would this work?

[RU shooter]

I have two new milsurps on the way a 2A Enfield and a K31 and now I'm looks for something to feed them I only have moulds for my 54R a lee185 and a lee 155 I know I can size down the 185 no problem but the 155 is different design as its ,312 on bands and 308 on nose. If i size it down would there be any problems using it in a 30 cal. bore? and I also have a Jword question I have a coffee can full of pulled 54R bullets can I resize to 308 with a Lee sizer? Thanks.......................... Tim

[whisler]

Tim: I'm probably the last one who should be answering any questions on this board, due to a rather shameful lack of knowledge, but I might be able to help with the J-word question. I have a friend who recently sized a commercial .270 j-bullet from .277 (IFRC) to .268 for his Carcano. He did it in 2 steps, using Lee sizers and a very light duty Lee press. Said he was surprised at how easy it was.
Hope someone who knows a lot more about cast boolits chimes in on the rest of your questions.

[bruce drake]

Both Lee molds will work fine in your Enfield and Swiss. I've shot .311 sized lead bullets in my 308 Enfield with out any issues. My throat was tight so the bullets engraved when I seated them (155 and 185)

Bruce

[Buckshot]

.................Re: the Lee that's .308" on the bore rider. Try it and see. If it tends to lead, or maybe the accuracy isn't quite what you'd like, give it a try via a dose of Lee Liquid Alox. This wiol supply some lube to the nose portion. I tumble all my bore riders in a 50-50 mix of LLA and paint thinner as a matter of course. Makes a noticeable difference in engraving, if nothing else.

................Buckshot

[Ricochet]

In a K-31 that .308" bore rider will be at or above groove diameter. It'll be mighty hard seating a bullet so it engraves in the rifling with that straight pull action.

[birdhunters]

Ok for all us dumb arss's What the heck is a Jword bullet?

[wills]

Ok for all us dumb arss's What the heck is a Jword bullet?

Ever read the Harry Potter books? It's one of those things you are not allowed to say. Sometimes known as a condom boolit.

[birdhunters]

Oh that clears it up then... You mean a rubber one!

[Maineboy]

A number of us K31 shooters have had very good success with the Lee 155 sized .308 or .309. I can shoot it in my gun sized .311. Bob S turned us on to that boolit several years ago. Try 16 grains of 2400 as a starting load. My best load is 19 grains of surplus SR 4759. I've tried about a dozen different boolits in my K31 and the little Lee 155 has been among the best performers.

[Buckshot]

Oh that clears it up then... You mean a rubber one!

..............HA! Just a jacketed slug. A J-word, J bullet, condom or a boolit with a FLGC (Full Length Gas Check). All a jacketed slug is is a lead boolit wearing a GC that goes all the way up :-)

No problem saying jacketed at all. Some of us even have load data for'em and maybe even have a few boxes of'em aorund. However, where's the fun in'em? All you can do is buy them and shoot them.

...............Buckshot

[Maven]

RU, About those pulled 7.62 x 54R jacketed bullets: I don't think a Lee .308"sizing die is durable enough for what you have in mind. For that matter, the linkage of the RCBS & Lyman lube-sizers probably isn't up to the task either. However, there are other options. To wit, Corbin, et al. make reducing dies, but they're expensive. Ergo, PM Buckshot to see whether he can fashion one for you. Option #2 is to use those pulled 7.62 x54R bullets in the 7.62 x 39mm cartridge with no more than 15gr. WC 820 or Alliant 2400, but due to the OAL, you'll have to single load them in the SKS magazine. These have proved to be extremely accurate in my SKS (Type 56).

[Bob S]

FWIW ... I size jacketed bullets in Lee push-through dies regularly, in an old RCBS JR press. I size Sierra 174 grain Match Kings that are made for .303 ... they are listed as .311" but really mike out closer to .312". I have a pile of Lee sizers, including several "custom" sizies. I use the 174 .311 SMK to size to 'real" .311, .310 or .309 for US WW II production barrels that can run as high as .310" in the grooves. I learned something from all those years of cast bullet shooting ... a jacketed bullet that actually fits the grooves, or .001" over, will shoot pretty darn good scores at 600 yards ... campared with undersized bullets, even if they are of high quality.

I have also sized pulled 8mm bullets in .003 and .002" increments to .316 so they fit an Enfield barrel. I use a bit of Imperial Sizing Wax on the bullets, and the "effort" is about like FL sizing a 30-06 case fired with a full pressure load. I would not try more than .003" at once, and if the jackets are steel, all bets are off.

YMMV ....

Resp'y,
Bob S.