seeking sizing/lubing counsel

[PuppetZ]

Hi, I'm fairly new to reloading/casting-in fact I do not have one single round reloaded so far- but been sponging every bit of knowledge I can get. So I cast some WW using a Lee C309-180-R for my 30-06. They drop at .311 and I use a lee .309 sizer to seat the GC on them. The ones I made are straight WW(only lead alloy I can readily get) air cooled.

I'm looking at heat treating the boolits I cast and read that sizing them after HT will ruin the drive ring hardness, so I have to seat the GC before I HT.

If I want to pan lub and not tumble lub(too messy IMO), do I really need to lube before I push the boolits through the Lee sizer? They say in the instruction booklet that it'll lead the die. But it seem silly to lub only to heat them in the oven right after, no?

I'm planning on using IMR trailboss for this load as it's a fool-proof, low density powder, but still I'll need to heat treat the boolits to push full load(looking at 26000PSI with a 150gr jacketed and I got a 180gr cast) I want an opinion from more experienced ppl on the matter, specifically if I can push my un-lubed boolits through my sizing die, then heat treat, then pan lub.

Thanks for your time!

[stubshaft]

You will lead the sizing die without some type of lube. You can spritz it with dishwashing soap and was the boolits after. ACWW will be hard enough for anything Trailboss has to offer so heat treating is a waste of time. You didn't list the bore diameter which if you are sizing to .309 better be .308.

[looseprojectile]

I'd bet you a new sizer that it will work fine the way you propose doing it.
I size and seat the check dry and give the base of the boolit with check a couple of taps with the punch to square the check. Nose up.
My boolits come out of the sizer looking like chrome on the driving bands.
With LLA and wax coats you might should start with something like sixteen or eighteen hundred feet per second velocity. Trail boss will get you less than that. Might not need to harden them.


Life is good

[.22-10-45]

Hello, PuppetZ. I have been using both H4227 & TrailBoss in an 1895
Winchester-Lee straight-pull sporting rifle..6mm. This has a VERY long throat & a fast twist of 1 in 7 1/2". When I first began working with this rifle, I cast up two batches of alloy..my regular fairly soft range scrap+ww+50-50 solder, & a harder steriotype based alloy a bit softer than lyno. I was worried about that fast twist in that small bore. I needen't have worried, the soft stuff shot just fine..no leading, even with full bore loads that grouped in patterns.
In fact, I never did get around to using the hard stuff. I use this same softer alloy in a .30-40 Krag & .30-06. I don't think you need to bother with heat treating.

[runfiverun]

with the velocity's you'll be getting from the trail boss, you don't need to harden anything.
if you decide to go up to 1900 or 2k.
then waterdropping the ww alloy from the mold will get you all the hardness you need.
i'd just waterdrop, tap on the gas checks,pan lube, then size.

[Bret4207]

You've been sold the HARDCAST hype. Why not try them w/o all the extra work and see what the gun says? The "formula" is not the answer you seek. Fit is.

BTW, if they drop at .311, why are you sizing them down?

[PuppetZ]

Good answers all around. Thx. I'll get 'em lubed and shot as is and work from there.

[Larry Gibson]

Good answers all around. Thx. I'll get 'em lubed and shot as is and work from there.

I suggest you also forget about HTing the bullets as it is not necessary for the velocities you will use in the '06.

If you add tin to your WWs at 2% you will get better alloy which will give your AC'd cast bullets a BHN of 14-17, most often 16-17. That is a bit better than Lyman's #2 alloy.

I also suggest you get a .311 sizer or hone out the .309 sizer to size at .311. This is an excellent size to use in most any .30 cal especially since your bullets drop at .311. Just lube the bullets, push on a GC and run them through the .311 sizer to seat/crimp the GC.

With such and using a correct powder you can expect excellent accuracy in the 1850 - 1950 fps range.

Larry Gibson

[Casper29]

you could water quinch them for hardness.