Cast Loads for 284 Winchester

[Shawrco]

I'm new to this forum and have found a lot of good info already. I did a search on "284 Win" to see what I could find and not much turned up.

I recently acquired a M77 Ruger Mk 1 rebarreled to 284 Win. I'm interested in trying cast boolits in it... targets will be steel pig silhouettes at 200m. I purchased 100 of the Lyman 287346 from Western Bullet Co to try. I have an older cy of the Lyman Cast Bullet handbook, but that's it.

What have you experts come up with? Thanks.

[onceabull]

Shawrco: That boolit should be a fine one to start with,and Western has done good work for me in the past..You are spot on about the lack of commentary on 284 & boolits,this site or any other I've seen..My personal fave is the Saeco 281 but I don't know of a commercial source of preCast. I'm still hurting from choosing $ over keeping my Ruger Flatbolt 284, but do enjoying using what I got with the $. I wasn't casting for anything but the "oldtimers and Steenking Peestols" at that time,and the leveraction 284s on hand are all set up with the saami oal ,which limits boolit choices if you want to stay out of the powder space,so I've not used anything heavier. Keep us informed as to how this works out for you...Enjoy :-D Onceabull

[Shawrco]

Doesn't look like there are too many 284 CB shooters out there! I tried some of the Lyman 287346 135gr numbers this past Saturday with Unique and 4227 (only two powders I had that had loads listed) and got dismal results. This was just after shooting ~ 1.2" groups at 100 yds with 150gr Sierra HPBT Match jacketed - the CBs looked like a shotgun pattern. Used the starting load data from the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook (3rd. Ed.). I'll start working up to heavier charges and see what happens I guess. There's a Saeco #071 on Ebay right now, but your #281 sure holds more lube... Maybe someone else will chime in with a favorite load. Thanks for your reply.

[onceabull]

Shawrco: You did "de-copper"the bore before shooting the boolits.?? If not,you probably should before going further.. Saeco #'s 070,071, 073, all look like 7mm sized clones of the old famous RG-4(now #301). If your bolt gun will handle loads longer than commercial 284 specs,you might find some success,but that e-Bay mould sure has a stiff starting price,and no action at all to date.. good luck !! Onceabull

[ktw]

I don't shoot a 7mm, but Lyman 45 has the following cast bullet data for .284 Winchester

Winchester 88, 22"bbl, 1-10 twist, .2835" groove

Lyman 287448 (123gr)

Unique.....11.0 gr to 17.0gr (1599 to 2079 fps)
2400........16.0 gr to 21.0 gr (1607 to 1968 fps)
IMR4227..17.0 gr to 21.0 gr (1589 to 1818 fps)
Accuracy load = 17.0 gr IMR4227, 1589 fps

Lyman 287346 (139 gr)

Unique.....11.0 gr to 16.0gr (1533 to 1908 fps)
2400........17.0 gr to 21.0 gr (1612 to 1893 fps)
IMR4227..19.0 gr to 24.0 gr (1691 to 1996 fps)
Accuracy load = 16.0 gr Unique, 1908 fps

Lyman 287405 (154 gr)

Unique.....11.0 gr to 16.0gr (1468 to 1828 fps)
2400........17.0 gr to 20.0 gr (1519 to 1742 fps)
IMR4227..19.0 gr to 23.0 gr (1461 to 1834 fps)
Accuracy load = 21.0gr IMR4227, 1650 fps

-ktw

[Shawrco]

Shawrco: You did "de-copper"the bore before shooting the boolits.?? If not,you probably should before going further... If your bolt gun will handle loads longer than commercial 284 specs,you might find some success,but that e-Bay mould sure has a stiff starting price,and no action at all to date.. good luck !! Onceabull

Actually, I just read about the "de-copper" after joining this list. I hadn't done that prior to shooting the CBs, but did clean the bore some when I got home. I need to go after that again and I'm sure I'll get more out. That Saeco #070 new at Midway lists at around $80 bucks... I was thinking if it goes for the opening bid that might not be a bad deal.

I need to get my requisite number of posts on the list so I can post a WTB 7mm mould!

[Shawrco]

I don't shoot a 7mm, but Lyman 45 has the following cast bullet data for .284 Winchester


Lyman 287346 (139 gr)

Unique.....11.0 gr to 16.0gr (1533 to 1908 fps)
2400........17.0 gr to 21.0 gr (1612 to 1893 fps)
IMR4227..19.0 gr to 24.0 gr (1691 to 1996 fps)
Accuracy load = 16.0 gr Unique, 1908 fps


-ktw

Thanks ktw, the Unique 11.0 gr and the IMR4227 19.0 gr loads are what I used. Maybe I just need to step them along a little faster...

[fatnhappy]

Shawrco,

I can't really help you with the .284, but I do have a 7-08. You might want to take a look at this mould on e-bay, it's a 285448. I have one myself and for a mild plinker that keeps the gas check in the short neck of a 7-08, it does quite well. I haven't pioneered new territory with it, it'll shoot within 2" at 50 yards with 12 grains of Unique.

I'm looking for something heavier like the 287308 for hunting.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=006&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=160092227039&rd=1&rd=1

BTW, the photos of the cavity look more like a 287346 than a 285448. Caveat emptor.

Dean

[Shawrco]

Well, I bit the boolit so to speak and bought the Saeco 070 off ebay. Thanks to all who provided suggestions. I plan to work on the copper removal in the bore and try loads that make more velocity to see where that leads.

[looseprojectile]

Don't want to hijack your posting, but.
I just traded for a #1 ruger in 7X57 and I will be looking for a mold at the gunshow today. It is good that we can benifit from others experience on this forum. I have gathered dozens of molds most of which are not the best for my use. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I will measure the twist and go from there. Anyone know the twist of the early #1 ?
Happy shooting