How 'bout... what's your favorite light weight .30 boolit?

[Marlin Junky]

I'm thinking about investing in a SAECO 630, or 316 or RCBS 30-115 for my 30-'06 so I don't have to mess with .22RF. Any opinions on shootability (is that a word?) with respect to the light weights?

MJ

[leftiye]

I have the 311316, and the 311576, and a couple of NOE .30 hollow point molds. For top performance I'd say the NOE HPs, then the 311316. The 311576 is a round nose 120, and might punch good holes. Same with lyman's 130 carbine mold and the 311359. Even a 25-20 should eclipse a .22 rimfire quite well. Not to mention a .22CCM, or a Hornet.

[rintinglen]

I have used a hole bunch of 311-419, 311-316 and 311-245's in 30-30 brass. with very light loads, usually 8 grains of unique or Herco. I particularly like the 94ish grain 311-245 because it does't use a gas check. All of these are very accurate at 50 yards, though less so at the century mark.
Another bullet that is a little heavier, but which worked very well for me was the 311-465. In my 30-06, a relatively inaccurate old converted Springfield, that 125 grain Louverin Bullet worked very well, even when pushed hard.
I'm not very familiar with SAECO stuff, the only mold of their's that I have is a 3 cavity 150 gr wadcutter that I almost never use, but if theRCBS 30-115 is as good as the other molds in their line, I would think it would be a dandy for your uses, if you don't mind gas checks.

[Marlin Junky]

Unfortunately most of those Lyman molds listed above are no longer available as new molds.

I'll take a good look at my 311410 and cast a few for my '06 this weekend. I can't get behind the idea of buying a 311359 and using gas checks on that tiny boolit. I still may buy a SAECO 630 but funds are going to have to loosen up a bit in order for that one to join my collection. I have a 4-cavity SAECO 322 that I "stole" while Larry Potterfield was "clearing them out" and I was thinking about trying it; however, I'll need to size its boolits down to .311" or less which could raise havoc with the design.

MJ

[rhbrink]

Something that I have done with a 32 cal round ball is to smear a little lube on it and push it through a .314 Lee die. This males a small flat ring on the ball, load these in any 30 cal case, don't resize, prime, drop in a light charge of Bullseye or Red Dot and seat the boolit with thumb pressure. I seat to slightly below the case mouth and wipe a bit of alox around the case mouth and allow to dry. These will surprise you how well they will shoot at 25 yards a one hole group to the POA with open sights and knock the snot out of a squirrel. Some prople say they will shoot great to 50 yards but I have never shot them that far. They work great through the magazine of my Mosin don't know about anything else.

[Bret4207]

If your barrel is tight enough the Lee Soup Can is a good one. I have the incredible good fortune that it fits my K-32 Smith rather well at 850-900 fps. The Lyman 311316 is my favorite. It's never failed to give good results in a decent barrel. I have the HP version too and several other in that wt range that need a good work out. Time is the problem.

[Jack Stanley]

I think the best I've ever shot has been the H&G number sixty-seven . It's a plain base and flat nose that does a nice job with any thirty caliber and 32-20 WCF I've shot it in . I started shooting this one when all I had was a .308 Winchester and used mostly sixteen and a half grains of IMR 4198 for a very nice shooting load . Tree rats can't hide behind two inch oak branches and be safe with this load , I did learn that if I aimed between the front paws I could see ......the critter would come down

Next favorite would be the Lyman 311466 , using gas checks or not , low speed or a good bit faster it does well .


Jack

[dromia]

I find the lee soupcan GB, the NOE rendering and the Lyman 311359 all first rate light load bullets.

For something slightly heavier Ed Harris's 7.62 x 39 design Lees or the NOE version to be excellent shooters as well.

[Marlin Junky]

What does 311359 weigh (w/o GC & lube) in clip-on WW metal if cast good and hot?

MJ

[Will]

Lee molds are cheap enough that you can try a soupcan without investing a lot. I use it in 30-30 with 16gr 2400 and -06 with 20gr. works well for me.

[Marlin Junky]

Lee molds are cheap enough that you can try a soupcan without investing a lot. I use it in 30-30 with 16gr 2400 and -06 with 20gr. works well for me.

Wouldn't the round nose version have a little longer range?

MJ

[Will]

round nose might give better aerodynamics but I just like the flat

[beagle]

You need to locate a 311465 Lyman. Casts around 130 grains and has given me splendid accuracy in the .30/06, .30/30 and .30 Carbine. So accurate in both the .30/06 and .30/30 that it's scary.

For a really nice bullet, have Buckshot or one of the other guys HP it with a .100" cavity./beagle

[Marlin Junky]

You need to locate a 311465 Lyman. Casts around 130 grains and has given me splendid accuracy in the .30/06, .30/30 and .30 Carbine. So accurate in both the .30/06 and .30/30 that it's scary.

Beagle,

Until I can locate a 311465, can you recommend a design I can buy from Midway, etc. today?

Thanks,
MJ

[Blammer]

311316, (115gr) the lyman and the NOE version work very well out of my 30-06, even at full house loads. I imagine it would work well at lower velocity too.

[scb]

You need to locate a 311465 Lyman. Casts around 130 grains and has given me splendid accuracy in the .30/06, .30/30 and .30 Carbine. So accurate in both the .30/06 and .30/30 that it's scary.

For a really nice bullet, have Buckshot or one of the other guys HP it with a .100" cavity./beagle

+1 Too bad they're kinda hard to find.

[beagle]

Sorry, that's the only lightweight .30 that I've tried that works really well. I've tried many of the others listed here and although some shoot all right. the accuracy wasn't there for me.

I beleive it has something to do with the longer bearing surface afforded by the Louverin design./beagle

Beagle,

Until I can locate a 311465, can you recommend a design I can buy from Midway, etc. today?

Thanks,
MJ

[Bret4207]

Sorry, that's the only lightweight .30 that I've tried that works really well. I've tried many of the others listed here and although some shoot all right. the accuracy wasn't there for me.

I beleive it has something to do with the longer bearing surface afforded by the Louverin design./beagle

I've never seen a properly fitted Louverin that didn't shoot good. Ol' Guy Louverin knew what he was doing. The FN's designs are the cream of the crop IMO.

[94Doug]

311465. I agree.

Doug

[jbelder]

+1 on the 311465 you can push that guy fast.