slugging my barrel

roseau river rat

roseau river rat

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do i really need to slug my barrel??
something about pounding on my vintage model 94 just doesnt apeal to me.
i have a mold that casts about ,310-.311 i also have a sizing die that sizes and lubes to .309.
so if i run a lubed gas checked .309 bullet down range at the minimum velocities using say imr 3031 will i have leading issues?
jacketed bullets are .308 so were only talking 3 thou difference between a jacketed bullet and an unsized dropped bullet right from the mold.
am i really making more out of this than meets the eye?
thanks.:confused:
 
If you use softer lead you can just shoot oversized bullets (by a couple thousands) and they will swage down in the barrel of older antique guns. Modern guns made from harder steels can do the same with harder, gas checked bullets. In my M305 I run gas checked water dropped wheel weight cast bullets sized to .311 without issue. No overpressure, no barrel leading, and accuracy is acceptable for cast bullets.

In older guns made from softer steels than modern guns it's not that the barrel will necessarily burst but it will degrade the throat and rifling a lot faster from what I've read.
 
roseau river rat said:
do i really need to slug my barrel??
something about pounding on my vintage model 94 just doesnt apeal to me.
i have a mold that casts about ,310-.311 i also have a sizing die that sizes and lubes to .309.
so if i run a lubed gas checked .309 bullet down range at the minimum velocities using say imr 3031 will i have leading issues?
jacketed bullets are .308 so were only talking 3 thou difference between a jacketed bullet and an unsized dropped bullet right from the mold.
am i really making more out of this than meets the eye?
thanks.:confused:
Click to expand...

No you do not have to slug your barrel

If you reload a few cast bullets with gc and get leading you will have to slug it then.

You can also lap out your sizing die to .3095 or .310 or more if you do get leading

What weight/ mold do you have ?
what lead are you using ? Wheel weights? added tin?

Unique , 2400 & trail boss are all good powders for the 30-30 and cast bullets

Work up a load and stop when you get your best group
 
Putting your gas checked bullet through a .309" sizer should be perfect for your 94.
The bore should be so close to 308 that you could likely slug it with soft lead three times and get three nearby sizes. I wouldn't bother, I would just shoot.
I think the exact size of the bullet as it relates to leading the barrel is highly over rated. Whether the barrel is smooth, or microscopically rough, is the main reason that barrels lead, or don't lead.
If your bullets are about 160 grains, or heavier, you can use loading data for jacketed bullets and load right up to full charge, with common 30-30 powders, such as 4895, 3031 oar 4320.
The critical thing on reaching as much velocity as it will handle with cast bullets, is, for the most part, regulated by the accuracy you get.
 
H4831 said:
Putting your gas checked bullet through a .309" sizer should be perfect for your 94.
The bore should be so close to 308 that you could likely slug it with soft lead three times and get three nearby sizes. I wouldn't bother, I would just shoot.
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
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