weeple2000
12-18-2018, 03:14 AM
I have a Lee C309-200-R.
I have a source of free range lead. I also bought 40 lbs of linotype. I would like to figure out if I can get away with casting hunting boolits without using the linotype. I did buy some gas checks from Sage's. I believe he is a member here. They are .30 / 7.62 mm .015 Caliber Copper Gas Checks.
I cast a sample of boolits, I have maybe 30-50 of them. I took about 15 of them and baked them for about 20 minutes. For part of that time, the oven was preheating. I did water quench them. I did not PC or size them. My thought is to perform a little experiment first.
I tested the boolits using Staedtler Mars Lumograph Hard Lead Drafting Art Pencils. I tested them shortly after quenching. They weren't any different from the boolits that I did not quench. I did try to test them again, after approximately 21 hours it scratched with a B pencil, about 13 BHN. I think that initially it was probably closer to BHN 10. I could check my control group to confirm that.
I am curious where the next few days or couple weeks will bring me with respect to BHN. What is the likelihood that I'll get a good hardness for deer in a 30 06? I found a thread here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?13425-Cast-Bullet-Loads-for-Military-Rifles-Article
The GC load looks like what I'd be after. For reference:
""Deer and Long Range Target Load"
Mattern's "deer and 600 yard target load" can be assembled in cases of 30-40 Krag capacity or larger up to 30-06 using 18-21 grains of #2400 or 4227, 22-25 grains of 4198, 25-28 grains of RL-7 or 27-30 grains of 4895, which give from 1700-1800 f.p.s., depending on the case size. "
I have some 4895 on hand.
I picked up the Lee .311 sizing die. I had a hell of a time trying to read a 45 ACP boolit that I slugged. I was trying to guess what sizing die to pick up. Well, I bought the .452 die. I did measure a boolit I sized with that die, and it was .001 over the one I drove through the bore. So I think that worked perfect.
I had a mishap slugging my rifle. I am not sure if I am going to do it again. If I did, I might try to PC a fishing sinker, send it through the sizer, and then send it through the rifle. But I suspect that .311 is probably pretty good. The rifle is a Ruger American Rifle 30 06.
This is what I came up with to start. I figured this would be a good place to solicit feedback.
I have a source of free range lead. I also bought 40 lbs of linotype. I would like to figure out if I can get away with casting hunting boolits without using the linotype. I did buy some gas checks from Sage's. I believe he is a member here. They are .30 / 7.62 mm .015 Caliber Copper Gas Checks.
I cast a sample of boolits, I have maybe 30-50 of them. I took about 15 of them and baked them for about 20 minutes. For part of that time, the oven was preheating. I did water quench them. I did not PC or size them. My thought is to perform a little experiment first.
I tested the boolits using Staedtler Mars Lumograph Hard Lead Drafting Art Pencils. I tested them shortly after quenching. They weren't any different from the boolits that I did not quench. I did try to test them again, after approximately 21 hours it scratched with a B pencil, about 13 BHN. I think that initially it was probably closer to BHN 10. I could check my control group to confirm that.
I am curious where the next few days or couple weeks will bring me with respect to BHN. What is the likelihood that I'll get a good hardness for deer in a 30 06? I found a thread here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?13425-Cast-Bullet-Loads-for-Military-Rifles-Article
The GC load looks like what I'd be after. For reference:
""Deer and Long Range Target Load"
Mattern's "deer and 600 yard target load" can be assembled in cases of 30-40 Krag capacity or larger up to 30-06 using 18-21 grains of #2400 or 4227, 22-25 grains of 4198, 25-28 grains of RL-7 or 27-30 grains of 4895, which give from 1700-1800 f.p.s., depending on the case size. "
I have some 4895 on hand.
I picked up the Lee .311 sizing die. I had a hell of a time trying to read a 45 ACP boolit that I slugged. I was trying to guess what sizing die to pick up. Well, I bought the .452 die. I did measure a boolit I sized with that die, and it was .001 over the one I drove through the bore. So I think that worked perfect.
I had a mishap slugging my rifle. I am not sure if I am going to do it again. If I did, I might try to PC a fishing sinker, send it through the sizer, and then send it through the rifle. But I suspect that .311 is probably pretty good. The rifle is a Ruger American Rifle 30 06.
This is what I came up with to start. I figured this would be a good place to solicit feedback.