Boolits for 30-06?

[put]

I would like to cast for my 30-06 but I have several questions. I am currently casting 38 Special, 357 Magnum and 45 Colt. I am using 100% WW with Felix Lube with great results in my hand guns.

Here are my questions:

1. What alloy mix should I use. I have WW, linotype and some soft lead. (I also have a Lee tester)
2. How fast can I drive a GC boolet?
3. What lube should I use? Will my Felix Formula hold up?
4. What would be a good mold or molds?

I plan on using it for target and hunting. Primarily hogs and our very large South Texas whitetail (they can grow to almost 100 pounds in a good year).

[Larry Gibson]

[Here are my questions:

1. What alloy mix should I use. I have WW, linotype and some soft lead. (I also have a Lee tester)

WWs with 5% tin will work nicely for both. There are other alloys that work well better for hunting but that alloy will do for both Target and hunting.

2. How fast can I drive a GC boolet?

Assuming you mean with some degree of accuracy(?) you can drive a GC bullet to 2600+ fps out of the '06. What you expect for accuracy is another point. An accurate hunting load can be had with most medium-heavy weight bullets upwards of 2100 fps. Best accuracy (given a 10" twist barrel) will be in the 18-1900 fps range.

3. What lube should I use? Will my Felix Formula hold up?

I use Javelina myself but your felix lube will hold up.

4. What would be a good mold or molds?

The same bullet can be used for both but some designs are more accurate than others, expecially for target shooting. Then you have to consider what range you are talking about. For Hunting you'll want a medium to heavy weight bullet with a flat nose (meplat) or a HP.

I plan on using it for target and hunting. Primarily hogs and our very large South Texas whitetail (they can grow to almost 100 pounds in a good year).

Hard to beat the 311291 or 311299 fpr target shooting. The Lyman 311041, Lee C309-170-F, RCBS 30-180-FN and the Saeco #307 (180 gr FN) are all excellent commonly available moulds that will do well for hunting with the '06.

Larry Gibson

[NVcurmudgeon]

Welcome to the board, put. Wheelweights plus 2 % tin have proven successful for hunting. See the article, "Cast Bullets for Hunting" in Lyman's "Cast Bullet Handbok, Third edition." This article was researched and written by C. E. Harris and Dennis Marshall, two top hands in the art of cast bullets. My CB loads have been accurate and mostly leading free at the 1500 to 2000 fps I load to. My lube is Javelina Alox, which works well at the medium speeds of my loads. Trying Felix lube for rifle loads is a project for the coming winter and spring, so I can't say. Two flat point boolits with many testimonials to accuracy are RCBS 30-180 and Lyman 311410, 175 gr. Notice Harris and Marshall mostly used the Lyman mould for their article.

[Newtire]

Don't forget to give the RCBS 165 silhouette boolit a try. Larry already said all the other ones I have had great luck with. I have been playing around with a 130 grainer from RCBS made for the SKS I believe. Surprizing but real accurate ahead of 18 gr. SR4759 and a large pistol primer in the .30-06.

[Billwnr]

In my .30/06 I mostly shoot 16.5 grains of 2400 and bullets between 183 and 200 grains. I shoot bullets around 18-19 bhn. WW's will also shoot good with 16.5 grains of 2400 as it's only around 1450-1500 fps.

[put]

Thanks for all the information.

What kind of accuracy can I expect with cast boolits? My Weatherby shoots Sierra 165 gr. boat tails very well, about ¾” at 100 yards. Is that kind of accuracy obtainable with cast, assuming I do my part with all the experimentation?

I can’t wait to get after it.
:mrgreen:

[Buckshot]

Thanks for all the information.

What kind of accuracy can I expect with cast boolits? My Weatherby shoots Sierra 165 gr. boat tails very well, about ¾” at 100 yards. Is that kind of accuracy obtainable with cast, assuming I do my part with all the experimentation?

I can’t wait to get after it.
:mrgreen:

............Yes it is if you want to spend the time doing it. In some ways it's a lot of fun. But if your wife is busting your b....s about getting the bathroom remodle finished up, it ain't so much fun :-)

..............Buckshot

[testhop]

i just settle for minuite of deer
seriouley if you get down to 1 inch you have braging rights

[SlamFire1]

Last year I was in the same questioning stage as you. The advice I got was that Lyman 311299 and 311284 were the molds to try in 30-06. And it was good advice.

After successfully using AA5744 in a 45/70, I gave it a try in 30-06. It worked well and that is what I am going to use in the future. I have almost eight pounds of a surplus 4895 powder, that unfortunately is deteriorating. I had to scrap well over 1000 loaded cases of 308 LC 72 because the powder caused case neck cracking. I ran an experiment where I soaked the stuff in water for four months, to see if that would wash out the acid in the powder. I don’t think it did a thing. I did dry out some, and shot it, and the data is as below. Because it is a surplus powder you will not be able to duplicate the charge/velocity, but you can see what velocities I was pushing my bullets at, and I had no leading.

I am using give away Red Rooster bullet lube. The stuff is from the 60’s, and it still works.

I shoot offhand practice with this rifle, so I cannot really tell you whether one mold is better than the other. But my ammunition will stay within a five inch black circle spray painted on my gong target, and that is good enough for me, offhand.

The bullet alloy was lyman #2.

Ruger #1 26” Barrel


205 gr .310" sized 311299 mold Gas Check
24.5 grs AA5744 CCI #34 PS74 OAL 3.290"
11-Sep-06 T = 90 °F


Ave Vel = 1731
Std Dev = 12
ES 37
Low 1714
High 1751
N = 11


205 gr .310" sized 311299 mold Gas Check
25.0 grs AA5744 WLR PS74 OAL 3.290"
11-Sep-06 T = 90 °F


Ave Vel = 1742
Std Dev = 19
ES 62
High 1768
Low 1706
N = 11

Best group


311299 Data


205 gr .310" sized 311299 mold Gas Check
28.5 grs PATS 4895 Lot 7776 washed WLR PS74 OAL 3.290"

13-Nov-06 T = 64 °F

Ave Vel = 1693
Std Dev = 48
ES 164
High 1770
Low 1606
N = 9


205 gr .310" sized 311299 mold Gas Check
29.5 grs PATS 4895 Lot 7776 washed WLR PS74 OAL 3.290"
13-Nov-06 T = 64 °F


Ave Vel = 1749
Std Dev = 25
ES 88
High 1801
Low 1713
N = 13


215 gr .311" sized 311284 mold Gas Check
Lyman #2 Alloy, actual as cast weight 215 gs, lubed and checked 222 grs

29.5 grs PATS 4895 Lot 7776 washed CCI#34 WWII cases OAL 3.250"
13-Nov-06 T = 64 °F


Ave Vel = 1826
Std Dev = 43
ES 152
High 1906
Low 1754
N = 12

Shot to same relative POI as 312999 no leading

[Shiloh]

I use the Lyman 314299 sized at .312. The .312 sizer die just kisses the separation lines of the mold. My 311299 mold drops boolits at just over .310 and the nose at just under .299 so it turns in the muzzle. I use this boolit in the '03 and Krag cut-down with fine accuracy.

Yesterday at the range with the '03, after a few shots to check the sights, I put 4 shots in a diamond shape pattern measuring 1 1/2" x 1.00. The 5th shot going about 3" high and to the left out of the group. Go figure. Flyers keep us humble.
All 40 rounds went into the black of an SR-1 target with most going into or just out of the 10 ring, for a spread of just over 4 inches. This was from a bench with sandbags. Not bad for my 51 year old eyes.

The nose of the 314299 is engraved by the rifling the 311299 isn't. I use Larsen's Lube the BAC variety and have had good results with the 2500+ variety as well. The BAC is a little more sticky than the 2500+ but I like the red color[smilie=1:

I cast with wheelweights sweetened with a pound of linotype per pot and about a 4' long piece of 95/5 tin/antimony solder for rifle boolits. I get good accuracy at about 1650-1700 and have run them as fast as 2200 with no leading. Better accuracy at the lower velocity.

Lately we have been using range lead for pistol boolits in the 800 fps. range with no leading.

http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/index.html

Shiloh :castmine:

[put]

This is great info. Thanks!

I just read an article in Lyman’s Cast Handbook Third Edition called “The 30-06 is an oldie. But a goodie” by Frank Marshall, Jr. He did very well with cast boolits in the 30-06. He paid extraordinary attention to detail. I have the time and interest to do so. I just hope I have the ability.

:confused: I have one concern. My Weatherby Vanguard seams to have a very short throat. When I measure it with a RCBS Mic Gauge the throat reads .003 inches. I set the bullets (165 gr. Sierra Spitzer) at .000 on the gauge. This gives me the best results. Will the Cast bullets be to long for my rifle? I really like the idea of 311299 and 311284 but I am afraid they will not work in my rifle. I can’t really afford to buy and try. The rifle is shooting so well I would hate to change the throat.

[Shiloh]

This is great info. Thanks!

I just read an article in Lyman’s Cast Handbook Third Edition called “The 30-06 is an oldie. But a goodie” by Frank Marshall, Jr. He did very well with cast boolits in the 30-06. He paid extraordinary attention to detail. I have the time and interest to do so. I just hope I have the ability.

:confused: I have one concern. My Weatherby Vanguard seams to have a very short throat. When I measure it with a RCBS Mic Gauge the throat reads .003 inches. I set the bullets (165 gr. Sierra Spitzer) at .000 on the gauge. This gives me the best results. Will the Cast bullets be to long for my rifle? I really like the idea of 311299 and 311284 but I am afraid they will not work in my rifle. I can’t really afford to buy and try. The rifle is shooting so well I would hate to change the throat.

You shouldn't have to change the throat.

Both those boolits should fill the throat nicely. As stated in my previous post the noses are engraved by the rifling on the 314299. Accuracy with cast boolits is enhanced when the throat is filled.

My rifles chamber with the fat .3o boolit.

Shiloh

[crowbeaner]

The 3 bullets I have for the '06 are Lyman 31141, 311291, and RCBS 30-180-FN. All will shoot 1 inch groups if I'm having a good day, and the wind isn't blowing my hat off. I use WW 748 and IMR 4895. CB.