I'm shopping for .30-06, 160-170gr mold. Your favorite .30-06 mold is?

[Walstr]

Since I had such good luck casting 45LC's, I'm encouraged to proceed with hardcast [CWW+2% Tin] 160gr-170gr, Gas Checked pill for my M1917, [.30-06]. It's been re-barreled with new-old stock, manufactured by Criterion Barrels via CMP program. I have not 'slugged' nor 'chamber cast' it yet, but will after Turkey Day.

I've been shopping for molds & am interested in what's been your favorite. I'm looking at:
--Lyman #311672, 160gr, RN, GC, .63" Nose, .95" Long
--Lee #311041, 170gr, FN, GC,
--Lee #90579 , 160gr, RN, GC [CTL312-160-2R]
--NOE #311-169-FN, 169gr, FN, GC, .6" Nose
--NOE #311-169-RN, 169gr, RN, GC.

My goal is medium / long range target, with hunting potential. I intend using my [unusually obtained] stock of 16# of IMR4198 or 8# of BLC-2. Thanks much.


Wally

[Scharfschuetze]

For an all around 30 calibre mould from 30/30 to the Ought-Six, it is hard to beat Lyman's 311041. It goes anywhere from 170 to 180 grains depending on alloy, gas check and lube.

I was just shooting it today from a bolt action Remington 788 in 30/30 and getting sub 2" 10 shot group at 100 yards with it.

My favorite Ought-Six mould though is Lyman's 311299 which is a bit heavier than you want at about 205 grains all dressed up, but it shoots very well from almost any Ought-Six from Springfields to Winchesters. It's the best long range cast boolit that I have and makes 300 yards look like 50 yards accuracy wise.

[marvelshooter]

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30_327&products_id=1843&osCsid=4ajrvdak5hpn0m1igagurm8u70

(http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30_327&products_id=1843&osCsid=4ajrvdak5hpn0m1igagurm8u70)
Works great in my '03A3 and I hope to use it in an M1 Garand.

[OptimusPanda]

How about the lee 312-185? It shoots pretty good in the '06 for me. May be a hair heavier than you specified though.

[Walstr]

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30_327&products_id=1843&osCsid=4ajrvdak5hpn0m1igagurm8u70

(http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30_327&products_id=1843&osCsid=4ajrvdak5hpn0m1igagurm8u70)
Works great in my '03A3 and I hope to use it in an M1 Garand.


Thanx for quick response. I see that your link shows a .309 dia boolit. I was under the impression .310"-.311" was necessary for shooting cast. What does your barrel slug at?

[dubber123]

If indeed hunting is in the future, I would not choose a RN or pointy design personally, and pick something with a bit of meplat on it.

[runfiverun]

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?products_id=913&osCsid=4ajrvdak5hpn0m1igagurm8u70

I'm a bit biased towards this one.
but it's designed around the 0-6's throat.
if you intend to hunt with it just speed it up to about 2300 the small meplat will be a big help at that speed.

[lotech]

I had reasonably good luck with .309" bullets when I began shooting .30 caliber, but quickly found .310" or .311" bullets were at least slightly more accurate in most guns. Your bullet choices are likely good ones, but for shooting much beyond 100 yards, something heavier like the Lyman #314299 or #311299 (that someone else mentioned) would be more satisfactory.

[marlin39a]

Noe 311365. Great in military rifles.

[wildwilly]

Tried and true, Lyman 311466 sized to .310".

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Tried and true, Lyman 311466 sized to .310".
Or Lyman 311284 210gn cast and sized to 0.310" as shown by this 10 shot group from my Remington 03A4!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v152/BAWallace/3006moa2_zpseb7e0a10.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BAWallace/media/3006moa2_zpseb7e0a10.jpg.html)

[marvelshooter]

Thanx for quick response. I see that your link shows a .309 dia boolit. I was under the impression .310"-.311" was necessary for shooting cast. What does your barrel slug at?
I have not slugged my barrel. The boolets cast at .3095 - .310 and I size them to .310 after powder coating. Would you like to try a few?

[jm423]

My experience is limited to the Lee 170 and 150 FN, both cast from straight wheel weights, pre-64 M70 Win. 30-06.The 170 gr. does a fine job for me to 100 yds, far as I shoot. Can't quote accuracy figures, haven't shot in a long time, but well within "minute of hog ear". Hope to thump one soon.

[WHITETAIL]

Wally, If you want I can send you some Lyman 170 gcfp.
Just PM me with your address.
And I will pop off you some.:cbpour:

[MT Gianni]

If you are serious about target shooting go with the Saeco 315.

[waksupi]

I would recommend picking a Loverin type design, in a 200 gr. minumum range for all you want to do.

[ShooterAZ]

My three favorites in the 1903 Springield (in this order) are: RCBS 30-165-SIL, Lyman or NOE clone 311299 and 311041. I have the NOE brass version of the 311041 and use it in all my 30 cals. It cast like no other, a fantastic mold.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I tend to go with heavier Cast Boolits in any caliber. For the .30-06,or .308 it is either 311299 either Lyman or NOE or a Lee .309-190GC which is a very accurate boolit.

The one on the left is 311041, then 311299, then Lee 309-190 GC

Randy

[Hick]

My M1 seems to really like the Lee C309-170-F (gas-checked).

[jcren]

I love the NOE ranch dog 165 in my 06. This bullet was designed to kill deer in a 30-30 and it is awsome for reduced 308-3006 hunting boolits.

[W.R.Buchanan]

My M1 seems to really like the Lee C309-170-F (gas-checked).

Lee made that boolit in weights from about 150 gr all the way up to 205 gr, but they don't carry all the moulds at the same time.

I got my 190 gr mould in 1978 when I started casting. It was my second mould. I haven't seen that mould listed lately. But I bought one of the 170 gr moulds form a guy for $5 and it drops perfect boolits every time. Very easy moulds to work with.

Randy

[RugerFan]

The Lyman 311291 shoots well in all my .30 cal rifles. The 311440 is accurate in my 03A3, but the weight is closer to 150 gns.

[Walstr]

Thank you all for your time to educate me on tried & true designs you're actually using. My summary notes from this forum will be a valued guide. Your comments also make me focus on what I really thought to accomplish with my Legacy M1917 Battle rifle.

I'm not a long distance shooter, but have opportunities at a 600yd range 12 miles from home. They offer public competitions of all styles throughout the year, for nominal entry fees. I'd like to try. My gunsmith [who re-barreled my M1917] is a regular competitor that I watched for an hour one day. I don't know how these fellas do so well at 400-600 yds! Quite impressive indeed.

Again, thank you & for some offers you made to share some samples. I'm not ready for you yet.

[MOA]

I like a heavy for caliber for my 06. Have had good luck with this standard from Lyman. Been using this in my M77.

Bullet # : 311284 (Gas Check)
Grain: 210gr
Top Punch : 284
Double Cavity # : 2660284
Originally designed for the 30-40 Krag but has become the standard 30-06 bullet. Excellent accuracy

https://s19.postimg.org/tk5qf2wlf/210_gr_stacked_top_view.jpg (https://postimage.org)



https://s19.postimg.org/d7vopci9v/210_gr_stacked_line.jpg (https://postimage.org)



https://s19.postimg.org/zav7zqx6r/20150402_182654.jpg (https://postimage.org)

[Walstr]

MOA: Thanks for nice pics.

[Walstr]

Here's my recent M1917 slugging results. Now to match boolit to it, eh. It's a new mil spec bbl from Criterion Arms, Wis. The land grooves measure .301"-.302" w/dial caliper. The case is my fired Greek surplus .30-06. My 'standard' hardcast alloy is CWW's + 2% Tin & water quenched. Think this is hard enough to work, if a mold only throws something that is no larger than .309"? I would think the option for sizing & GC'ing to .310" is ideal, eh.

I've been taking notes [screen shots] of mold specs y'all have been mentioning, but no mention if some of these are bore riding, etc. Think I'll try calling Midway USA and ask for drawing dimensions. Thanks again for your help. Wally


181840 181841 181842

[MOA]

Walstr, I also have loaded the Lyman 170 grain in 06 also:

https://s19.postimg.org/nyi4b1v2b/20141026_133539.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/nyi4b1v27/)

https://s19.postimg.org/qjnoykkg3/20141031_105210.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/ie5n0ew73/)

https://s19.postimg.org/l5owr0upv/20141031_105227.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/jqnc2atmn/)

https://s19.postimg.org/riw4i7zib/20150125_171320.jpg (https://postimage.org)

[Scharfschuetze]

With all the suggestions above, it just shows that a well cast boolits of any reasonable design that fits the bore shoots well if the rifle and the shooter are up to it.

Lots of good options listed above, but I see that many of our members suggest the 311041 and 311299. That closely mirrors my choices in the Ought-Six. Can't go wrong with either of those designs.

I've never tried the Lee designs, but I might add that the RCBS 150 grain and 180 designs also are great shooters in the Ought-Six.

So many designs and weights and so little time...

[Char-Gar]

In your preferred weight range, here is one I have tested extensively in a half dozen 30-06 rifles and it has done well in all of them. It is nothing more than Lyman (Loverin) 311407 shortened by one band bringing the weight down to 165-170 grains depending on the alloy.

The top two bands will run .301 - .302 (again depending on the alloy) and will engrave and ride lands of the rifling. The bottom bands will run .313 - .314.

Lube the bullets in a large sizer, I use .313 and then size them again down to anything you need. If you don't fill the lube grooves first, you run a chance of smearing the bands when sized down to .309. I have sized these bullets down to .310 and the accuracy has not been degraded by doing so.

The as cast diameter allows these bullets to be used in nominal sized 30 caliber rifles, and fat 30's, such as large Krags, 303 British and 7.62 Argentine/Belgian.

The sizing diameter is no big mystery, as you need to size the bullets to fit the chamber throat. Commercial hunting rifles 30-06 throats will run about .310 with a few as small as .309. Most used commercial 30-06s. will take a .311 bullet without any issues. Military rifles will take a .311 bullet straight up as the throats are usually larger than sporting rifles. In a worn throat, either commercial or military a .312 - .3125 will get you where you want to be.

The 30-06 has been around for 110 years and millions of tons of lead bullets have gone down the barrels since then. There have been scores of bullets designed around the 30-06 and most of them get the job done.

If you are interested in ultimate accuracy, bullets in the 190 - 210 grain range would be a better choice. There are several to choose from.

In your preferred bullet range, I have had excellent results with,

Lyman 311291
Lyman 311467
Lyman 311466
RCBS 165 SIL
NOE 311407 MOD

These are all gas checked bullets and are run at speeds from 1.6K to 1.9K and all do well. If you are talking shooting plain base bullets at below 1.4K or even lower than is another ball game entirely.