Heeled bullets: The solution to my problem?

[HumptyDumpty]

I have an Argentinian Model 1909 Mauser, which was rechambered to 30-06 at some point. Since it retains the original bore diameter, accuracy is dismal. After much procrastination, I finally produced some test rounds, featuring pulled 7.65 projectiles, as well as some with coated .313" pistol boolits that I happen to have an abundance of (78 grain round-nose, used for my various 32 caliber handguns). My problem is that the necks are now too fat for the rifle's throat. I've tried to thin the brass, but I cannot remove enough material to permit closoing of the bolt.. My first thought was to have a local gunsmith open up the throat a bit, but what about using a heeled boolit? I understand that removes surplus j-words from consideration, but the rifle is only occasionaly used for casual plinking, and spends most of its' time looking pretty on the wall.

[Dusty Bannister]

Might consider trying to size the base of your bullet in a .309" lube die, base first, only to the first lube groove. Just do not get too ham handed and expand the nose of the bullet.

[cwtebay]

You might try using a piece of OO buckshot pushed through a 5/16" nut (rather pounded through with a dowel and mallet) to begin with. It leaves a small cylindrical base that is easier to "shave" on seating.

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[Hick]

Try neck sizing your LOADED cartridges using your 30-06 die with the decapping stem removed. This will, of course, only work if you have the type of die that is large enough to let the bullet pass through it. This will size the neck back down to normal 30-06 dimensions without sizing down the driving bands of the bullet. Effectively, this puts a heel on the bullet. The part of the bullet that sticks out in front of the neck will still be the size you are using for the bore, because the outer dimension of a 30-06 neck is larger than 0.313.

[HumptyDumpty]

Try neck sizing your LOADED cartridges using your 30-06 die with the decapping stem removed. This will, of course, only work if you have the type of die that is large enough to let the bullet pass through it. This will size the neck back down to normal 30-06 dimensions without sizing down the driving bands of the bullet. Effectively, this puts a heel on the bullet. The part of the bullet that sticks out in front of the neck will still be the size you are using for the bore, because the outer dimension of a 30-06 neck is larger than 0.313.

Ow that is brilliant, I am going to give it a shot.

[HumptyDumpty]

I just tried it, and got partial success. Even with the jacketed bullets, I was able to squeeze the neck down to 30-06 dimensions, as verified by a dial-caliper comparison with a spare aught-six round. The bolt will now close, but with great difficulty. I suspect that the shoulder's may have gotten a bit deformed. Tomorrow I will try again, but with a full-length sizing die.

[Forrest r]

It's a bit of a pain to do and a slow process. But it works to either increase or decrease the dimeter of the nose or the base of the bullet.

I did a little testing with this (have to do more) to keep the bullet noses from getting too big when pc'ing rifle bullets for the 308w. i understand that you want bigger nosed bullets. This method of pc'ing will make the nose bigger or keep it smaller depending on what your needs are.

Take a 30-06 case and expand it to accept 1 of your .308"/.309"/.311" inch bullets (whatever you use to get the cast bullets to chamber in your rifle/I use .310"). Expand the 30-06 case enough so that the cast bullets will slide in and out of the case by hand. Take a sized/gc'd bullet (if using a gc) and slide it into the expanded case to your desired seating depth. Use a heat gun and heat the nose of the bullet rolling it so it coats evenly getting it warn (+/- 10 seconds). Then dip it in pc powder rolling it to get an even coat. Take the side of the container with the brass/bullet to knock off the excessive powder. Stick the coated nose back over the heat gun and heat until the powder turns into a liquid while rolling the 30-06 case in your fingers to make an even coat. Takes +/- 20 seconds to do, let the bullet cool and pull/remove it from the 30-60 case. The end result is that you have a cast bullet base with the original sized diameter that will fit your chamber. And an enlarged bullet body/nose that will fit the .313" bbl.

I use this method to pc my fishing jigs that I cast & have slowly transferred it to cast bullets. Do a web search " how to powder paint fishing jigs"
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6FORM%3DVDVVXX

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello HumptyDumpty,

The only issue I can see with using a heeled bullet would be when it comes time to crimp.
You will have to seat the bullet without crimping, then crimp with a Lee Factory Crimp Die.

AntiqueSledMan.

[36g]

So, in essence you have a .30-.313. How about replacing the .308 neck expander plug on your loading dies with a .311 and load the .311-.313 bullets? If they won't chamber it may be due to improper throat in the chamber.

[Onty]

I would consider one of those hollow base (HB) 32 bullets:



See https://www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-...4-or-316-diam/