Best mould for .30 Luger & .30 mauser.

[Boolseye]

Does anyone have experience casting and loading for either of these rounds?
I have a Lee 312-100 (lapped to .314", approx weight 110 gr) and the Lee TL314-93 SWC.
This is for a gunsmith friend who needs to be able to shoot these old pistols after working on and before selling them. Also posting same in "favorite Loads" to see about load data.
-BE

[Thin Man]

My favorite mold for both of these calibers is an Ohaus 32-085R, which was I suspect designed for the 32 S&W, 32 ACP and similar cartridges. My mold produces 90 grain boolits. I size these .311 and get good accuracy and function, depending on powder charge. Likely any RN "32" caliber (.311") handgun intended mold designed for 85 grain +/- boolits will get you the results you need. Lee still offers their 311-93-1R pattern. If the nose of that boolit is too blunt to generate reliable function, look at their 311-100-2R design. Mill a VERY small bit off the base area of the blocks to lighten the boolits you create and try again. (I did this with the 100 gr. mold - removed the rear band and lube groove, ended up with a 78 grain boolit that gives flawless function in the 32 ACP.)

[Boolseye]

Excellent information and suggestions! Thank you so much, now I have something to work with.
-BE

My favorite mold for both of these calibers is an Ohaus 32-085R, which was I suspect designed for the 32 S&W, 32 ACP and similar cartridges. My mold produces 90 grain boolits. I size these .311 and get good accuracy and function, depending on powder charge. Likely any RN "32" caliber (.311") handgun intended mold designed for 85 grain +/- boolits will get you the results you need. Lee still offers their 311-93-1R pattern. If the nose of that boolit is too blunt to generate reliable function, look at their 311-100-2R design. Mill a VERY small bit off the base area of the blocks to lighten the boolits you create and try again. (I did this with the 100 gr. mold - removed the rear band and lube groove, ended up with a 78 grain boolit that gives flawless function in the 32 ACP.)

[.30Calibre]

Does anyone have experience casting and loading for either of these rounds?
I have a Lee 312-100 (lapped to .314", approx weight 110 gr) and the Lee TL314-93 SWC.

The .314 diameter boolit seems rather large for use in a Broom. My Brooms with good bores (original) slug in at .308dia or .309dia.

I have a single well used import marked Broom with a reeeeally bad bore; you can make out what's left of the rifling and see the faint lines. This bad bore Broom will keyhole and otherwise malfunction with .308/.309dia boolits, but launches .314dia pills straight and actually punch round holes in the paper. I keep the two loadings separate. I don't know that I'd want to repeatedly cram a .314dia pill through a .308dia bore, especially at 110gr weight (assuming the .314dia boolit even chambers properly when you drop the bolt).

I have a 95gr SWC boolit (looks like a mini-Keith style boolit) in .309dia that cycles well behind 5.7gr of Accurate #7.
Had similar success with a 90gr .308dia LRN and 3.5gr of Bullseye behind it.

A 95gr projectile was the heaviest I ever wanted to experiment with in my 80yr old Brooms, though I've heard of some old time C&R forums folks that have used 100gr Speer Plink and even 110gr carbine pills; I never personally worked up the courage to try those.

[Outpost75]

FWIW the Accurate 31-087T is what I use in my CZ52 and .32 ACPs. For an M96 Bromhandle or .30 Luger you would reduce the bullet diameter when you order to .309".

I load 2 grains of Bullseye in the .32 ACP and 5 grains in the .30 Mauser and 7.62x25. Don't exceed 5 grains in an M96, but in a TT33 or CZ52 you can increase to 5.5 if needed to obtain reliable function. In the .30 Luger 4 grains is a safe start load, and you could increase to 4.5 if needed for reliable function.

131067131068

[Boolseye]

Thanks very much for your replies.

[frnkeore]

If anyone has or has access to the chamber drawings for the 7.62x25 and the 30 Borchardt, I'll draw up a bullet in this caliber. SAAMI has the 30 Luger drawing so, I wouldn't need that one.

I'll try to make one that will work in all three chamber but, gear it more for the 7.62x25 if there are conflicts in the leade angle. I think the necks are very close to the same length so, that shouldn't be a problem.

I'll post it as a GB discussion on the NOE forum if, I can get the drawings.

Frank

[Saltner]

The .314 diameter boolit seems rather large for use in a Broom. My Brooms with good bores (original) slug in at .308dia or .309dia.

I have a single well used import marked Broom with a reeeeally bad bore; you can make out what's left of the rifling and see the faint lines. This bad bore Broom will keyhole and otherwise malfunction with .308/.309dia boolits, but launches .314dia pills straight and actually punch round holes in the paper. I keep the two loadings separate. I don't know that I'd want to repeatedly cram a .314dia pill through a .308dia bore, especially at 110gr weight (assuming the .314dia boolit even chambers properly when you drop the bolt).

I have a 95gr SWC boolit (looks like a mini-Keith style boolit) in .309dia that cycles well behind 5.7gr of Accurate #7.
Had similar success with a 90gr .308dia LRN and 3.5gr of Bullseye behind it.

A 95gr projectile was the heaviest I ever wanted to experiment with in my 80yr old Brooms, though I've heard of some old time C&R forums folks that have used 100gr Speer Plink and even 110gr carbine pills; I never personally worked up the courage to try those.


I have a Beretta 92 caliber 30 Luger Parabellum also called 7.65, bullets for 32 are calibrated over and could not fully close a narrow bore and develop excessive pressures, it is essential to resize!
Considering that with bullets from 93 grain FMJ speed is reached 1280 feet, you need to move up in weight to 110 grains when using alloys hold otherwise you must use hard alloys, preferably with gas check.
I once loaded with balls for 30 rifles from 110 grains FMJ, i found them on sale.
I saw in the catalogs the 100gr Speer Plink but to shoot with the gun cost too much.

[rintinglen]

The only ones I ever loaded were 311-419 sized 309 for a Chinese Bring Back. I used a gas check design because in those days we "knew" that velocities over 1200 fps required them.

[Boolseye]

I picked up a 6-cav 311-93 1R from FSreloading. We'll see how it works in these various rounds, thanks again for all your help.

[Cowboy_Dan]

If anyone has or has access to the chamber drawings for the 7.62x25 and the 30 Borchardt, I'll draw up a bullet in this caliber. SAAMI has the 30 Luger drawing so, I wouldn't need that one.

I'll try to make one that will work in all three chamber but, gear it more for the 7.62x25 if there are conflicts in the leade angle. I think the necks are very close to the same length so, that shouldn't be a problem.

I'll post it as a GB discussion on the NOE forum if, I can get the drawings.

Frank

Here is the CIP spec for a 7.62x25 chamber:

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/attachments/f24/21313d1269469077-chamber-dimensions-7-62-x-25-7.62x25-tokarev-reamer.jpg

[frnkeore]

Thank you, Cowboy. Now if we can just come up with one for the Borchardt.

Frank