311359 in 7.62x39?

[GrizzLeeBear]

Just got another nice mold to try in the Rossi single shot. Got a single cavity 311359 for $25. It casts beautiful .311 - .312 dia. 116 gr. (WW alloy) boolits! The boolits just drop right out of the mold with only the occasional tap needed on the bolt. So it cast a good quantity fairly rapidly for only a single cavity. My rifle has a .310 bore so these should work well sized at .311.

If it shoots good I may send it to Buckshot to hollow point. I think it would make a dandy woodchuck boolit in the Rossi with a HP in it.

[GrizzLeeBear]

Well I finally got out and shot the 311359 in the Rossi. This boolit is a shooter in this little rifle! Shot 2 loads with 21 gr. & 23 gr. of H4198. The 21 gr. load seamed a little more consistent, but both shot pretty well on a cold windy day. 10 shot Groups were about 1" at 50 yds. with a couple flyers out to about 1 1/2" - 2". The flyers could have easily been me since it was cold and windy and this rifle only has a Tasco 4X scope on it right now. I had loaded the 23 gr. load first based on jacketed loads (basically a starting load from the Sierra book). I was looking at a Lyman manual in the gunstore the other day and it listed a max. load of about 22.6 gr. for about 2285 fps. So I decided to load the 21 gr. too in case the 23 gr. load was too hot since it should be going about 2300 fps! As it turns out I think the 23 gr. load is no problem since I got no pressure signs or leading. But I think I will try a load at 22 gr. and if I get good accuracy I will leave it there.
Oh BTW boolit was sized to .311 and lubed with BAC.

[Cactus Farmer]

I have never found a 30 cal rifle that didn't like 311359........one question......why do you need a HP? I haven't found a varmit that needed more killing than a soild boolit gave it,if it was movin' at 2000+ FPS. And that covers 30 carbine to 300 Win mag. I still carry a few loaded with it when hunting with J-word projectiles in case I find a tasty critter (read;rabbit,squirrel,armadillo,ect.) as I'm stalking Mr Buck.
I just open the action,slip in a pop gun round and POOF,there's lunch or dinner.[smilie=1:

[GrizzLeeBear]

Cactus Farmer, I here you on the tasty critters. I have been also working on a small game load. I got some 96 gr. RNFP .312 cast boolits (Berry's) that I am working with. Tried a load of 4 gr. of Clays and while it shot OK, it leaves the cases sooty all the way to the base and lots of residue in the barrel. Need to find a cleaner load for them by either upping the charge or a different powder. I would also like to get a 311008 to try out for a small game load in the future.
Am thinking about HPing the mold to make a better woodchuck boolit. The 31159 is pretty pointy and I am afraid it might just "pencil" through and allow the chuck to get back to its hole. They can be tough little boogers and I have seen this with 6.5 and 30 cal. HP jacketed bullets going 3,000 fps. I figure a cast HP boolit over 2200 fps will give better "explosive" performance on them.

[bruce drake]

Grizz,

That mold is a good one. Find another 311359 to send to Buckshot to HP.

I like my 311359 just the way it is, but I use mine for squirrel and rabbit mostly. No problems dropping them with the bullet as it is cast.

Bruce

[NHlever]

I used the 311316 gas checked version of the 311008 in my CZ 7.62x39 when I had it, and it shot very well ou to 50 yards anyway using Unique, etc. At first it didn't feed so well from the magazine, but CZ fixed the magazines, and the next one I got fed just fine. I saw a .32 H&R for sale recently, and I'm debating between that, and another 7 .62x39. I "need" another centerfire small game, and walkabout rifle!