357maximum is way to kind.
My rifle is a CMP Greek return Remington made 03A3 produced in May, 1943; with a brand new (in the wrapper & cosmo'd when I bought it) Remington made July of 1943 two groove replacement barrel. Barrel was installed by Badgeredd. As of this date the barrel has had only 103 rounds fired through it of the following load and no other:
Bullet Design: RCBS 30-180-SP (Late version, bore riding nose)
Actual weight lubed & checked: 190 grains
Cast of an alloy that is: (according to Badgeredd's alloy calculator)
92.35% Pure lead and other trace elements
3.73% Tin
3.5% Antimony
.22% Copper
.20% Arsenic
(
Note: This is a copper enhanced alloy, and not the type of alloy that the OP used in the testing he has presented in this thread)
The easy way to mix this alloy is to follow this simple recipe of 8 lbs. Clip On Wheel Weights, 1.5 lbs. of Pure Lead, and .375 lbs. of Rotometals Grade 11 Babbit for a 10 pound pot. Double the amounts for a 20 pound pot and quadruple the amounts for a 40 pound pot, etc. Here's a hint, don't assume that your soft range scrap is in fact pure lead that's ok to use in this mix, it probably isn't. Use what this recipe calls for, don't deviate. There are enough variables to deal with in Clip On Wheel Weight alloy as it is. No need to have the other components skewed.
Bullets were water dropped from the mold into a five gallon water bucket. They were allowed to stabilize for two weeks, BHN was 28, sized/checked to .310" diameter and lubed with MML + 5% Soap. My mold casts a bullet nose that is .302" diameter using the above alloy from my mold.
The load itself is as follows: (loaded and shot as projected in Quickload)
46 grains of IMR-3031
CCI #200 Large Rifle Primer
54,000 psi / 100% powder burn / muzzle pressure = 7,849 psi
5 shot average over the chronograph is 2,510 fps. I was hoping to match the U.S. MkI ball load which was a 175 grn FMJ Spitzer at 2,600 fps. However, given the accuracy potential this load is showing I'm not going to quibble over 90 fps, especially since my boolit is 15 grains heavier.
Ok, so here's the deal with this rifle and load. When I say 103 rounds I mean that is the absolute total number of rounds which have ever gone down this barrel, period. The barrel has only ever fired this particular load. The 1st round went down the tube at the end of May. First 5 shots fired went into 3" at 100 yards with one flier I believe to be the very first shot opening the group from 2.5" to 3" Either way, that is within acceptable U.S. Ordinance accuracy standards for these rifles as they came off the line at any manufacturer. I was shooting that day with Castboolits Member "Mostlyonthepaper" and he can verify this plus I have the target saved. Minor sight adjustments were made and after that the rifle has not been put through any serious target work since; just pounding rocks and steel at 250 yards. The plan has been to give it about these 100 rounds of shooting for the bore to season with lube before getting serious on paper. While shooting at Badgeredd's place on June 8th the rifle seemed to be shooting better as the round count rose. 357maximum was spotting for me through 10x binoculars and advised I was hitting the same 2"-3" spot on a rock @250 yards repeatedly before I split the thing.
So, the load shows some real promise out of a 24" barreled 03A3 with issue receiver sights. Enough to warrant some real testing.
dtknowles -
Right off the bat I will tell you this. Bullet fit is king. Also, my rifle has a 24" barrel and yours has a 22" barrel. I believe, based on my experience, that keeping muzzle pressures below 8,000 psi is very important for even usable accuracy. Your barrel will produce higher muzzle pressures than mine with the same load due to the fact that it is shorter. Find a bullet in the 200-210 grain weight range when cast out of this alloy that fits your rifle properly when chambered. Start out at 43 grains of 3031 and work up. If you have the alloy, lube, and fit right I think you could find a good load.