Yeah, I get the knee thing too. I'll limp a bit for a week or so sometimes if I do too much. But the thing that really hammered home that I'm getting old is the readers. I've never needed glasses, and my vision is still great at any distance over about 8 inches from my face, but up close I just can't make my eyes focus anymore. Doesn't help that the kids all call them my "old man glasses." I get em back, though. "Walk the trash cans down the 100 yard, gravel driveway, I'm too old."
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Hi I've been playing with some cast loads in 303 for my sporterized No1 Mk111 Lithgow. I have worked up a load getting me 2150fps with more than acceptable accuracy and no leading. The rifle has an Indian replacement barrel is fitted with a Vortex Viper 2-7x32 scope
The mould is an Accurate Mold 31-185J it is casting a .316" diameter boolit weighing 185gr dressed with a copper gas check
This is around the group size I can get some a little better but I'm happy with them for a light barreled SMLE
Last edited by smlekid; 07-17-2021 at 06:31 AM. Reason: add mould number
My eye sight past my arms is fine, up close, they just refuse to focus, i use my phone to zoom in and my wife whinges at me to go get glasses, she has had glasses since she was 13, without them she is blind as a bat at anything past her nose. She can read fine, but everything else is a blur.
Smlekid - nice job on working up a load and cast that works so well, really nice setup there. What are you sizing at? i thought .303 likes .311?
this particular barrel slugged at .315" so I size to .316". I have several 303's that range from .312" (a No5) to .315" (this No1) they average around .314" so I generally size to .316"
I think that flat nose Bollits should cause a bit of blunt force trauma on any thing it hits
By the way have you ever tried Pain away for your knee I love the stuff
Last edited by smlekid; 07-17-2021 at 06:55 AM.
Wow, that's a fair bit over what i expected, but i know each barrel is different, but that is quite a bit bigger.
Oh yeah, whatever you tag with that flat nose is going to have a real bad day, especially at that speed, it won't get up in a hurry.
I haven't tried it, i may need to give it a go. It's not usually bad, only when i'm kneeling for long periods of time it can hurt for a few days, not usually this long. I laid about 1,300 bricks 2 weeks ago, after the first course of 250, i needed a break, my knees were so very cranky, but the day after was ok, not great but i could walk.
smlekid, I remember as a kid that just about every home had one of those leaning behind the door or hanging on the wall. My child hood memories are of my Grandad's and thinking how we would go hunt Tigers in Afica with it when I grew up. ( yes I know Tigers are not from Africa but I was only 5 or 6 ) By the way that is a nice example you have. regards Stephen.
While I work at it, it is by God's grace that it happens. So it is best I ask him what, how and when before I start..
I killed my first deer at age 15 with my Dad's .303 and I still have the .303, Yes, lots of memories.
Smlekid,
Need to mount a scope on it like yours. These old eyes can't do much at 100 yards with irons. Also like that wood cheek riser. I've never seen one on a .303 sporter.
What is the round piece of brass near the butt?
Last edited by Avenger442; 07-22-2021 at 06:12 AM.
While I work at it, it is by God's grace that it happens. So it is best I ask him what, how and when before I start..
The cheek riser is a reproduction sniper cheekrest for a No1 Mk111 HT. On this rifle it sits perfectly throw the rifle to your shoulder and your looking right through the scope. Thr brass disc is a unit marking disc this one was blank so I had my initials engraved on to it
While I work at it, it is by God's grace that it happens. So it is best I ask him what, how and when before I start..
Who on this thread has experience with moderate to high velocity loads in rifle with HI Tek and bullets with no check on the butt? Let me know what you found?
While I work at it, it is by God's grace that it happens. So it is best I ask him what, how and when before I start..
I did 145gr PB in BO carbine, Used copper'd alloy @ ~2k fps. Gold powder stuff. Accuracy was decent, no leading. Pretty much use S&B PC now as it is easier and same results. I did try the old liquid green on 30/30, Didn't work well.
Whatever!
I have used lee 158gr r/f no gas check in 357 maximum rifle at 2400fps with no leading and accuracy equal to Jacketed in same rifle, never bigger group than 1 1/4'' at 100mtrs. I get similar groups with my 458 at around the 1,800fps but much better groups with Gas checks. My brother drives the 320gr P/B .452 cast in his 460SW revolver with 8'' barrel at 1,990 fps with outstanding accuracy. I cast for several friends with 45/70 rifles and all say my cast are the most accurate they have used. I generally use well sorted Clip on wheel weights with just a little tin added to help fill out. I also drove a Lee 125gr r/f un checked at 2,700fps no leading but also no accuracy. I am convinced that the Hi-Tek coating is the only way to go but correct fit is a must, all my cast are at least 2 thou over bore size eg .357 I size to .360. I only use jacketed when the velocity gets up towards 3,000fps. I hope this helps. Regards Stephen
Sadly i haven't really tested mine at silly speeds, but i run my range lead plus some line for tin and antimony for fill out in my .38 super open gun at 1,400 off PFS no leading in the barrel, but over a few thousand rounds, i do get build up of lead and carbon in the comp.
Straight range lead in 300BO no gas checks, no lube groves and 3 coats of 122 red at 1,400 FPS no leading. I'd like to test it with a harder alloy and see if i can get no leading at 2,000 FPS or more.
I don't know what the main cause of leading is. There are a few things i can think of, but can't confirm any. Leading due to gas cutting past the soft lead and barrel, then you have the lead not holding on to the rifling enough to make it spin causing the outside of the lead to essentially be torn off, causing the torn part to lead the rifling. If you have a longer bearing surface due to no lube groves, you have a better chance of the rifling engaging and holding on to the rest of the lead as it spins.
There is the idea that the powder behind the projectile melts the base, but i find that very hard to believe. The projectile has a flame behind it for miliseconds then it's on its nerry way to a target. I feel this amount of time isn't enough to melt through the hi-tek then start melting the lead behind it.
Without high speed cameras to see what the cast looks like as it exits the barrel, i can only guess.
Tazza, there are no doubt many reasons for leading and I believe I know a few of them, no 1 is bullet fit, no two is barrel twist as you will find it easier to keep leading at bay with a slower twist, No 3 You are correct in saying that the hardness of the alloy will to a good degree dictate the speed you can expect before leading becomes a problem, No 4 in my view is bore size as I find it much easier to get good velocity and clean bores with larger calibers and will be testing this shortly using cast in 22 Hornet and 223. No 5 a good lube or in our case well applied abd backed Hi-Tek. I also agree that powder gas and heat do not melt base of cast bullets and know this to be a fairy tale, anyone who has used cardboard gas checks will no doubt have found them on bases of recovered bullets and they show no sign of being burned. The bullet is only in contact with the hot gasses and flame for such a short time that it does not have time to melt bullet base, a bit like quickly waving a blow torch flame across your hand you feel the warmth but that is all. I have found some range lead to be good for faster loads but that was in the days when most cast with Linotype and we see very little of that these days. I have high hopes of getting good 30 cal results from my Omark mod 44 when I get around to it as it has a 1/14'' twist barrel, I also have a couple other barrels for it in other twists. Regards Stephen
OK
Thanks for the replys to my question on plain base rifle bullets.
And since we are on leading now. When you have had leading is it mostly on the lands or in the groves? I do have a reason for these questions that I will reveal later.
While I work at it, it is by God's grace that it happens. So it is best I ask him what, how and when before I start..
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 |