Heaviest weight boolit in 30-40 Krag?

[Nick Adams]

One for the Krag experts:

So I'm handloading 220gn HC slugs (primarily) for my 30-40 under 5744 or Varget.

I've been seeing heavier .30-caliber HC boolits, typically powder-coated and weighing in at 230gns, 245gns, and 265gns, being marketed for the .300 BLK reloaders. Diameter seems to vary. Graf & Sons shows a bunch of these in stock.

Was just curious if any of the 30-40K fans here have played around with the heavier .30-cal Blackout slugs - and if so, how was accuracy?

Berry's also sells heavy plated Blackout bullets, but states that max velocity is limited to 1400 or 1500fps.

I've never hot-rodded my Krag anyway, which is a hand-me-down inheritance from my Gramps. Max velocity with the 220gn boolits I load now is in the 1800-1900fps range, which is still shy of the original military m.v. for that bullet-weight (about 2000fps).

The point of this heavy-weight exercise would be for plinking and general sh*ts-n-giggles at the range. But honestly, if the accuracy of a particular 230gn-265gn boolit really shined (at least out to 100-yds), I'd consider it for deer camp.

Thanks in advance!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I'm a Krag fan, and the heaviest I've loaded and shot with any regularity is 220 gr. JSPRN, usually Hornady brand, but some others as well. 1800-1900 fps. is my velocity range as well. The old timers used to tout this load as being able to take anything on the N. American Continent. I usually use H or IMR 4895. However, my used-to-be deer loads used 180 gr. bullets, which proved quite accurate for target shooting as well.

[Adam Helmer]

Nick,

I have two Krag rifles and a carbine. I reload cast boolits for the Krags and all my other military arms like .303, 30-06, 7.65mm, 7.5mm, etc.

I have found that HEAVY boolits kick more and have a "rainbow" trajectory. My best boolit for most of my .30 calibers is the Lee 312-185-RN. My Krags did ok with the many other Lyman boolits like the 31141, 311467, etc., but the best to date is the Lee 185 grain boolit.

I hope this helps.

Adam

[Ray1946]

I don't have a Krag, but a good friend of mine does and he swears by the Lyman 311284. He says it has grouped better for him than any other lead slug. One issue you might want to consider is the length of those 230-265 gr. you are going to fool with; they might be longer than the Krag's 1/10 twist is capable of stabilizing! If your accuracy falls off and you can't figure out why............

Adam,I sure agree with you about the versatility of the Lee 312-185. I bought one for my Lee-Enfield, but the shining star is the Mosin-Nagant with this bullet; 1/2" at 50 yds.!

[beltfed]

As has been said in another thread, the US Military, after testing chose the 308284/311284 for its
cast bullet practice loadings in the 30 Army/30USA/30-40K.
beltfed/arnie

[Nick Adams]

Thanks for all the input, guys! I appreciate it.

Decided to avoid the Missouri Bullets 245gn-265gn .300 BLK coated slugs, thinking maybe they'd be too long to stabilize adequately in my Krag and thus would yield disappointing accuracy.

Instead, I thought I'd roll the dice and give these MB coated boolits a try. They aren't as long as the others ...

215gn FPs, grooveless, .309 diameter. I'll load them over 5744 at moderate velocities.

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/71347

[madsenshooter]

I've been looking at the TL 31-225-RN bullet mold that NOE makes. It sure looks like it would feed and throat up in a Krag very good. I'd have to run the dimensions through a calculator, see if it'd stabilize in a 1/10.

[SOFMatchstaff]

I have a 95 Win in 30 US and the heavy weights didn't stabilize well at all. I tried the Berrys 220 gr .309's in both the 30-06, 95 Win and the Krag and they went thru the target sideways at 30yds. 1-10 twist in both. I fed the bullet to the lathe and trimmed them to 204 gr flat point and they now hit point on. the 220 gr Berrys are nice looking but sensitive to twist, gonna try them in the 300H&H and see what transpires. Bores are good in all but the 30 US its poor and .310, I usually shoot Brit ball bullets thru it.

[303Guy]

I've shot 265gr smooth side paper patch boolits in my 1 in 10 twist Lee Enfield. Looking at the target the other day I notice a slight yawing. Accuracy was not good either. The significance of paper patch is that they are narrower than otherwise but still larger than 308. A grease groove bore rider 265 gr would be longer still.

[Nick Adams]

I have a 95 Win in 30 US and the heavy weights didn't stabilize well at all. I tried the Berrys 220 gr .309's in both the 30-06, 95 Win and the Krag and they went thru the target sideways at 30yds. 1-10 twist in both. I fed the bullet to the lathe and trimmed them to 204 gr flat point and they now hit point on. the 220 gr Berrys are nice looking but sensitive to twist, gonna try them in the 300H&H and see what transpires. Bores are good in all but the 30 US its poor and .310, I usually shoot Brit ball bullets thru it.

On the Berry's, since they're a plated bullet, I though they come with a velocity restriction, like nothing exceeding 1500fps?, 1800fps?, or something like that?

Reason I ask is, I too have a .300 H&H - a Ruger No.1 S. I've often thought of trying out some heavy 220gn or 230gn coated HCs in it (at moderate velocities) using AA 5744.

[Nick Adams]

I've been looking at the TL 31-225-RN bullet mold that NOE makes. It sure looks like it would feed and throat up in a Krag very good. I'd have to run the dimensions through a calculator, see if it'd stabilize in a 1/10.

Yeah, that was my concern - stabilization. That's why I ordered the 215gn coated boolits first, instead of the heavier stuff.

[bob208]

I have 10 krags all original my bullet is lyman 311299 loaded to 1800 fps. it shoots good I killed the begest deer I ever got with one shot with that load. I have never seen the need to go any heavier.

[madsenshooter]

I'm not looking to go heavier, I'm looking for a high BC, and something that fits the throat, for the Roosevelt Commemorative Match at Camp Perry. The alloy I use would cast lighter than the WW NOE specs their molds with.

[Nick Adams]

Well, back to report that MB's 215gn coated Blackout boolits didn't stabilize at all. Not even what you'd charitably call a group at 50-yds. Just a bunch of elongated 'holes' spread all over the paper.

Before loading some up in a test batch I measured the length of several of these, and they're just slightly shorter than Hornady's 220gn RN j-word bullets which I shoot at original Krag velocity. So I'm not sure that pure length had much to do with their instability.

Oh well, I'm glad I didn't order the MB 245-grainers.

[303Guy]

I'm not looking to go heavier, I'm looking for a high BC, and something that fits the throat, for the Roosevelt Commemorative Match at Camp Perry. The alloy I use would cast lighter than the WW NOE specs their molds with.

I would think the lighter alloy would make the boolit less stable. Less stabilizing peripheral mass with the same destabilization forces acting on the boolit.

[swheeler]

Well, back to report that MB's 215gn coated Blackout boolits didn't stabilize at all. Not even what you'd charitably call a group at 50-yds. Just a bunch of elongated 'holes' spread all over the paper.

Before loading some up in a test batch I measured the length of several of these, and they're just slightly shorter than Hornady's 220gn RN j-word bullets which I shoot at original Krag velocity. So I'm not sure that pure length had much to do with their instability.

Oh well, I'm glad I didn't order the MB 245-grainers.

They are too small diameter at .309", I shoot .313" 314-299 in mine.

[Nick Adams]

They are too small diameter at .309", I shoot .313" 314-299 in mine.

Yes, that's what I concluded. They were too narrow, not too long.

[flintlocke]

I have shot some ancient Barnes 250 gr roundnoses in my 1898 carbine, and some nickel clad bluenoses (unknown maker, but probably Peters) of 250 grs for no particular reason other than I had them. Acceptable but mediocre accuracy. Something on the order of 43 gr of the old du Pont IMR 4350. Chronographed around 1920 fps. Surprising to me, was I could use about the same powder charge for 220's or 250's?? Well, I measured the bullets, and basically they were a two diameter construction...the front half being, more or less a bore rider, the back half about groove diameter at .308. Which is why they didn't seem to create any pressure problems.

[Throwback]

Jacketed heavies work ok but I have had poor results with 230 grain Hoch. It may work fine at low velocities but I haven't tried. Yaw was the issue. I think the alloys I have tried are not strong enough to maintain their concentricity at higher speeds. I've tried very slow powders etc. I finally settled where everyone else has. 314-299. I don't size them, just run them through a 314 die to lube and they shoot great.