New featherweight done good!

[tcrocker]

I took my new Winchester Featherweight out last Sun and again Fri, the results one sow hog and one doe one shot each.:p. Both droped in there tracks. I used a old box of Remington corelocks. Iguess I need to starts casting for this thing. Eney one recomend a good mold prefer one that cast the correct size so I don't need to get a sizer.
http://http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss8/crockerthomas/th_P1010074.jpg (http://s556.photobucket.com/albums/ss8/crockerthomas/?action=view&current=P1010074.jpg)

[oldhickory]

O.k, I'll be the first to ask...What cal. is it?:smile:

[tcrocker]

my bad 30-06

[oldhickory]

Well, just because a mold says it'll drop a boolit at a certain dia...Don't make it so. Depends on the cutter, (cherry if you will) how much wear it has on it, alloy you're using, who made it, how you use it, and the list goes on. Most molds with #2 alloy will get close to what it's supposed to be, I like a .30 cal. mold to drop somewhere around .310-.312 and weigh around 200gr. for a .30/06, .30 Army, .308, etc.

You'll need some sort of sizer or other tool to set gas checks if you plan on reaching velocities over around 1500fps. anyway. Even if you pan lube, it's easier to run em through a die than wait for the lube to set and use a Kake-Kutter. LEE sells a nice sizing set-up that fits in your press and is easy to use for under $20.00. I use a few myself for certain applications and like them quite a bit...Ya can't go wrong with em!

A LEE sizer in .309 should do you just fine, you can order them from Midway, Grafs, or any dealer that handles casting equiptment.

[6.5 mike]

oldhickory is giving you some good advice on the lee sizers. Check them first, all the ones I have were undersize when I got them, but they are very easy to lap to whatever size you need. I use them from 7mm to 45-70 & have been very happy with the results.

[tcrocker]

just went to Midway and to get everything just sly of 80 bucks. Mold, sizer, gc, and dies.

[oldhickory]

Sounds like you're well on your way to sucess!:drinks:

[tcrocker]

would the 180gr be good for hunting? and how fast can I push it?

[oldhickory]

just went to Midway and to get everything just sly of 80 bucks. Mold, sizer, gc, and dies.

Did you get Lube? When I use the LEE sizers I pan lube, old pie pan with melted lube on a hot plate, dip base down, hold for a few seconds and run through the sizer.

[oldhickory]

would the 180gr be good for hunting? and how fast can I push it?

I've pushed a 190gr. (heat treated w/gc of course) out of an 06 right around 2500fps. out of an M1, (Lyman spitzer design).

I would prefer a round nose, or better yet a flat point for hunting at 1700-2200fps.

[tcrocker]

The Lee sizer come with Lee lube.

[jlchucker]

would the 180gr be good for hunting? and how fast can I push it?

For sure they won't bounce off. I generally don't worry about "how fast can I push it", but go for the best accuracy. The thing about cast boolets is that they penetrate at slower velocities a lot more than most gunrag writers would give them credit for. You'd be surprised at the penetration of a cast 180 grainer poking along at 1800-2000fps. If you can hit in a killing spot, you'll most likely kill with a cast boolet. If you have a whizzybang that doesn't go where you aim it, the high velocity won't matter. work up to a consistent load out of your chosen rifle, and don't worry about what your chrony may say. Good luck!!

[tcrocker]

Does eny one have a pic of a 30 cal wound channel? This one was made with a 45-70 464gr cast bullet that I made.
http://http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss8/crockerthomas/th_P1000320.jpg (http://s556.photobucket.com/albums/ss8/crockerthomas/?action=view&current=P1000320.jpg)

[GabbyM]

On the phone last night with a fellow I made some soft lead RCBS 30-180-FN for. He used them ina sub sonic laoded rifle. Said he dropped a deer with a lung shot. Figured it expanded by the size of exit wound as it went clean through. it may have tumbled a little who knows. But the deer went down. Was a Kentucky white tail.

That RCBS30-180-FN is a fine bullet. They weighed a grain or two short of 200 with the soft lead. Can't remember for sure but i think it was 1:20. Normaly make 30 rifle bullets from blended alloy of 1 1/2 % tin 2% antimony then heat treat at 420* or so. then usually plan on 1,900 to 2,200 fps. With a 30-06 you may as well go with a big bullet.

[oldhickory]

The Lee sizer come with Lee lube.

I've never used the LEE liquid allox lube myself, I sat it on a shelf and used the sizer with melted pan lube. I have read here that members who do use it with conventional cast boolits, put a double coating on.

[PatMarlin]

Who's making the new Winchester? Is it US or?

[GabbyM]

Who's making the new Winchester? Is it US or?

FN makes them out in SC.

pastey from their fnusa dot com web page.

FN Manufacturing, located in Columbia, South Carolina, is the U.S. manufacturing arm of FN and is currently producing M16 rifles, M249 light machine guns, M240 medium machine guns, FN bolt-action rifles and FNP pistols. FNM is one of only three manufacturers designated by the U.S. Government as the domestic industry base for small arms production. Sharing design, engineering and manufacturing expertise with FN Herstal in Belgium, FNM’s reputation for quality and reliability is clearly demonstrated by the fact that 70% of the small arms used by U.S. Forces around the globe bear the FN name.

[oldhickory]

I read that FN made some solid improvements over Winchester's last run also.

[tcrocker]

That new MOA trigger is great. I've never had a trigger out of the box that I didn't need to play with. It's crisp and no take up, comes set at a good weight for a hunting rifle. Wood looks good and the blueing on the metal is nice.

[Echo]

TC, I didn't see anywhere where you mentioned having a reloading manual. If you do, good on ya. If you don't - you need to get one. The new Lyman manual is about as comprehensive as you can get. Study that puppy...

[tcrocker]

I have two Hornady and one Sierra but I do need to find a cast bullet one through. If someone has a extra one I'd like to buy it from you. just did a fast serach on line and I see that RCBS makes a cast bullet reloading manual so what would be the best one Lyman cast bullet or Lyman 49th edtion or RCBS or is there one I'm missing.

[gray wolf]

I had a brandy new M70 featherweight in 270 for about a month, The wood was outstanding as was the fit and finish. It was a sub one inch rifle with Rem cheepo core-locks. The gun shop was low on primers but he said he could dig up some Federals if he looked under the right pile. He came back with a couple huned federal all shiny and new looking clean boxes the whole nine yards.
Well 10 shot into the reloads the primers blew out along the outer edge --the spot that the radius begins on. A little puff of smoke at the breach and a ruined breach face.
Called federal and they said that lot # of primers was 20 years old and could have been a bad lot. They replaced the primers and the gun store replaced the rifle. He said he had taken the primers in a trade.
ANYHOOO All he had was a new M70 in a sporter weight. Again great wood and fit and finish.
This rifle is a half inch gun with hand loads. Both rifles were 2008 limited edition M70's
I think they did a good job. The rifle has Zies glass on it. 3X10X50 Mill dot.
Believe me or not this rifle was a gift.
I have been told by some that a 270 is not good for cast but I have still to explore this.
Good luck with your rifle.