It worked first try!!!

[DeanWinchester]

Luck coupled with a plethora of good information here led me to success the first time trying this rifle out. Ishapore rifle, Hornady match case fire formed and neck sized and M die, Winchester large rifle primer, 168g gas check tumble lube boolit cast from straight wheel weights and stuffed over 10g of unique.

I fired 50 rounds and there was ZERO leading. Some right nasty black filth that took a dozen patches to remove, but nary a trace of lead. Accuracy was impressive [to me]. I shot clay targets out to 100 yards with no effort. Shot this group with the last three rounds I had loaded. I wanted to see if fouling hurt accuracy. Shot at 50 yards with a pretty bad astigmatism.

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd371/Reloadingfool/104.jpg

[Char-Gar]

Now that is great, just great. It makes me happy to see success first time out of the chute.

[MtGun44]

Great results! I think you did it just right, reading and checking and got good results.

Bill

[Montana Ron]

I picked a 1965 Ishapore .308 up this spring with bayonet for a couple hundred dollars and I have had the same experience...........150gr. Lee gas check, 50/50 lube and was getting inch and a half or less at 50 yards with 10 gr. Unique.........I too was shooting clay pigeons at a hundred yards but had to hold about 3 inches to the right as windage adjustment is moving the front sight over that is protected by both front sight ears a bunnie is in trouble at a hundred yards with this rifle.......these are great cast bullet plinkers for less then a used 22rf!!!!!!!!!!

[DeanWinchester]

I'm just tickled at how easy to shoot this is. The gun is quite heavy and the load so light, it's really a genuine pleasure to shoot. Out in the open, it doesn't even hurt your ears, though I wear muffs anyway. Recoil is almost a joke. I actually had a guy at the range come up to see what I was laughing about. I let him shoot a couple and he was chuckling too!

[Jim]

Ya' done good, Deano!!

[res45]

Nice work and a great group,the value of info on this site makes putting a plan together so much easier. Putting together cheap accurate ammo is a plus as well.

[725]

That's great! Good going.

[MtGun44]

This is an example of why I call 10 gr of Unique one fo the "magic loads".

Works extremely well in .44 mag, .45 Colt in a BH, and any of the 1890-1950s big
bottlenecked milsurps with any boolit. Some folks find that 11, or 12 or so works a
bit better, but 10 gr of Unique is rarely a mistake.

Bill

[budman46]

dean,

the hook has been set and you're being reeled in...good for you. :)

budman

ignorance is fixable, stupidity is forever...

[Old Goat Keeper]

Enlighten a dumb PA Dutchman but what is an Ishapore? Yeah I know it is a rifle of some kind but what country, etc?

T-o-m

[oneokie]

Enlighten a dumb PA Dutchman but what is an Ishapore? Yeah I know it is a rifle of some kind but what country, etc?

T-o-m

Ishapore-India. Usually means Ishapore 2A, rebarreled to 308 win.

[Three44s]

You hit it right out of the park on the first "pitch"???


GOOD for you!!!


Three 44s

[BruceB]

Ishapore-India. Usually means Ishapore 2A, rebarreled to 308 win.

The rifles are usually stamped "RFI", meaning "Rifle Factory, Ishapore".

Th 2A rifle is essentially a #1 Mklll Lee Enfield with some modifications (different steel, etc.).

The rifles were originally built in 7.62x51 NATO. not "rebarreled to .308 Winchester". Ishapore built #1Mklll rifles in .303 for many years as well as the .303 BREN LMG. They rebuilt quite a few #4 Rifles, and later also manufactured the Indian version of the FN-FAL rifle.

[MtGun44]

Yes, Bruce beat me to it. The Ishapore 7.62 NATO rifles are significant redesigns of the
basic Enfield for the NATO cartridge. Rimmed vs rimless, and higher pressures. Not just
a rebarrel job. Ishapore is the arsenal in India where the guns were made.

Bill

[DeanWinchester]

I'm sorry about that Goat Keeper, I thought that was pretty much universally understood.

[DeanWinchester]

You hit it right out of the park on the first "pitch"???


GOOD for you!!!


Three 44s


Yeah, funny thing I did: I was so surprised after trying [horrific failures] cast rifle boolits with other rifles, that I went back a few days later and cleaned this rifle again. Convinced I missed something. Fifty rounds and no bore brush needed. I've got the brass loaded again, and I'm off this weekend to do it again.

[oneokie]

The rifles are usually stamped "RFI", meaning "Rifle Factory, Ishapore".

Th 2A rifle is essentially a #1 Mklll Lee Enfield with some modifications (different steel, etc.).

The rifles were originally built in .62x51 NATO. not "rebarreled to .308 Winchester". Ishapore built #1Mklll rifles in .303 for many years as well as the .303 BREN LMG. They rebuilt quite a few #4 Rifles, and later also manufactured the Indian version of the FN-FAL rifle.

I stand corrected. :?

[DeanWinchester]

Okay, quick question:

I've moved up from 10g to 11g. Accuracy is the same, still no leading. I plan to bump up to 12g but I wonder if I shouldn't just stop now?? Do you keep going until accuracy or leading problems occur or just leave well enough alone? The rifle is a single purpose rifle. It's sole role to play in life is hunting clay targets that lie scattered around the gun range. I only started the whole project so that I could shoot the rifle for less than 8 cents per shot. I made that condition easy. It's just a toy that I really enjoy shooting. I don't know if there's much to be gained by pushing further, do you?

Just curious where some of you guys stop and call it 'job completed'.

[RU shooter]

If your just shooting paper the faster speed is a non issue, Although your accuracy may get better if you go higher? It may get worse too only way to find out is to try . In my 03A3 11 gr and 14 grs were the two sweet spots for me with several different bullets. The only reason I went to 14 grs was for the higher vel. as I shoot out to 200 yds.Load up 10 rds for each 1 gr step and shoot them at 100 yds and see how it goes.

[L Ross]

10 gr. or 12 gr. Hmmmmm? Well, every 5 rounds with 10 grains equals one load of powder saved. Clay pigeons don't care.

Duke

[3006guns]

I've had similar luck my first time out with an 8mm Yugo.......one ragged hole at 50yards. Made me wonder what all the fuss was about with cast boolits. I found out very quickly that OTHER rifles take a LOT of work in order to get them to perform well. It's all part of the challenge and fun. Now that you're hooked, it's a short step to trying other boolit designs and weights (I wonder how this 200 grain will do?).

Helpful hint: Get a small three ring notebook and carefully write down the info for each succesful load/caliber/rifle. Saves reinventing the wheel!

Nice job.

[DeanWinchester]

10 gr. or 12 gr. Hmmmmm? Well, every 5 rounds with 10 grains equals one load of powder saved. Clay pigeons don't care.

Duke


That was my thinking. Ever is the pursuit of more/better with the tinkering handloader, but this time enough is enough.


I've had similar luck my first time out with an 8mm Yugo.......one ragged hole at 50yards. Made me wonder what all the fuss was about with cast boolits. I found out very quickly that OTHER rifles take a LOT of work in order to get them to perform well. It's all part of the challenge and fun. Now that you're hooked, it's a short step to trying other boolit designs and weights (I wonder how this 200 grain will do?).

Helpful hint: Get a small three ring notebook and carefully write down the info for each succesful load/caliber/rifle. Saves reinventing the wheel!

Nice job.

I have a leather bound diary I bought from one of those big chain bookstores. I've been scratching in that thing for years. I've cast for a few other rifles before, but never with any real success. This go around sure has been nice.
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd371/Reloadingfool/DSC01193.jpg

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd371/Reloadingfool/Lead%20Thread/boolits.jpg
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd371/Reloadingfool/Lead%20Thread/762x51.jpg

[canyon-ghost]

That's what everyone needs, the first time load! Had a few of those myself, sweet success!

[budman46]

d.winchester,
i like your pile of castings...the lee tlc165 sized @ .311" works very well in all my .30s: .308 win, 7.5x55, 7.5x54, 7.62x54r, 7.7x58, 7.63x53, and .303 brit. with 17g 2400 for about 1800fps. i'd be lost without it, so i have a spare mould, just in case...but i have at least 6 other .30 cal. moulds just gathering dust because better the results of the tlc 165.

re. your closing line: sometimes NO is a pretty good answer

budman

ignorance is fixable...

[10x]

I have gotten good accuracy out of my M10 Ross at 14 grains of Unique behind a 314299.
That bullet will shoot the full length of a large mule deer - Texas heart shot.