Just getting into cast with rifles need some advice

[69daytona]

I would like some help with cast boolits for rifles. I have been shooting cast out of a TC encore in 300-221 at subsonic level but want to start shooting them out of mt 30-06 at long range target and hunting levels and would like to know how hard I need to make the boolits to handle the speeds I figure 1600-2000fps, Also any lube that works best on these boolits at those speeds.

The rifle I will be shooting them out of is an old 1903 with a hart heavy bull barrel on it 1 in 12 twist that I got for 200 bucks. barrel is a cut down Palma barrel.

I have 3 311 molds right now, 311414, 311041 and 311299, sized at 310 they are a very tight fit in the Hart barrel.

Any help with loads and boolit hardness is appreciated. I am more concerned about accuracy than speed because there is no sense in getting it there fast if it doesnt hit what your aiming at.

[zomby woof]

My 1903A3 loves 311299 with 30 grains of 3031 GC .310". I use 50/50 WW/Range scrap WQ with 2500 lube. Yours has a different twist though.

[Calamity Jake]

311299 with 16 to 20 grs "2400" put a good lube on it.

[sqlbullet]

I would also suggest with the 311299.

32 grains of Varget + poly-fill (.75 gr).

42 grains of H4831 + poly-fill (.75 gr).

35 grains of RL-15 + poly-fill (.75 gr).

My Garands will function with all three of these loads. Best accuracy is with Varget, followed by H4831 and RL-15. Varget is better than the Greek Surplus ammo for accuracy.

[Dutch4122]

As Zomby Woof mentioned, the alloy you are looking for is 50% wheelweight and %50 pure lead, water dropped form the mold. Lube, size, and check within 24 hours after casting. Let them set for two weeks and they will stabilize at about 22-25 bhn. Then you can begin load testing. This alloy when water dropped is hard, but malleable, and very accurate. It performs great on game; and also can be pushed well in excess of 2,000 fps with the right powders.

When selecting a powder, look to burn rates that are considered to be a little too slow for the same weight jacketed bullet in the 30-06. H4831 might be a good place to start depending on the length of your barrel. Shorter barrels and cast boolits will tolerate faster burning powders at high velocity; but longer barrels require slow burning powders that will not overstress the alloy before the boolit leaves the barrel. Another good powder for the 30-06 when developing hunting loads over 2,000 fps is IMR-7828; which I believe Hodgdon has data listed for on their "Reloading Data Site" under the 30-06 with a 200 grn jacketed bullet.

Hope this helps, :)