and mabe increase the speed.

[-06]

JimKim, checked some prices on Ideal moulds and they were extremely higher than other brands--why?? By the way, I shot my '03 for 15+ years deer hunting/plinking until patterns got to 8" at 200 yds. Parked it for a 77-again in '06 of course, wc

[seabreeze133]

I have the 311041 PB mold that I bought on the GB and loaned to my brother until now. He tried it w/straight linotype w/a weight of 150 gr and could not make it shoot. He is an experienced caster/shooter but just dropped it. Wonder if the bullet is to light for the length. Would like a 100 yd round.

I have a bunch of the linotype boolits at 150 gr and am looking for advice on making them shoot. I have ww LRP and LPP primers, 2495, some 335, 4064, lots of 4759 and 4227, unique, bullseye, WST, WSF and Red Dot. Also plenty of WW that I could cast w/ and maybe melt the lino boolits in to aid casting. What would be the sweet spot velocity wise?

Rifle is a 1903A3 w/fresh Rem bbl cut to 21.5", Redfield receiver sight w/target knobs and Thompkins globe front w/level.Trigger is excellent 2 stage military. New Dupage stock and forged trigger housing. Does not need glass bedding at this point, but have a sporterized C stock that is glass bedded and w/8 # up pressure at forend that I could use to test loads.

Not going to restore as it has been drilled/tapped for scope and for the Redfield. Rifle has been in the family since the $10 DCM days (1956).

Help please.

seabreeze


Went to the range today and tried a few loads w/the above referenced boolits before the rains came. Best results were w/11.1 gr Unique, WLR primers, boolet sized to .313+, and well used R-P brass. Grouped.32 x .63 5 shots at 25 yds. 25 as the 100 yd range is shut down for repairs. Will do more testing and check velocity when I can get to brothers house as he has the chronograph.
Guess is the velocity is in the 1250 fps range. If so, may have the 100 yd load I am looking for.

Shot some w/heavier loads of 4759, RL7 and IMR4227 but did not group well.

seabreeze

[Doc Highwall]

Patrick, what size are you sizing your bullets and what size is your expander? If I recall correctly the 196 SAECO is a gas check bullet, and your problem might be that you are sizing down the plain base bullet when it is being seated, in which a slightly larger expander for the plain base will help.