Like I needed another 30 cal. mold

[Ben]

I recently purchased an older 10 " barrel, T/C Contender in 30 / 30.

A lot of my .30 cal. molds throw 165 - 245 gr. cast bullets. While I suppose that almost any .310 " dia. cast bullet will leave the muzzle of the pistol, those weights seem a bit heavy for the little pistol. I'm thinking 120 gr. - 150 gr cast bullets might be better suited in this particular application .

I thought that the Lee 150 gr. Flat Point , 30 cal. mold might work well gas checked in my Contender.

You know the routine, once you get something like this on your mind, you aren't going to rest until you order the mold.

The mold arrived today. Not a bad looking mold. The mold is the " new style " Lee mold.

I have not cast with it yet, hopefully I will tomorrow. I'm looking for at least .311" dia. and round. Need a .300 - .301 nose dia. also. Guess I can cross my fingers ? ?

Ben

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/002-71.jpg

[leadman]

Contender barrels are usually right on the specs. so .309" or a little larger should work well. I have the SAECO 120gr RN mold for the 30 carbine and it has been working well in the 30-30, 300 Whisper, and 30-06 at .309".

[Ben]

I have a new .309 Sizer ( Lee Push Thru ).
I've already shot some .309's in my contender. They shot great.

Ben

[EMC45]

Please let us know how well and how fat they drop Ben. I am thinking real hard on getting this mold for my 340 Savage.

[Ben]

Looks like Shirley in Q/C at Lee " Did me Right " on this one.

I'm a happy camper !

Doesn't take long to end up with a nice pill of bullets from this mold. I know that a lot of people love bashing Lee, but I can assure you that this mold is easily worth $20. No issues with this one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/001-70.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/002-72.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/004-61.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/005-47.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/006-47.jpg

[TheCelt]

Hi Ben. Mia had a GB for the 311410 which is a 30 cal mold for an ~130 gr boolit (in FP config). Comes with short and long HP pins which I believe takes it down to 124gr. Mold is either PB od GC and I think he has some spares if you are interested. It never hurts to have other options!!!

[Ben]

You bet,................. I'll be shooting a few bullets from the " sub 160 gr." molds that I have on hand right now along with some 170 gr. , 180 gr. and 190 grainers.

That " sampling " should give me some insight as to the pistol's likes and dislikes for shorter & longer bullets.

Ben

[EMC45]

Bought one right after I posted the above post. Midsouth had them at the right price.

[Ben]

Hope you get a good one ! !

Ben

[JeffinNZ]

That looks a lot like the 160gr boolit that Jim at CBE gave me back in February for my .30-30 Husky bolt and it shoots GREAT.

[longbow]

Ben that's not a gas check shank I see on one of your boolit moulds is it? I better rub my eyes and take another look...

[Ben]

Ben that's not a gas check shank I see on one of your boolit moulds is it? I better rub my eyes and take another look...

Does run a bit cross grain to my usual Modus operandi , doesn't it ?

[Spruce]

Ben, very nice looking mould, and great looking boolits. I am interested in a 30-30 barrel for my T/C also. Will be watching your results.

[shaune1022]

I hate that boolit! I have the NOE version of the RD 165 boolit that I'm working up loads for my 30-30ai contender. I shoot the lee in 30-30 brass to fireform to 30-30ai so I can use the noe boolit. Can't get the NOE to shoot better than 3" but the Lee shoots 5 into 1" with out even trying much load development. Maybe I'll just stick with the Lee for the AI.

[EMC45]

My mold came early. It was inspected by Lucille. First "new style" Lee I have. I noticed a good bit of "swarf" in the cavities and on the block faces. I used a little cylindrical Cratex Dremmel bob to knock the burrs back by hand. I washed it in hot water and Dawn and the mold and pot are heating up right now. We shall see.

[Ben]

Keep us posted with your results.

Ben

[Ben]

A few of you said you'd like to see range results with the T/C, 30-30.

After I got my scope roughly sighted in at 50 yards, I shot 2 different groups at 50 yards.

After I shot " Group 1 ", I made windage and elevation adjustments to the scope and proceeded to shoot " Group 2 ".

While I realize that this isn't going to win a lot of praise, but for my 1st day out with the Contender and not knowing if the loads that I shot today are agreeable with the pistol or not, I was reasonably pleased with the way it shot.

More " fine - tuning " and I hope to have this pistol shooting even better. Hey, it is fun and it keeps you off the streets.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/download-7.jpg

[xbeeman412]

WTG Ben!! That's a meat getting group

[Blammer]

I'm just waiting for the thread about how the cut out the GC shank on one cavity on this mould... :)

[Ben]

Blammer :

You won't have to wait long.

I've already done that very thing.

Ben

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/001-71.jpg

[Beagle333]

I just got one of these today (but it's the old style mold) and I can hardly wait for Saturday, to drop a few!!!:cbpour:

[Ben]

I just got one of these today (but it's the old style mold) and I can hardly wait for Saturday, to drop a few!!!:cbpour:

Let us know how it cast and the diameters.

[Beagle333]

'Will do! :D

[Beagle333]

Here's some from my mold. It was my first time with a Lee mold, and I must say that I was a bit apprehensive about the flimsy thing, with the skinny little sprue plate, and I had to set it on the table when I closed it to get it to line up square, but I got it nice and hot on the hot plate and when I started pouring I didn't have any culls and the boolits just fell out of it like rain. I was really impressed.
These drop at .311, with a nose of .301, from an alloy of 70/30 pure/WW with 1% tin. They are purposefully soft because I'm going to try powdercoating and see if it will let me shoot softer boolits than normal from a 30-30.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/cast%20boolits/PC009_zps554ed839.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/cast%20boolits/PC017_zpsbd517e00.jpg

[Ben]

They look great and should shoot GREAT !

[Ben]

Today I shot some IDEAL 308241's in my 10" barrel , T/C , 30-30 Contender.

They were sized .310 " I was pleased with the group.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Plain%20based%20group%20308241/0032.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/IMG_20130930_144711.jpg

[garymcgehee52]

Ben We can all use another mold.

[Fat-beeman]

I wish I could find a old lyman mold they used to make for 30/40 craige I like real pointed style for 30 cal. can I use a lee mold and a dermal tool to point one out?
Don

[waco]

Good looking mold and groups! I have a six banger in the mail now. Can't wait to get it. Hope it casts well too.