ohland
12-13-2013, 10:22 AM
All this was extracted from "Cast Bullets", page 26, by E. H. Harrison, 5th Printing, Feb 1990, NRA. ISBN 0-935998-49-7 [ed.]
311359, 115 grs. There is some need for a very light, short-range bullet. This design, though modern-looking, is quite old. I believe its best performance is about 1" at 50 yds., with very light charges. Recovered bullets show the reason, which is large yaw in the rifle bore. Nevertheless it can be reliable within its field, and it can be seated with all grease grooves inside the case neck so cartridges can be carried in the pocket.
311465, 120 grs.-Lightest of the family of multi-banded .30 bullets. Practically all body, making the most of its short length. Has same practical disadvantages as No. 311467 at right, and its best reliable grouping appears to be about 1 ½ minutes of angle. However, about 2100 f.p.s. velocity is readily attained, making a light, comparatively fast load. This bullet also can be fired with-out gas check with very light charges, making the lightest and least expensive of practicable loads.
311413, 165 grs.-Has been more used than any other .30 cal. cast bullet. Gives minute-of-angle groups and smaller in the hands of skilled experimenters using carefully-adjusted light charges.
I have never obtained good shooting with medium or heavy charges from this bullet in lead alloy and have never learned of anyone doing so. The long point, though desirable from the stand-point of exterior ballistics, is obtained by cutting away the sides of the forepart leaving it without support. The unavoidable result, with all charges but the lightest, is deformation and yaw of the bullet in the rifle bore (confirmed from recovered bullets) and consequent poor grouping. Repeated failures with this widely-used bullet have had an unfortunate effect on popularity of cast bullets in rifles generally.
311403, 170 grs.-Designed by no less a person than H. M. Pope for light-load target shooting in .30-'06. Tapered from bore size at leading band, to oversize base band which is intended to be only started by hand in unsized case mouth. However, the base band oversize is carried much too far. The mold tested cast the base band .317", which even lightly started in case mouth made cartridge too large to enter chamber. When loading was accomplished by reaming case necks, it proved impossible to completely prevent leading on top of rifle lands. If base band were not over .309", and last grease groove correspondingly deepened, the bullet could be expected to perform well with appropriate light charges.
311291 (originally 308291), 170 grs.-One of the original 1905 gas-check designs, and successful like all that group. For best results, its forepart must be full .300" diameter and body should be not above .308". With these dimensions, it groups excellently both with and without gas check, with correct charges. Has the additional practical advantages of being easy to cast and inspect, and of exposing no grease in the loaded round. The best medium-weight bullet when the above qualities are required.
311467, 175 grs.-Essentially same as some of the very first Ideal .30 cast bullets, with gas check added. Long groove-size body, with first 2 bands a little smaller. Has inconveniences of somewhat difficult casting and inspection, and exposure of grease in the loaded cartridge. But accurate and consistent performer in medium and heavy loads in all narrow-land rifling, and because of narrow bands will adapt to broad-land rifling. I have not tried the shorter No. 311466 (150 grs.) but others have reported good results with it and these would be expected.
311407, 180 grs.-Like 311467, but blunt point, which improves stability at low velocities. Performs well at low and medium velocities, and in .308" diameter is excellent without gas check with suitably light charges.
311334 (originally 308334), 190 grs.-Designed for the Springfeld 1903 rifle soon after the latter was standardized in 1906 form. However, with medium and heavy charges it is unreliable in the M 1903 and others with narrow rifling lands. Its long bore-size forepart is guided positively by the broad lands of the 2-groove M1 1903A3 rifle. in which it shoots excellently and is the best bullet.
311299, 210 grs. - Another of the original 1905 gas-check bullets. Intended for the .303 British cartridge, it is usually cast with .314" body and .303" forepart. When body is sized to .310" (which must be done in 2 steps except with strong sizing machine) this bullet makes best practicable fit at point of greatest wear in a worn barrel. Very slight erosion of lands before chamber, determinable only with breech bore gauge or by recording number of jacketed bullets fired, is sufficient to admit this bullet. Sized as above, it is in that situation the best bullet and gives results comparable to those of No. 311284 in a new barrel.
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311359, 115 grs. There is some need for a very light, short-range bullet. This design, though modern-looking, is quite old. I believe its best performance is about 1" at 50 yds., with very light charges. Recovered bullets show the reason, which is large yaw in the rifle bore. Nevertheless it can be reliable within its field, and it can be seated with all grease grooves inside the case neck so cartridges can be carried in the pocket.
311465, 120 grs.-Lightest of the family of multi-banded .30 bullets. Practically all body, making the most of its short length. Has same practical disadvantages as No. 311467 at right, and its best reliable grouping appears to be about 1 ½ minutes of angle. However, about 2100 f.p.s. velocity is readily attained, making a light, comparatively fast load. This bullet also can be fired with-out gas check with very light charges, making the lightest and least expensive of practicable loads.
311413, 165 grs.-Has been more used than any other .30 cal. cast bullet. Gives minute-of-angle groups and smaller in the hands of skilled experimenters using carefully-adjusted light charges.
I have never obtained good shooting with medium or heavy charges from this bullet in lead alloy and have never learned of anyone doing so. The long point, though desirable from the stand-point of exterior ballistics, is obtained by cutting away the sides of the forepart leaving it without support. The unavoidable result, with all charges but the lightest, is deformation and yaw of the bullet in the rifle bore (confirmed from recovered bullets) and consequent poor grouping. Repeated failures with this widely-used bullet have had an unfortunate effect on popularity of cast bullets in rifles generally.
311403, 170 grs.-Designed by no less a person than H. M. Pope for light-load target shooting in .30-'06. Tapered from bore size at leading band, to oversize base band which is intended to be only started by hand in unsized case mouth. However, the base band oversize is carried much too far. The mold tested cast the base band .317", which even lightly started in case mouth made cartridge too large to enter chamber. When loading was accomplished by reaming case necks, it proved impossible to completely prevent leading on top of rifle lands. If base band were not over .309", and last grease groove correspondingly deepened, the bullet could be expected to perform well with appropriate light charges.
311291 (originally 308291), 170 grs.-One of the original 1905 gas-check designs, and successful like all that group. For best results, its forepart must be full .300" diameter and body should be not above .308". With these dimensions, it groups excellently both with and without gas check, with correct charges. Has the additional practical advantages of being easy to cast and inspect, and of exposing no grease in the loaded round. The best medium-weight bullet when the above qualities are required.
311467, 175 grs.-Essentially same as some of the very first Ideal .30 cast bullets, with gas check added. Long groove-size body, with first 2 bands a little smaller. Has inconveniences of somewhat difficult casting and inspection, and exposure of grease in the loaded cartridge. But accurate and consistent performer in medium and heavy loads in all narrow-land rifling, and because of narrow bands will adapt to broad-land rifling. I have not tried the shorter No. 311466 (150 grs.) but others have reported good results with it and these would be expected.
311407, 180 grs.-Like 311467, but blunt point, which improves stability at low velocities. Performs well at low and medium velocities, and in .308" diameter is excellent without gas check with suitably light charges.
311334 (originally 308334), 190 grs.-Designed for the Springfeld 1903 rifle soon after the latter was standardized in 1906 form. However, with medium and heavy charges it is unreliable in the M 1903 and others with narrow rifling lands. Its long bore-size forepart is guided positively by the broad lands of the 2-groove M1 1903A3 rifle. in which it shoots excellently and is the best bullet.
311299, 210 grs. - Another of the original 1905 gas-check bullets. Intended for the .303 British cartridge, it is usually cast with .314" body and .303" forepart. When body is sized to .310" (which must be done in 2 steps except with strong sizing machine) this bullet makes best practicable fit at point of greatest wear in a worn barrel. Very slight erosion of lands before chamber, determinable only with breech bore gauge or by recording number of jacketed bullets fired, is sufficient to admit this bullet. Sized as above, it is in that situation the best bullet and gives results comparable to those of No. 311284 in a new barrel.
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