One boolit two guns question?

[DeepSouth]

I have a No4mk2 and a 30-30 Marlin.I was thinking how cool it would be to be able to use say,the RCBS-180-FN in the 30-30 and then turn around and patch it to fit the 4,2.Would or could this work?Has anybody done this?To me it would be cheaper than buying different molds.One mold for both guns I'm cheap this way.Just thinking!

[longbow]

docone31 sizes standard .30 cal boolits down some then paper patches them for .303 so yes it will work. I am sure others do it as well.

You may have to size before and even after to suit the gun but it should work fine.

I have just paper patched some Lyman 31141's to try in my .303. I used cooking parchment (not waxed paper) which is very tough and only 0.0015" thick. So. 2 wraps on a 0.310" boolit should be just fine in my 0.314" groove .303 barrel.

I tried using the same smooth paper patched boolit for .308 and .303 by patching with different thickness of paper. I made a mould for my .308 by using an "N" reamer (0.302" diameter). This is a simple pushout mould that makes a smooth sided boolit at 0.301" diameter ~ same as the old Lyman paper patch boolits of 165 and 200 gr.

I patched it to 0.309" and it shot well in my .308. Then I got a .303 and used thicker paper to patch up to 0.314" but was unable to get good accuracy even after trying different types and thicknesses of paper. I also tried 3 wraps of tracing paper but still no good. Then I decided to try knurling the boolit which brought diameter up to 0.304". I patched from there to 0.314" and it all worked out.

As long as you can patch to your groove diameter or a little better, or size to suit it should work fine.

Longbow

[303Guy]

DeepSouth, is yours a two-groove or five-groove? (I don't even know whether the Mk2 was fitted with the two-groove. I have two No4 Mk1's, one with a two-groove and one with a five-groove). What is the bore condition. (Don't be put off by rust or throat wear).

longbow, I had forgotten about your knurling trick! It sure works with holding lube on a smooth sided plain cast. But as you say, docone31 sizes 308 cast boolits down for patching for his 303 Brit. A worn bore or throat might take that 308 cast boolit as is for patching.

Good old 303 Brits. They can be so much fun! :smile:

[DeepSouth]

303guy it's a 5 groove and the barrel looks brand new.This gun falls into the Irish contract years.Very little wear is evident on the gun.My personal opinion is that it was carried around but shot very little.I understand about slugging the bore and all that.JUst was wondering about using 1 mold for both.I would love to be able to use the mold for my 30-30,303 and my k31.I also have a N0 4 MK1 that may work for this scheme also.Barrel is in excellent shape on that one to.

[docone31]

I have two molds, one for my .303, and one for my .30.
I have found, the nose portion of the .308 is a little small for the .303.
I believe, however, the .303 could be a dual caliber, rather than the .30.
You will like what it does, when you wrap it!
Good luck.

[Zeek]

. . . I was thinking how cool it would be to be able to use say,the RCBS-180-FN in the 30-30 and then turn around and patch it to fit the 4,2.Would or could this work?

That CBoo is the L311041's twin brother, and does well because its nose is so short that there is almost no problem with its needing a bore-riding-fit to avoid crashing into a groove just prior to exiting the muzzle (the rpm is high enough to bend the nose over at that point). Therefore, there is a good chance that this CBoo, if wrapped to match each rifle separately, could well shoot nicely in both.
Regards, Zeek