Which caliber for target shooting, paper & steel?

[iMigraine]

Just curious which rifle caliber for cast lead boolits would you recommend for ringing steel and paper targets? My limited experience/knowledge would guess something in at least .30 caliber. After casting .224 boolits, they are a pain in the **** compared to 30-30 which I have done.

TIA

[ulav8r]

Hard to go wrong with a 30 caliber.

[Winger Ed.]

Any of the .30 cals. will work. Loading data, molds & bullets for them is well plowed ground, and they just want to be accurate.

[gypsyman]

Depends on the distance. I cast a 55gr for the Hornet, which if punching paper, or NRA hunter pistol silhouette, works just fine. Further out you go, bigger is better. The .22 55gr are a pain to gas check, trying to align up bullet/gas check when sizing. (I use a Saeco lube sizer) For longer distance, 7mm or .30cal works much better.

[samari46]

30-30, 308.30-06, 7.62x54r,7.5x55 Swiss. Frank

[stubshaft]

30/30!

[charlie b]

What range will you want to shoot at?

.30 is a good choice for a number of reasons, first being the huge selection of molds. You can also find combinations for longer ranges. And they usually are 'easy' to cast.

But, other calibers will work just as well if you can find the bullet you want. And yes, the smaller calibers are a bit more difficult.

Cartridge is a harder choice. If for shorter range, 100-300yd, then a smaller case will be more efficient. The benchrest folks like the .30BR for that. For longer range, 500-600yd, you'd want something like a .30-06 and a long barrel.

Or....move to something like the BPCR and a .40-90, .45-70, etc.

Then there are the other calibers, like .35's, that work as well.

One thing I didn't figure into my choices was recoil. At longer ranges you need a longer bullet and higher vel. That means a heavier recoil. That is what steered me away from the bigger bores to start with.

Yep, haven't helped much have I?

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[Jack Stanley]

Hard to go wrong with thirty caliber and bullets above a hundred eighty grains weight . Recoil does get noticeable with bullets more than two hundred grains and twenty-three hundred feet per second . But then , how big is the steel and how big a reaction do ya want ?

Jack

[Iron369]

Nobody has suggested 300 blackout so I will since you said 30cal

[Thumbcocker]

For an easy button it would be hard to beat a .308 with a 1:12 twist. Fwiw Tikka uses a 1:11 twist in hammer forged barrels and we have had good results with ours.

[Hondolane]

32-40, 38-55, 40-65 are great bullets.

[Soundguy]

35 rem..38/357.

[dverna]

IMO it is silly to waste primers selling for $100/k and powder at $50/lb to punch paper and ring steel. Even sillier when you have to waste time to clean brass, reload, cast bullets and lube them. And in most cases, need to make a range trip.

But if you have money and time and enjoy casting, lubing and reloading, use whatever caliber turns your crank. I would use a pistol caliber carbine but I tend to shoot a lot and want something that uses cheap brass and can be reloaded on a progressive.

If you do not have a lot of money and time, invest in a good air rifle or shoot .22's. Almost all my plinking for the last 2+ years is done with PCP air guns. I shoot for less than $15/1000 and average under 1" groups at 50 yards. You will be hard pressed to get that accuracy with a cast bullet. There are downsides. There is no brass to police, no hearing protection needed, no casting and no reloading. Oh crap...those are not downsides!!

[Larry Gibson]

For an easy button it would be hard to beat a .308 with a 1:12 twist. .........

Older Winchester M70s chambered in .308W have 12" twists as do some Remington M700s target and PSS models.

Only way to beat that choice is to build your own 308W rifle. If you go that route, then a bolt action with a single stack mag (avoids feeding problems) with a 26" barrel with a 14" twist chambered in 308W is an excellent choice.

Bullet of choice for either way would be the NOE 310-165-FN [30 XCB].

[georgerkahn]

Just curious which rifle caliber for cast lead boolits would you recommend for ringing steel and paper targets? My limited experience/knowledge would guess something in at least .30 caliber. After casting .224 boolits, they are a pain in the **** compared to 30-30 which I have done.

TIA

For me, I exclusively use .30WCF -- the good ole thirty-thirty! Not today's most popular calibre, brass is relatively easy to find, inexpensive, and -- when loaded for this -- seems to "last forever". (I seem to cull more due to corrosion than, say, neck splits or loose primer pockets!) You wrote, re 30-30, "which I have done".? Curious why you have not continued this calibre. While I never do a Lucas (the Rifleman") fantasy -- it is almost a "rush" to work that lever as quickly as one might (for me) five times -- watching that gong get "splats" and hearing the wonderful sound... Just me...
(As a btw, I "discovered" a product called Puff-lon -- a filler -- which I use in these loadings to complement my IMR3031 powder; plain-based lead cast bullets -- ZERO leading, and not too-shabby accuracy potential. Inexpensive loading as a "plus", too.)
geo

[fastdadio]

I vote for the 30-30. The long neck makes it pure joy for loading cast boolits. All you need and nothing you don't. My second vote would be a nice .50 cal Hawken rifle.

[iMigraine]

Curious why you have not continued this calibre. While I never do a Lucas (the Rifleman") fantasy -- it is almost a "rush" to work that lever as quickly as one might (for me) five times -- watching that gong get "splats" and hearing the wonderful sound... Just me...
(As a btw, I "discovered" a product called Puff-lon -- a filler -- which I use in these loadings to complement my IMR3031 powder; plain-based lead cast bullets -- ZERO leading, and not too-shabby accuracy potential. Inexpensive loading as a "plus", too.)
geo

Ha, yeah the 30-30 I cast for is my sister's Marlin 336 and she's NOT willing to part with it. So, I might get a Marlin/Ruger 336 or.....

[fastdadio]

Ha, yeah the 30-30 I cast for is my sister's Marlin 336 and she's NOT willing to part with it. So, I might get a Marlin/Ruger 336 or.....

Bolt guns make for a more enjoyable experience when doing a lot of shooting from the bench by not having to lift the rifle to work the action..... Lever guns for woods walking and stalking, bolt guns for bench shooting and sitting.

[charlie b]

And a bolt if you are looking for tight groups.

Lever actions are fun, but, near MOA at 300yd they are not.

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[hc18flyer]

My brothers and I really enjoy our Yugo Mausers in 8 x 57. The were excellant $350 rifles and easy to cast and load for. I also have a Henry single shot reamed to .357 Maximum, accurate and fun to shoot with pb pistol bullets. A thutty, thutty would be awesome too! hc18flyer