M1a National Match

[rjathon]

My buddy is seeing the light. He wants to give cast bullets a go. He is having a National Match M1a built with a 1/12” twist Krieger barrel. It will have a match chamber.

He asked me about what bullets to try and it dawned on me that there must be a blueprint for the reamer. Would it make sense to get a custom mold based upon that? He would like long range capability. He also wants to use powder coated bullets. Perhaps a mold maker could account for the added dimension from the paint? Also with the PC could he forgo grease grooves?

Thank you for any help.

[Ford SD]

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?3558-7-62x51-NATO-(-308-WCF)-in-the-Springfield-M1A

BruceB put a lot of rounds down range for all of us cast shooters

I would start there

Reamer to use ???? not sure ... ???

My Preference would just be tight on the 308 go gauge

I have a 308 semi that shoots ok that i load just for it and it is go plus .015 and it will shoot paper plate at 200

good enough for a deer rifle

[rjathon]

The big question is how to go about getting the right mold for him.
I don’t have anything that he could try.

[Ford SD]

The big question is how to go about getting the right mold for him.
I don’t have anything that he could try.

do you have any of these


Bullet used in this test different boolit designs in the appropriate weight bracket (150-220g)
Lyman 152g 311466
Lyman 160g 311672
Lyman 170g 311413
Lyman 172g 311291
Lyman 173g 311141
Lyman 202g 311299
Lyman 214g 311284
Loverin 180g 311467
SAECO 180g #305

and FYI

BruceB Used a M1A bone-stock Springfield Armory "loaded" rifle (Model # 9222).
BARREL 22"; Twist 1 In 11"; RH; 6-Groove National Match Med. Wt. Premium Air Gauged; Carbon Steel
Weight 9.8 lbs. Since it is such a basic rifle, it seems all the more impressive to me. My cost was $1450 out the door of a shop in South Dakota, via Gunsamerica.com. I'm blessed if I can see how any more-expensive rifle could suit me any better for MY purposes (meaning, not needing a "match"-quality rifle). This was the first try with cast boolits in my brand-new M1A, which has had a tad less than 500 jacketed rounds through the tube. It wears the issue iron sights.

[charlie b]

Powder coat makes things a little more 'picky'.

When loading for my bolt .308 the most accurate bullet I use is the Accurate 31-210E (Eagan clone). I size it before PC and then again after PC. That means, seat the GC, size the driving bands, then size the nose. Powder coat. Size nose, then size drive bands again. The bore riding section of the bullet has to precisely fit the bore.

When using a non-bore riding bullet it will typically have to be loaded deeper into the case since the PC makes the nose of the bullet a bit larger in dia. Like the NOE XCB design. It shoots well, but, is loaded such that a lot of the bullet is below the neck. If he will only shoot cast bullets he may want to have a custom throat to fit the bullets he chooses to shoot.

And, yes, he can do away with the grease grooves according to some. Accurate and NOE both have PC/HTC bullet designs.

[Larry Gibson]

I have shot many cast bullets through my own match M1A & M14s and also several rack grade M1As and M14s. All with 12" twists. Long ago I settled on the 311299 as the best bullet, especially for "longer ranges". Best results were when cast of #2 alloy and WQ'd out of the mould. The bullets were GC'd with Hornady GCs, sized at .311 and lubed with Javelina (use 2500+ these days). Loaded over 4895, 4064 or RL15 to 2100 fps accuracy was consistent at 2 moa or less and they held sonic to 600 yards. I mostly used them at the 200 and 300 yard line though as "NMC matches are won at the 200 yard line and lost at the 600 yard line"......