Looking For light 308 Winchester Cast Loads

[03lover]

I am looking for suggestions for some light 308 Winchester cast boolit loads. bullets 180 to 200 grains and velocities from as low as 1100 fps. to a maximum of 1500 fps..

I have been using powders like Unique and 2400 in my 30-06's with pretty good results. Even the WC 820 is working out in some 30-06 and one of my 308 loads.

Suggestions are always welcome.

[joel45acp]

I cast the Lee 7.62X39 155gr with and without GC using 10.3 of Unique. I also load 8.2gr of Bullseye. Both shoot under .50MOA at 50yds all day long. The Unique load shot an ave. of 1427fps and the Bullseye shot 1347fps. The boolit is sized at .311" and loaded to a length of 2.650." The recoil is very mild and noise is minimal. Hope that helps.

[Bret4207]

Hornady makes a swaged lead alloy 100 gr SWC. With (I think, check modern sources) 6.0 gr Unique it makes a nice "backyard" load in the 308. There is info on using Bullseye too for "cats sneeze" loads, IIRC it's down in the 3-4 gr area.

CORRECTION- that's a 90 gr SWC Hornady makes

[MT Gianni]

7-9 gr unique with the Lee 113fp soupcan works well.

[Doc Highwall]

What are you going to use it for? By light do you mean slow velocity only? What moulds do you have?

[Doc Highwall]

I was also thinking that your barrel twist might not be fast enough at 1100 fps with a boolit that weighs 200 grs. Maybe you will have to go with a shorter/lighter boolit 150-170 grs.

[Wayne S]

I cast the Lee 7.62X39 155gr with and without GC using 10.3 of Unique. I also load 8.2gr of Bullseye. Both shoot under .50MOA at 50yds all day long. The Unique load shot an ave. of 1427fps and the Bullseye shot 1347fps. The boolit is sized at .311" and loaded to a length of 2.650." The recoil is very mild and noise is minimal. Hope that helps.

Joel,
you ever test these loads at 100 yds and beyond ??

[iron brigade]

i use lyman 311291 in my russian/finnish rifles as well as my 1903&a3's.
load is 6 grs of unique no gas check needed. good plinker load.

[Joel Chavez]

Wayne, I did shoot them at 100yds, but I don't remember how well they shot though. Give me a day or so to look up my photos of the targets. Along with shooting data I also take photos of the targets for a better reference of what the load is doing. I'll get back to you buddy.

[Wayne S]

Joel,
Thanks, you'll have a great range there, and would really like to make another saussage festival,

[longbow]

Don't know velocity offhand but should run 1600 to 1800 FPS based on loads for the 311299 (169 gr.) in the The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.

Lyman 31141 (173 gr.) gas checked over 18 to 22 grs . of IMR4227 has worked well in my 1:12" twist.

Longbow

[abunaitoo]

I've had good results with a Lee 155gr 310di GC bullet, over 10.5 of 700X.

[Bull Shoals]

Also 15 gr of 2400 w/31141. Vel should be 1500fps.

[Joel Chavez]

Wayne, I have the photo of the target at 100yds. I'll post it soon. I'm keeping a close eye on Ebay at the moment.

[Rocky Raab]

My own Universal 30 load is 10 Unique. Ed Harris's THE load is 13 RedDot for a bit more oomph.

Either one is a honey. Use any bullet of normal weight for the cartridge, cast or jacketed. Honest.

[03lover]

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.

The 308 Winchester rifle is a Thompson Center Encore with a heavy barrel and 1 in 10 twist.

By asking for a light load, I am looking for cast bullet loads in the 1100fps to around 1500fps range.

I cast a many Lyman and Saeco 30 caliber bullets from 155 grain to 210 grain. All are gas check.

In my other rifles, mostly 30-06, I have used Unique, 2400, WC 820 and 4759 powders.

[quasi]

6 grs Redot works for me , 311291, 1150 fps in a Win. 88 in .308

[Thumbcocker]

+1 for 6.0 of red dot with 311291 I use it in .30-40 Krag andit is very accurate. Just lube and shoot with no gas check. Sizing .311 helps too.

[twotrees]

I have not shot these in a 308 but have shot a lot of them in 30-06,

Look in the Lyman book for loads with Red Dot and Green Dot. W/O filler both powders shoot best below 1600 FPS with the gas check on the boolit.

In my 03 the Green Dot loads are so quiet, that thru the ear muffs I hear the firing pin spring. (Just like the original M16 we shot in service !!!). It will explode a water jug at 90-110 yards, as that was what we hung on our running deer setup, to check out the speed settings.

Good Shooting,

[Harter66]

I shoot a C309-160R flatbased with 10gr of Unique. Gives me about 1400. 3-4 " at 100.