What makes a good CB shooter?

[Haywire Haywood]

Wasn't sure exactly where to put this, so here it landed.

What characteristics make a rifle a good CB shooter? I'm thinking about a 38-55(72?) as my next rifle and whatever form it turns out to be will be on a strict CB diet.

Ian

[Char-Gar]

There are a number of factors that makes for a rifle doing well with cast boolits. At the top of my list are;

1. A barrel twist that is slow enough to do well with alloy bullets
2. A cartridge case with a long neck to hold a bullet and keep it's feet out of the fire.
3. A cartridge case with the powder capacity to use relatively high density loads without pushing the bullet beyond alloy limits
4. A caliber for which there are lots of good molds available

The rifle and round I have described in the 30-30. If you want a rifle dedicated to cast bullets and have no real world need to throw large chunks of lead downrange, the 30-30 is the way to go.











Wasn't sure exactly where to put this, so here it landed.

What characteristics make a rifle a good CB shooter? I'm thinking about a 38-55(72?) as my next rifle and whatever form it turns out to be will be on a strict CB diet.

Ian

[Buckshot]

.............What Charger said. The old 30-30 is probably the best commonly available case, utilizing the caliber sporting the most useable & available moulds there is. The case is about the right size. Since it is easily formed from the 38-55, (and probably was :D) that cartridge is similar in utility except for mould availability.

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

[jethrow strait]

I just about had myself talked into putting a couple ole 30-30s on consignment, since I never shoot them, a bolt and a single-shot that truly are accurate cast boolit shooters---consistantly under .5" groups at fifty yards with ole Weaver fine-crosshair 4X scopes on em.

That being said, and with all due respect Chargar, I'm thinkin that those 4 prerequisites that you and yer "yes man" like, are half-truths at best. I put my faith mainly in deep rifling with just a pinch of your #1.-----jethrow

[Haywire Haywood]

Thanks for your input. I've thrown out the 38-55 idea tho because of wacky chamber to bore dims I've been reading about. [smilie=s:

Ian

[Char-Gar]

Well Jethrow...In all due respect, the importance of the depth of rifling is a half truth at best. Many of us get excellent results in the Marlin Microgroove barrels and they are very shallow. I will put my money on proper fit of the bullet to the throat, groove and land dimension of the barrel..with the others factors thrown in.

[versifier]

[smilie=s: I agree totally with Chargar about depth of rifling. I have found it important only with front stuffers, especially if you want to shoot patched round balls. I used to preach the often repeated line about how microgroove barrels were useless with cast until a friend was playing with his Marlin .30-30 as I was shooting my Rem 788 in the same caliber. The Rem was a genuine tack driver, no matter what I shot through it, easily capable of 1/2MOA from a rest. My friend tried five of my favorite loads through his Marlin, including two cast loads (Lee 120FNGC and 150FNGC). I told him not to expect too much as the lead loads would probably just strip. From the rest, both were right around an inch - 5shot 100yds. :o Most new rifles won't do that or anywhere near it with jacketed or cast bullets. I prefer ice cream on my humble pie and I have not badmouthed a microgroove barrel since. (I still prefer the older examples of Browning's lever designs to look at and play with, but what the Marlins may lack in looks, they make up for in reliability.)

[StarMetal]

I'll have to go with jethro. Hey charger guess those fellows that tested and wrote the NRA CAST BULLET BOOK didn't know what the heck they were talking about when they bad mouthed the micro-groove. You're wrong...nobody said they WOULDN"T shoot, but the sure as darn are alot harder to have good results with easy.

Joe

[Haywire Haywood]

When you say deep rifling, how deep is deep? I've only got about 2 thou on my NEF Handi.

Ian

[StarMetal]

I personally like to see .004

Joe

[felix]

004 for 22's, 006 for 45's. Nothing wrong with microgroove, though, provided the lube control is exquisite. The more land height, the less critical the lube control for a long term outing. ... felix