K-31 and Lyman 311414:

[walltube]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_684df3c1da30322.jpg

The above image displays the result of my experimenting with Lyman's not-so-loved 311414 @ 153gr., Privi brass,16 gr. A2400 ignited by WLR primers. A soft lead sinker shoved down the K-31's throat indicated a .299 bore\.307 groove depth. After sizing a test boolit to .308 dia. in Lathesmith's H&I with the perfesser's G, the Boolit was then seated to where the case mouth barely touched the rearward portion of the leading drive band. Just a hint of rifling on the ogive after extracting the test round.

Nine rnds. were fired at a 100yd. steel plate to get my groove on with trigger pull and open sights. It was love at first bang\clang. Remaing eleven rounds at 50 yds. are responsible for the holes in pictured SR1. First two shots @ 2:00 in nine ring.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_684df3c2dee27ce.jpg

Without Lyman's Hawkeye diopter all this would have been, mostly, an exercise in futility. These devices can add years of shooting enjoyment to old eyes. Certainly brings the rear sight notch into focus.

Be of good cheer,
Harold

PS: didn't notice the poor image quality till I loaded it. Looked good in the Nikon view finder...:)

[Calamity Jake]

My K31 shoots about like that @ 100 with an undersize 311291 and 18.5 of Blue Dot.
The .299 nose of my boolit is still large enough to cause me to seat it below the neck/shoulder junction.

I have a 311414 but haven't tried it yet in the K31

[MtGun44]

I have had good results with 311413 in my K31, but not a lot of experience so far with it.
IIRC 16 gr 2400 was the starting point. the 414 looks like maybe a smaller diameter
on the forward section? Correct?

Bill

[leadman]

I have a similar device made by a guy here in Az. that slips over my glasses and has screws to tighten. Works but probably not as easy to use as the Lyman set-up.

My K-31 likes the RCBS 30-150-SP.

Good shooting.

[madsenshooter]

Spitzers are notorious for liking velocities less than 1600fps, I don't know why, don't understand it, but I'll bet 14-15gr of 2400 will give you 100yd groups like the 50yd groups. I've played with the B&M 311169 enough to see, it's best is 1550fps, no matter what alloy I use or how hard I make the durned thing. In my Krags that'd be about 13.5gr of 2400, 12.5gr of Blue Dot. If accuracy is what you're after, try going down a tad. Not that there's anything wrong with what you have, I just know my B&M makes cloverleaf 100yd groups at slightly slower speeds.

[walltube]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_684df78669bf6b2.jpg

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_684df786a39a5e9.jpg

we are assured equally bizarre Lyman mould cavity dimensions. It can work in your favor, or have you gnashing your teeth..:) Here above is what dropped from the mould using Muddy Creek Sam's Isotopian Alloy with a bit more tin to enhance fill-out. The numbers displayed for the drive band depict the larger side, rotate 90 deg. and it's .312. Same applies to nose dimensions; rotate 90deg. and it's .298". These boolits were sized in stages, .311, .309 & .308, to prevent distorting the nose.

K-31's leade rifling ever so slightly engraved the nose somewhere between the micrometer position to just shy the drive band. This suggests a worn throat? No matter, there were no complaints from the SR1 paper. Or me.

Hoard Pb,
Harold













.

[webfoot10]

I use 13 grs. of imr 4759 with the 311414 boolit gas checked and sized to .309 dia.
Never figured out why no one ever used it before. It is perfect for the 7.5x55 swiss.
Seated to fit the K31 chamber,the gas check is not below the case neck. I can get 1 in
groups at 100yds.with my scoped K31 from a bench rest. The 311414 was made for
use in the .300 Savage and I've never had any trouble getting them to shoot accurately.
webfoot10

[walltube]

leadman,
The Hawkeye suction cup with the 'swing away' diopter is about as convenient as it gets for me. Light in weight too. Merit's adjustable diopter offering could possibly be ideal, but more weight and $$$$? I'll keep the Hawkeye. Getting satisfaction at 100yds. with open iron sights (K-31, M98, '03, etc.) is dependant upon ambient light conditions the day I am at the range. Bright sun light with attached Hawkeye, or No.1 Mk.III with PH5A is a happy day. Cloudy day? The front sight "disappears" against the black bullseye at 100 yds. So what! The eight and nine ring are in peril :mrgreen:

madsenshooter,
There are four pointy moulds in my inventory that have in my M700 '06 topped with Leupold glass, given me reason to gloat when I see grimaces of agony from the high-dollar condom shooters. How dare a cast boolit out perform, or equal, their Nosler\Sierra at 50, 75 or 100 yds. I do not own a chronograph, but I do experiment. And yes, as you say, less is more with Spitzers. Most times.

Hoard Pb alloy!
Harold

[mroliver77]

I had pretty good performance with the 311413 in a Garand before I read that it is an inaccurate boolit. Nothing to jump up an down about but 3" - 5" at 150 yds from prone with enough 4895 to cycle the action. Dacron tuft added of course. These were cast tough and heat treated.

I think the problem with cast spitzers is the large amount of unsupported nose. With higher charges the nose can slump or become off center. Hardness helps counteract this to a point.
Jay

[1Shirt]

Have had good luck with 311413 in my K-31 over 2400.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Gun Junkie]

Here here! for the Lyman Hawkeye.

The last time I tried to shoot a Mauser with issue sights from prone I kept seeing 2 front sights!! Bought a Hawkeye and get a good SINGLE front sight to see.

I have yet to find a good boolit for my K31, it seems to be in the .297 range and everything I have has to be seated way deep just to chamber. :?