Reloading Info

[normg]

Now that I am retired I have time to spend on hobbies I had years ago. This past year I obtained three military guns... Arisaka 99, 1918 Lee Enfield MK3*, and 1898 krag.
I plan on using them strictly for target practice. I want to mold my own bullets.The krag slugs at.309 and the Arisaka and Lee Enfield both slug at .311.
All three rifles are in very good condition.
I have a few questions I would appreciate if someone could help me.
1. What is a good and safe dia. to size for the .309 and .311?

2.Could I use the same mold for both sizes and size them different?

3. I am looking for light loads for target practice. Any suggestions?

4. At christmas I was given a box of Winchester 303 British 180 grain CXP3 for my Enfield. I am reluctant to shoot them after doing a little reading about older Enfields. Any suggestions? This gun is interesting because it has a muzzle guard called a flanders flap.(so I was told).

I can post some pictures if anyone is interested.

[Kraschenbirn]

Dunno much about Arisakas but I cast/load both .303 Brit (1942 #4 Mk1) and .30-40 Krag (1898 "Sporter"). I'd say, with a little luck, you can most likely get by with casting one boolit. If you find a mould that drops large enough to size .313 for .303, taking the boolits down another .002 to .311 for the Krag should be no problem. I'd start with a Lee mould...either the 312-155-2R or the 312-185-1R...and go from there. I suggest aluminum moulds: (a) because they're less expensive, and (b) because they're easier to "adjust" if you need a larger as-cast diameter. (Plenty of threads in the archives on "Leementing", "Beagling", and lapping.)

Similar to your situation, I shoot the the Lee 312-155-2R in both an MN 91/30 and an '09 Argentine carbine. When I got the mould, boolits dropped just under .313 and I needed more like .314/.315 for the MN. A bit of judicious lapping and "Shazaam!" - .315+ from both cavities! And, lube grooves on this boolit are sufficiently generous to allow sizing down to .313 for the Argie as well. I've even taken it all the way down to .310 to shoot in my SR K-31.

So far as loads...I'd start with around 16 gr of 2400 and work up from there. Using the 155 gr Lee, my MN likes 19.0 and my Argie likes 17.5. At 100M, both group better than milsurp FMJs.

So far as those W-W factory loads, they're should be safe...if your LE's in good condition...but, for myself, I'd probably just hang onto them for gun show trading material.

Bill

[Dan Cash]

Check the headspace on your enfield, infact, check it on all 3 of your rifles. If in spec, the factory ammo is not going to hurt anything.

Using one mould for all three guns is not going to be satisfactory.

[1Shirt]

Good advise from both. To add my two cents however:
1. Your Kraig, probably wants at least .310 or .311.
2. The enfield and the Jap will in most likelyhood want .314 or larger.
3. Read up on beagling a mold, it may be a help to you.
4. Agree with 16 gr. of 2400 as a good starting point, or "Harris' The Load" of 13 gr. of red dot. I weigh all finished cases to insure that I have not double charged when I load fast powders that do not fill at least 1/2 or more of the case.
5. Probably not a bad idea to have a gunsmith check headspace on all three.
6. As long as you are playing with Milsurps, suggest you might also want to pick up a Mosin as they are cheap right now.
Good Luck
1Shirt!

[KCSO]

I use a custom Mountain Moulds 220 and a Lyman 200 gr RN and a Lee 165 spire point made for the SKS in most of my 30-303 rifles. I just size to the particular rifle. The Lee bullet in the 303 with 12.5 of Red Dot is exceptionally accurate to 200 yards and the M/M 220 FP has taken several deer in 30-40 Krag, 30-06 and 7.65 Argentine. The bullets from the moulds come out right at 313 except for the Lee that I lapped and beagled to drop at 315. If I have to size to say 310 for the Krag i usually go 313 to 311 in the Lyman 45 and then to 310 or 309 in a Lee push though. By using the push throughs I have used 324 8MM bullets in a 303 when I needed a 316 bullet with no loss of accuracy.

[normg]

Thanks for the info. I have been using Lee molds and sizers for my muzzle loaders and pistols. I think I will stay with them for now. If the weather ever changes I will get out and shoot. I think I will get a lee .312 mold and a .311 sizer for the krag. If I can mold over size I will try it in the Lee Enfield and Arisaka. I can buy these without modifying anything.
I will start with 16 gr of 2400. Will this work for all three? Do you guys use gas checks? I will take a little time to absorb some of the info.I will get the headspace checked
Thanks again
Normg

[sledgehammer]

It's been my experience that most boolits should be sized .002" over the barrel diameter. Actually, never found one that didn't shoot better if it was over by 2-3 thou. I use GC for all my rifle boolits, PB for my pistol boolits.

[madsenshooter]

1 Shirt, I'd once mentioned that I was going to try that 13gr of Red Dot load in my Krag, on the CBA forum where Ed Harris posts. He thought that was a bit much pressure-wise for the old Krag action. I followed his advice and didn't even bother to try it. No doubt lots of others have used it no problems, but I prefer to keep as safe as possible, still have all my fingers and would just as soon keep them all. Ed did however give the 16gr of 2400 his seal of approval. For all I know, might not be much of difference pressure-wise. Oh, now I recall, he mentioned the sudden pressure rise with a powder as fast as Red Dot, thought it too fast for the old metal.