Lee 30Cal 230gr - Pushed Supersonic?

[trudd]

Hello all,

Just getting into the hobby, prepped some material but yet to cast a boolit.

One of the molds I'm starting with is the Lee 230gr SP (Lee TL309-230-5R). Main intent is to come up with a soft lead, subsonic, supressed round for varmits to carry with my 30-06 normal hunting loads. Racoons, hogs, grouse, etc. Planning on running my first batch with a fairly soft blend of a couple % Sn and no more than 1% Sb, and powdercoat.

But, I'm also wondering if anyone has experience with this or similar molds pushed closer to "full power" from a '06? Assuming it would require a much harder alloy, and I'd really be happy with speeds/energy in the 30-30 range or higher if the accuracy was there, and it hit reasonably close to my jacketed loads.

Thanks,
Terry

[cwlongshot]

I Never was able to get serviceable accuracy from this mold. I like the 311299 & 311284 as my heavies.

I have shot them from 20:1 to 100% LINO and lubed or powder coated. From 800-nearly 2000fps.

CW

[rockrat]

IIRC, you want more Sb than Sn in your alloy.
I have had good luck with the NOE 188gr "Hunter" slug, at least in my 308

[charlie b]

I had thought about trying them in my .308, especially since some have luck crimping gas checks on them.

Never got around to it after getting my Acc 31-210E mold.

[John McCorkle]

I believe (and I'd have to go search for the reference) it was used to paper patch and shoot at white some distance in a video I watched a few years ago.

That's my plan with it anyway is to paper patch the thing and see what happens. The BC on this boolit is crazy high...but the problem is getting the quality control you need to get consistency with a boolit that long...my plan was/is to weigh and batch to the tenth of a grain and test concentricity to make sure they are all round, straight and true

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

[trudd]

Thanks guys. I could definitely see the relatively short bearing surface and long nose are going to be challenging for accuracy. And CW I appreciate your experience with it even if it tempers my expectations. First test will be with the sub's - if/when I can get a minute of varmint load I'll try some with a harder alloy.

I do have some 30Cal GC on the way, but no sizer to crimp with yet. Definitely picked the wrong year to get into this...

[Krag 1901]

You better have a fast twist on your .30-06 to shoot such a long boolet.

[trudd]

Good point - definitely shooting anything without the can first to check. Berger's calculator shows it should be stable down to 700fps or so with a 1:10 twist, so I'm hopeful...

Thanks,
Terry

[Forrest r]

That's a 80+ year old bullet design that didn't work then and doesn't work know.

The real issue is nose slum that affects accuracy.