Question from a new caster

[whisler]

Well, I quess I've lurked here long enough and should be able to ask an intelligent (I hope) question. I have done some casting for muzzle loader and a small amount for pistol but none for rifle.
I have a model 1916 Spanish Mauser that I would like to shoot cast boolits in. It is .308 caliber and the bore slugs .307, haven't tried to measure the chamber yet. Using 147 gr. J-bullets and 44gr. of IMR4350 it gives 2350 fps velocity and decent acuracy.
I have the following molds from Lyman: 311413 and 311467, and a Lyman sizing die at .309. I have a good supply of Unique and IMR4350 and lesser amounts of IMR & H4198, SR4759, 700-X, Universal Clays and Win. Action Pistol.
A load of 40 gr. of IMR4350 has been suggested.
My questions are:
1. What is you opinion of this load with 311467 boolit (nominally 180 gr. w/ GC)?
2. How much do I need to be concerned with boolit hardness with a GC? ( I will be shooting mostly Police Dept range scrap and don't have a hardness tester)
3. I have seen criticism of the 311413 boolit as only suitable for low veocity use. Can anyone suggest a good plinking load for this boolit?
4. Is sizing to .309 OK for the .307 bore?
Thanks for any help you can give to a new caster.

[Dale53]

If you have a good barrel, you should have few problems using cast in your Mauser. The "rule of thumb" is to use the largest bullet you can get in the chamber and still have room to allow the case to expand to release the bullet upon ignition. An easy way to measure this size, is to take a fired case from your Mauser and the largest cast bullet that will enter the fired, unsized case with finger pressure will be the correct size.

The slower burning powders put less stress on the bullet and typically allow higher velocties.

Here is a reference site with lots of good reading material to help you succeed:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/castbulletloaddata/index.asp

If the 311467 bullet is of the correct size for your rifle, it should work well. The 311413 seems to give problems over about 1400 fps in most rifles. The problem is the relatively unsupported nose that slumps (the bullet ends up somewhat like a banana in shape and you get wild shooting). However, a good schuetzen match rifle, using a plain base bullet at from 1200 fps=1500 fps can give ½" groups at 100 yards (reproducible). So 1400 fps sounds slow but you can get VERY good results at that speed.

Good luck!

Dale53

[Marlin Junky]

311467 is a good '06 boolit but might not work too well without some experimenting in a short throated .308. If your 311467's are well filled out and weigh 180 grains with the check installed, they're probably hard enough to run 1900 fps assuming no other problems exist. Size a well filled out 311467 cast from your alloy through the .309" die and let us know whether there's enough neck tension to hold it in place using a cartridge case fired from a round of factory ammunition shot in your Spanish Mauser. Your 44 grain 4350 load with the 147 grain bullet probably isn't generating enough pressure to fully obturate the chamber's neck area (with the cartridge case) completely so you may want to buy a box of WW factory ammo to get an idea of your chamber diameter at the neck... or just shoot a warmer (safe!) handload.

If you don't already have one of these dies, I recommend buying one:

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=555614

Even though these are neck-sizer-only dies, their design provides more flexibility if you need to work with odd (or several) neck inside diameters. Just by adjusting the tension on the die, you can vary the inside neck diameter buy a couple thousandths of an inch. Turning the mandrel (you'll see what I'm talking about after you disassemble the die) on a lathe or chucked in a drill press will reduce your case neck ID even further.

When you get a finger seated bullet started in your .308 case to the bottom driving band, chamber it in your Mauser to see how long the throat is. Don't worry about shooting .309" or even .310" boolits through .307" grooves. Like Dale53 said above:

"...use the largest bullet you can get in the chamber and still have room to allow the case to expand to release the bullet upon ignition."

MJ

[TAWILDCATT]

I'VE READ THAT CAST BULLETS[HARD CAST]CAN BE FIRED UP TO 2700FPS
MY GENERAL LOAD IS 13gr RED DOT BEHIND 311291 AT 100YDS ITS VERY ACCURATE.I USE IT IN 1913 SPRINGFIELD[DO NOT WANT TO USE FULL LOADS BECAUSE IT IS UNDER 500,000 SERIAL.HAS STANDARD SIGHT.

[Buckshot]

............whisler, you've been given good info. You're going to have a ball with that rifle! BUt while you're still investigating it, you need to go get a Russian M91/30 or Finn M39, then a SMLE, and a 8x57 Mauser. That should keep you busy and out of trouble for awile. Also food for further posting! :-)

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

[whisler]

Gentlemen:
Thanks for your replies and the links. Looks like I'll have to spend some money on books and a neck-sizing die. Sure was glad to see it was a Lee, at least those I can afford. The Lyman moulds and Lubri-sizer were given to me.

If the 311467 doesn't work in the .308, then the comments on '06 still gives me options for its use. Mid-range loads are more my interest, so the Red Dot load should prove useful.

Buckshot, I'll add those rifles to my want list. My step-son already has an SMLE that I can probably borrow to mess around with, especially if I let him shot some of the experiments (he,he). I'm afraid the others may have to fall in behind a 45-70. I think I want one of those H&R's with the long octagon barrel.

Thanks again.