What boolit mould? Savage/Springfld M840 Bolt .30-30.

I have a Savage-Springfield Model 840 BOLT action .30-30 Winchester rifle, and I'd like to improve upon its current cast boolit performance.

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I've been playing with the NOE .312 AK / SKS boolit mould from the group buy, but the diameter is a little too wide trying to use my RCBS Lubri-Sizer to get them down to about .309"... In retrospect, trying to size it down so much was pretty stupid. I'll admit that.

Does anybody know of a good SPITZER or POINTED tip .30 caliber mould that should work well in this bolt-action .30-30 rifle?

With the current boolits weighing about 140 grains or so, I'd like something closer to 155 to 160 grains, gas checked, and decent ballistic performance with minimal leading.

I typically cast water-dropped hardcast wheel weight alloy with additional 2% Tin added.

Edited to add: I tend to prefer the Steel LYMAN type molds over Lee or Aluminum ones.

Thanks for any suggestions!

inuhbad, If you want this rifle for hunting, use the Lyman/Ideal 311041 fp boolit, GC'ed
sized to .311. 27 to 30 grs 3031 and you are good to go with that 30/30. I have the same
rifle, two inch groups at 100 yds. Hope this helps.
webfoot

Tried the Lyman 311466?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by inuhbad

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I typically cast water-dropped hardcast wheel weight alloy with additional 2% Tin added.

Edited to add: I tend to prefer the Steel LYMAN type molds over Lee or Aluminum ones.

Thanks for any suggestions!

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Obviously you have never tried a NOE aluminum mould. They DROP freely, boolits are round and the is diameter as specified within .001".

I'll suggest a Saeco #311(165gr) or Saeco #315(175gr). Similar RCBS silhouette designs are available. Realistically, the Saeco #307 is a modified Lyman 311041, and that is about as good as it gets for the 30-30.

NOE may still have the 311466 in stock, and it was availablle as semi-spitzer or with a slight flat nose.

Typically, I have better results with "heavy for caliber" boolits. The Saeco #315 has been an excellent performer in every 30cal that I've tried it in. Its a tapered, truncated cone design that seems to fit most throats.

My Savage 340 and numerous levers all seem to like the Ranch Dog TLC311-165-RF

Mike

I'd check your throat / bore. If it's anything like my 340, .312s would be perfect. If you do decide on smaller, lube them first @.312 then go smaller. Keeps the grooves from collapsing.
Brian

Mine has a preference to the Lee AK mold which in my case seems to pour .310 at 150 grains

Thanks guys! I do have a nice night owl ent mould, but did NOT slug the bore. Just presumed it was less than my AK in diameter so i sized down to 309. I'll slug it &the try again with the same mould, and thhen try the heavier boolits you guys suggested! Thanks!

I was getting some leading & mediocre groups at 0.309"! Thanks

+1 for Ranch Dog TLC311-165-RF.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by webfoot10

inuhbad, If you want this rifle for hunting, use the Lyman/Ideal 311041 fp boolit, GC'ed
sized to .311. 27 to 30 grs 3031 and you are good to go with that 30/30. I have the same
rifle, two inch groups at 100 yds. Hope this helps.
webfoot

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I have been using that exact load since about 1965. You can equal it, but you can't beat it.


.

my 340 likes .310 just fine. and just a bit of engraving on the nose when chambered.

it does well with the rcbs 30-150- fn-g/c, and in an old nei copy of the lyman loverign design.
i have to seat the loverign's g/c just above the neck junction area.
so no problems there.
and the rcbs goes in the crimp groove.
haven't gotten around to trying the 311041 just yet in any of my 30-30's,
but it does rather well in my 1917 0-6.

Tough to say without a chamber cast or impact slug of the throat. IMO you don't need a spire point, the BC thing is way over-rated for that caliber anyway. A good, small-meplat round nose or regular round nose will do just fine.

The 311041 or reasonable facsimile is THE .30-30 boolit, box or tube magazine, and the RD style noses are good for longer throated guns, but beware that they can't be crimped in the groove if your gun has a short throat.

Gear

My Springfield 325 likes the 311-466 sized .310. I tried .311, which was dandy in my winchesters, but that springield has a tight chamber neck.

It's hard to beat the R.D.
1Shirt!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by geargnasher

The RD style noses are good for longer throated guns, but beware that they can't be crimped in the groove if your gun has a short throat.

Gear

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Michael has a new design to combat that problem, C311-170-RF. I wish that I knew about it before I bought the old 165 grain style mold. It works great, I just lose case capacity from seating the boolits so deep.:-(

Have had good results in my 340 using the Lee 309-160-R sized .3105 with 17 grains of IMR4198.

Same bullet with 12 grains of Unique makes a nice light load.

Tried a few 210 grainers from 311299 sized .311 with 15 grains of IMR4198. These were too long to work through the magazine but shot well.