Was out testing a load in my 300 BO today. This load is close to pure lead cast form a NOE HTC312-137-RN mold and powder coated with a thin coat of grey. I have both gas check and plain base. My goal is two fold. One to get as soft a bullet as I can that will shoot 1-2 inch groups at 100 yards with a gas check and also find out how hard the lead needs to be to shoot that same load with a plain base. I am using 18.5g of CFE Black as this load is running about 1850 fps and is showing promise with the gas check bullets. I have attached a picture showing a bullet captured in a milk jug test. The bullet was found in the fourth milk jug and weighed approximately 127 grains. You can see what appears to me to be cutting on the base of the bullet. My next test will be with 50PL/50WW. I am hoping this tightens up my grouping with the gas checks while keeping good expansion. Not sure if this will be hard enough to prevent gas cutting with a plain base bullet.