Pros and Cons for Lee C309-113-F 113GC OR Lee C309-120-R 120GC for M1 Carbine

[blackthunder]

I am looking for my first and only mould for my M1 carbine

Of these:
Lee C309-113-F 113GC
Lee C309-120-R 120GC

How do I decide?

[Ithaca Gunner]

I've been using the C309-120-RGC for a while now and like it a lot. It's probably my most shot .30Carbine boolit. I don't know about the C309-113-FGC, but I tried some flat nose LEE boolits once for .32WCF and they wouldn't feed at all in my 1942 Underwood.

The C309-120-R isn't a glamorous boolit by any means, but it works very well and accuracy is as good, or better than other designs. I would be concerned about the C309-113-F would feed with it's flat nose.

[Larry Gibson]

The RN will probably feed w/o problems. If you are just plinking and target shooting then that is the best choice.

FN bullets can cause feed problems in M1 Carbines. They usually require the feed ramp to be polished and sometimes opened up a bit. Neither is difficult to do. Unless you plan on hunting small game, varmints or even deer sized game then a FN is not the best choice.

Larry Gibson

[historicfirearms]

I've got both molds and like the RN better in my carbine, it feeds 100%. The flat nose doesn't.

[whelenshooter]

i have the little flatnose and it feeds fine in my as issued underwood. I also have the round nose version and the 120 and haven't had any problems with any of them feeding. I'm thinking that little flatnose would be great 'yote medicine. I intend to find out.

david

[jonk]

I use the 120. No issues. 13 gr of WC 820, similar to AA 9 does well for me.

[TommyT]

I've used the Lee 120 grainer for several years now. Love it! I've tried other styles with mixed results. The 120 works best for me over 12.5 grains of H110. No feed issues and excellent accuracy.

[blackthunder]

Thanks for all the input guys. I order the Lee C390-120 R and casted over 200 bullets in 1 hour using 100% WW and 3% tin added. 8674686747

[Larry Gibson]

Those should do nicely.

Larry Gibson

[Ole]

I agree with Larry. Your first run o bullets looks a lot better than my first run o bullets with that mold.

First session told me it likes heat. A lot of heat.

[blackthunder]

My thermometer broke a couple months ago and I have just been winging it... just try to watch the bullets and if frosty turn it down, bright and shiny leave it be... most of my bullets are not this shiny and are more dull.... didn't have have any frosty from too hight of temp this time.

Been thinking about investing the $40 cost of a new thermometer into the PID they have been talking about on these forums...

[CGT80]

Definitely go with the PID. I bought a thermometer to verify that the PID was close, but I only use the PID and a lee 20 pound pot. Getting too hot with the PID is not a problem. It does take a little while for the pot to catch up when I add sprues back in though. I used the stuff from Auberns.

I am running an RCBS 30 115 steel two cavity GC mold for 30 carbine. The previous owner of the mold said his gun didn't like it, but I am happy so far. I still need to so some longer range testing, but at 120 feet, I had no problem hitting a 6" steel plate. The boolits are a round nose and they weigh around 120 grains with lube and gas check. They seem to work better than jacketed hollow point bullets that my grandfather had loaded up. I am using 11.0 and 11.8 grains of 2400.

Those little boxes of home made boolits are sure pretty and I love the price. Making them is a bit tedious but it is rewarding.