How fast can I push them?

[richbug]

I just cast about 1000 BUllets out of my Lee 200 grain .308" rn mold. Alloy was 3 parts range lead to 1 part Linotype. Dropped into water. They dropped out at .3115", which made me happy that I didn't need another mold for teh big 30's. According to my Lee tester they are in the 17-18 BHN range. I intend to use a gas check and LLA.

How fast can I push them without leading issues?

I have never ventured into rifle bullets before, this is new territory(except for the 30 carbine).

Plan is to size some .309 for the 308's, and leave some at 311 for the 303 Brits.

Probably use some surplus powder I recovered from Albanian 7.62x54R(seems similar to 4895), might try Varget, but I hate to use the good stuff if I don't have to, also have a good amount of Data 86.

[JSH]

How fast. I am no old fart,but I am getting there. Fellow told me a long time ago when I was racing, "speed is money, how fast do you want to go?".
I am by means no exspert, but have learsned with CB's you do not have to crowd them to make them shoot. I don't know what you are wanting to do but for the most pasrt, correct fit and lube will determine your max fps. I am in the ways of believing that the lube gives out before the allot does, IF sized properly.
As to powders, IMHO, if you have no fairly good reference point and think it is junk or cheap you will accept less than good performance from another wise very good combo.
I tried several different powders since having jumped into this CB "thang". Start at a start load for jacketed and see what that gets you with a CB. I have ran across several powder, caliber bullet combos that shot good right out of the gate..
Jeff

[RU shooter]

I use a similar boolit(312-185 lee) in my M39 with 28 grs of the Albanian powder with good results ,and take care with loads with the Alb. in bigger cases like the 54R and 06 it is like a fast lot of 4895 but in the 308 treat it like 3031 Iknow in the 223 I maxed out at only 23.5 grs with a 55 sp but I'm shooting HM scores with that combo.:-D

[richbug]

Iknow in the 223 I maxed out at only 23.5 grs with a 55 sp but I'm shooting HM scores with that combo.:-D

with mine I loaded a bunch of 223 with 24.0 grains of the albanian, with a 55 grain win FMJ. This was all that would fit in the case level full. gave me about 3100 FPS in my AR.

[VTDW]

I push a 280 gr, 21 Bnh to over 2200 fps w/no leading using Felix lube. I experiments a while back with a 210 grainer and 21 Bnh to over 2,700 fps with no leading also.

Dave

[waksupi]

In my K11 Schmidt Rubin, .308, I shoot at 2480 fps, and get about 1.5" for a group, no leading. FWFL, by the way.

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive been fooling with a tc 3030 carbine 16 inch and pushing 120lfngc 32 mag bullets sized to 310 lubed with my modified felix lube and also tumblelubed cast out of #2 air cooled to 2600 fps. I shot 80 rounds out of the gun a couple days ago and the barrel looked as clean as when i started.Ive shot cast out of rifles but Im no rifle cast bullet expert,handguns are more my thing. This is one of my first rifle experiments. There are plenty of guys here that are that will help you though.

[Bret4207]

Each barrel/boolit/load combo is a law unto itself. Experiment and see. It helps if you know what you want to do too. General plinking loads at 12-1500 are fine. Hunting loads from 1400-???? are another step. It's a matter of playing around till you find what works for you.

[Char-Gar]

You alloy is strong enough to get any resonable speed a cast bullet shooter would want.

The faster you go the more critical the lube becomes. I have zero experience with LLA. Some folks swear by it and some swear at it. My uninformed gut tells me that it would not be the lube of choice if you wish to push the velocity envelope.

Other factors include, but are not necessarily limited to, the condition of the barrel, twist, the type of powder and the sizing diamter. The faster powders don't to well at top end velocities/pressures and a medium to slow burning powder will probably do better.

There are just to many factors to give a pat answer to our question. The number of factors and how they relate to each other is what makes this cast bullet shooting so engaging. The learning curve is very very long and more often resemble the search for the end of the rainbow than science.

[454PB]

Just so you know......

any hardness increase gained by water dropping is lost when you size the boolits if they are more than a few hours old. Either size them immediately after casting, or size and then heat treat them.