Best 30 Cal Molds...What is your opinion

[Char-Gar]

Since the mid-50s I have been a 30 cal fan. I have dabbled in others and still do, but I always come back to the 30s for the backbone of my shooting. I suppose it is because there are so many fine rifles and molds made in "America's Caliber".

I have not counted in a while, but I probably have twenty or more 30 cal molds. However only 4 give me the results I want on a regular basis. The others are interesting, some accurate and all teach me things about cast bullets. However the following 4 deliver the good time and time again in a variety of applications.

1. 311291
2. 311284
3. 311467
4. RCBS 165 Sil (This bullet demands correct barrel specs)

I have high hopes for the new 311407 Mod. as speced. If Lee does it right, I see no reason why this bullet should not join the "Big 4" and be on of the best and most versitile around.

Your responses and opinions please.

[Patrick L]

I don't have your experience, but I have been shooting .30 cal cast for about 9 or 10 years now. The Lyman 311644 193 gr Silhouette bullet gave me good accuracy. In fact, I used it as a Highpower bullet for a few years. I switched to the SAECO 301 196 gr TC about three years ago. It too shot very well out of my 03, and cast much easier since it only had one big lube groove. The Lyman had four tiny grooves, two inside the case and two on the bullet nose. Sometimes it was a bear to get the mold to release the bullets. I see that Lyman has recently introduced a similar weight tapered bullet (not sure of the number) without all those tiny grooves.

[David R]

Hmm, I like 30 cal too.

1-311291 Shootsgreat in my 1917 enfield. Needs more spearmenting in my 308.

2-311466 (311467's little brother) Shoots great in BOTH of my 30 cal guns.

Lee soup Can. Best boolit in my TC contender. (no one told me contenders don't shoot lead)

311644, makes a pretty boolit, won't shoot AT ALL in my enfield, needs more exploring in my 308.

LEE group buy C312 1502R. Shoots Just OK in everything, nuttin special. When my 311407 and 31141 group buy molds come in, this one might be up for sale.

I have a few other 30 cal molds, but don't use em much at all.

Now I am looking for a 1903 springfield. More spearmenting.

David

[Char-Gar]

David... I have a 1917 Enfield, Rem. 03A3 and a 1954 vintage Model 70 all in 30-06. I only use on powder charge, but have tried about a dozen bullets. None of the bullets gave bad accuracy, it was all different degrees of good. RCBS 165 sil, 311291, 311467 and 311284 do about the same. The others don't do as well.

My Model 70 wears a 3X Weaver scope and will give 1.5 MOA 100 yard groups all days long. The 03A3 wear issues sights and will do 2 MOA at the same distace all day long.

I use a charge of 50/WC872 powder and a Rem. 9.5 primers. I top the powder charge off with 1cc/10 grains of PSB. When I use the heavy 311284 I have to cut the PSB to .5cc/5 grains.

Velocity runs about 1.8K fps, plus or minus depending on the weight of the bullets.

In all three rifles this powder charge will deliver all the accuracy the bullet and rifle have to give. I have never found another "universal" powder charge in any other caliber.

I size my bullets .310 except the Winchester when I go to .309. That rifle has a very tight throat and chokes on .310 bullets.

[David R]

I think my enfield will do 2 MOA all day long, but my eyes sure can't. That is exactly why I bought the stevens 308, so I could put a scope on it. The stevens seems to like the 150 a little better.

Both shoot 150 grain boolits with 20 grains of 2400 and so far no filler. One of these days I want to buy some surplus powder, but that is in the future. Probably when I use up the second 4 lb keg of 2400. I have been through one this summer already.

David

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
I've had fair results w/ the lyman # 311284 w/ gc ~ 214grs. in ww alloy.

[crazy mark]

311332, 311334, RCBS 30-150 and Ohaus 30-170 followed by 311291 and 311413 and 311414. All depends on what 30 cal rifle. 1903, 30.06, my 7.62 Natos, Mosin Nagants, 7.5 Swiss, 7.5 French, 30/30's, 0r 303 brit and 7.7 Jap.

[Buckshot]

.............I like 2. The old and proven 311284. It was my first 30 cal mould and has done real well overall and accounted for my one cast lead deer.

The 311407. Excellent boolit that has done well in all my 30 cals and drops at a useable size for a couple Argentines.

Hard to pick a 'best' because I don't think there is enough difference in my shooting to demonstrate any 'Bestness' one over the other. They're just my 2 favorites for some subconsience reason I suppose.

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

[Newtire]

Like someone already mentioned, it depends on which gun you're shooting them in. I have two undersize-nose 311291 moulds that are waiting for the right rifle to come along or for me to figure em out or perform a Beagle-izectonomy on but all the rest of em have managed to shoot. Starting with the Lee molds, the little 113 gr. soup-can shoots great in .30-30 but only with lighter charges. The Lee 120 gr. RN is one of 3- favorite bullets for M-1 carbine. The Lee 130 gr. RN (I don't see it on their list anymore) is another great M-1 carbine shooter. The Lee 150 gr. FN really shoots great in 30-30 as does a Lee 190 gr. FP I bought when they were still making them.
I haven't given the Lee 180 gr. RN any kind of workout but it shot OK in Springfield.

As far as Iron Molds go, I am real bad with all the numbers but the Lyman 77 gr. Plain-base RN plinker shoots great with pipsqueek charges out of my .30-30. The Lyman pointed 311359 113 gr. is my favorite for M-1 Carbine. The 150 gr. Loverin design (can't recall that number) is great in .30-30 & '06 both with mid-range charges. The 180 gr. Pointed (#?) I haven't really played with much. The RCBS 165gr. Silhouette really shoots in my latest '06 (a Wickliffe single shot). The 311440 "hammer-head" is good in the 30-30. The 311041 is the champ for heavy full-charge 30-30 with H-335 or Win. 748. The 311290 Lyman really shines in my '06 Springfield when I seat it right into the rifling. All of these bullets have their own special charges of powder within a range and seating is mostly right into the rifling. I'd suggest anyone to clean & slug the bore and get a combo that allows the bullet to get right into the rifling or just touching is about what has worked best for me. Then fool with water dropping, air-cooling, sizing diameter, & now this nose flaming thing so they will expand yet. Then if ya have any time left in your life, go out & shoot! Looking forward to trying out my new 311407M when they come. That oughta be a hum-dinger of a mold!

[Bob S]

I have to agree with Chargar's first two. Maybe No. 3 as well, I just have not used it that much ... only got a used mould off eBay a few years ago. Don't have the RCBS 165, but I have it's big brother (180) and it does well in the limited use I have given it. I have a gozzillion .30 moulds, some I have not even tried. It's hard to motivate myself to experiment when the 311284 and 311291 moulds and loads I have been using for nearly 40 years keep winning matches.

I would have to add for consideration 311/314299. So far these (the latter, especially) is the only thing that has given reasonable groups in the M1917 and DBR's.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[1Shirt]

Like a lot of others, I started with 3ll284, and it is still one of my favorites for my 2 Land Springfield. It drops from the mold right at .312, and I size very little.

I like 311291 in my 30-30's, either standard or hollow point, and both seem to shoot to the same point with the same load. This shoots well in my K-31 as well, and I am about to try it in 300Sav.

I cuss the lee molds when I am casting, but both the 150 and 180 grainers shoot well out of anything that I load. I use Lyman Orange lube, or Lee liquid alox with equal results.

Have played with some of the Magnus plain base bullets for cowboy shoots, and as long as you stay under 1400 fps. or so, they are reasonably accurate.

1Shirt

[moodyholler]

I have a 311299 and I have noticed no mention of it. Must be a junker? Was intending on trying it in my Krag sometime. Any thoughts? I am also in the group buy for the 311407. moodyholler

[beagle]

I'm kind of partial to the older version of the RCBS 30-180-SP. Looks kinda like the 311467 and shoots good in any of the bolts/single shots.

Now, for a .30/30 lever, I'll go with the 30-150-FN RCBS./beagle

[Maineboy]

I have a 311299 and I have noticed no mention of it. Must be a junker? Was intending on trying it in my Krag sometime. Any thoughts? I am also in the group buy for the 311407. moodyholler
Moodyholler, Bob S mentioned the 314299, which is a "fatter" version of your 311299. I have the .314299 version and it works very well sized .311 in my Krag. I think one of the reason's it works so well is that the fatter version is .302-.303 on nose portion and fills up the throat better in my rifle.

[Bass Ackward]

Moodyholler, Bob S mentioned the 314299, which is a "fatter" version of your 311299. I have the .314299 version and it works very well sized .311 in my Krag. I think one of the reason's it works so well is that the fatter version is .302-.303 on nose portion and fills up the throat better in my rifle.

David,

Good to see that you are crankin up again.

That 314299 is a God send if you need the diameter.

My favorite high velocity design is my own at 165 grains which I stole from LBT as a knock off. But for factory molds the 311284 and 311467 are hard to beat for accuracy. The 311440 is the Lyman version of Thor's Hammer.

[NVcurmudgeon]

My favorite mould is Lyman 314299. Sized .310, it is very accurate in my Springfield, and "sized" without touching in a .314+ die it does very well in my No. 4 rifle. The much-condemned Lyman 311413, which also casts .314, is another good one for light loads in .303. Discontinued Ohaus 30 190S has done very welll for me in .308 and .30/06.

[JeffinNZ]

Hi
I can report very good results with the Lyman 311466 though mine was opened up the drop WW at .315 to size .312 for my Lee Enfield. Also, one cavity was made into a flat nose.