First Boolits in the 308 Win

[zardoz]

Only been doing this casting and reloading thing for a little over 3 years now. Started with the 45ACP, and branched out into a multitude of pistol calibers with cast boolits.

Later, I went with 45-70 rifle, and got a Sharps 50-90 a few months ago, and cast for those.

Today, was my first venture into the 308 Winchester cartridges with cast. I had been building experience with other things, but the 308 sort of presented a mental hurdle for me. I leaped that hurdle today with flying colors.

Alloy was water dropped wheel weights, with about 2% added tin. The mould was the Lee C309-180-R. Hornady gas checks pressed on by sizing to .309" in a Lee push through.

Some Lake City 99 once-fired tumbled, trimmed, deburred, and primed with CCI 200's, was the brass. I used a Lyman M die to expand just so the gas check fit in the necks.

I used straight LLA for lube, and double coated. Left to dry for quite a few days, and dusted with a little mica.

Powder, was Unique. 15.5 grains, metered out of the Lee Auto-disk. I think I checked those cases and powder weight 3 times, before I put the boolits in (very afraid of double charges).

Seated to 2.705" +/- .002", checked over 10 rounds. Used a Lee collet crimp die to just close the M die flare.

Gosh, I was skeptical. Very skeptical. I thought probably be lucky to hit the broad side of an aircraft hangar at 100 yards, and lead up my Savage Axis barrel.

Oh how I was proven wrong. Didn't even have to re-adjust my scope. Just as accurate, if not more so, than any other 308 cartridges I've shot, and a lot less recoil. No leading at all ( I made sure to get my copper fouling completely out before doing this). Didn't use a chrono today, but guessing I was at about 1700 fps. Now I'm wondering about new possibilities.

It has been a great day. Thanks to you all at Cast Boolits.

[dbarnhart]

Thanks for the info. I am a ways behind you on the same path.

[Topper]

Unique has been a great powder in my 30-06 using same mold.
I only use 14 grains and will shoot an inch groups @ 100yds if I do my part.

[Centaur 1]

I don't have a .308, but it falls right between my 30-30 and 30-06. I shoot the Ranch dog boolit designed for the 30-30 in both calibers, with gas check and lube it weighs 174grains. I tried a bunch of different powders, but when I tried Reloader 7 the results were great. All of a sudden my cast boolits were hitting the same spot as factory loads and my group size was smaller than any of my previous tries with my cast boolits.

[MtGun44]

Well done. I prefer conentional lube to LLA, but clearly LLA does work for many in the
correct situation, and has the big advantage of no cost for lubrisizer.

Great to hear of your success.

Only one problem - Don't you know that this is all impossible? I have heard it many
times from 'experts' that you will lead the barrel and have no accuracy with lead bullets in
rifles, so it must be impossible.

Bill

[Wolfer]

Mtgun44
I do know it's impossible. But in my old wore out 760 in 30-06 with the Lyman 311041 pushed by 20 grs of 2400 I see a lot of three shot groups under an inch. I know it's just a fluke but I'm just stubborn I guess.

[Rayc384]

I am interested in the shooting you did with the Axis in .308. I had mine out at the range and got about 4 good groups, then everything opened up. I figured leading,but I did not find anything. I was shooting Lasercast 170 gr. with a gascheck over 28 grains of H4895. I have loaded a few with 26 grains of H4895 and ran the sized bullets (.310) through some Rooster liquid lube. Hopefully, will try them later this week.

[rintinglen]

Don't be too worried about using LLA--doing just as you describe; i.e. two medium weight coatings lightly dusted with an anti-stick agent, I have gone to 2300 FPS with minimal leading. At lower velocities such as you are using, I get none and the accuracy is equal to or better than factory.
I have loaded many thousands of 30-30s for use in lever action Silhouette competition and have found that LLA works very well and is much quicker to apply. That becomes an issue when you are loading 400 + rounds a month.

The major hazard is that this is a very addictive hobby that is so inexpensive that you soon find that you have spent hundreds of dollars on molds, lead, primers, powder, loading manuals. "Just think of all the money you'll save."