.303 150gr cast bullet load?

TrevorW

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Hi guys,
I have a bunch of cast 150gr .303 bullets and a ton of IMR 4198, I can not seem to find any load data for this bullet weight, I used the 4198 for my 200gr cast bullets and it worked good, if anyone knows a starting and a max load for the 150gr bullet that would be great!
Thanks
 
I checked some sources. The only load I found specifically for a 150 gr cast bullet (311466) was in the original Lyman Cast Bullet Manual. It gave a start load of 19.0 grs (1455fps) to 28 grs (2170 fps). The next closest load I could find was in Lyman's 4th edition Cast Bullet manual. Lee 185 gr start at 21 grs- max 29 grs. I do not have the 2nd Lee manual but it may list loads for their 155 gr 311 bullet. I have used these in a couple Enfields but always got better accuracy with the 311299 sized 314. I have put close to 30lbs of 4198 through a variety of mid bore military rifles over the years. You are lucky to have a "ton" in these days when a lot of powders are hard to find.
 
18gr of 4198 is recommended. You're really on the wrong forum for this lol

I prefer 185gr projectiles personally.



100 yards. No1 mkiii*

 
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I checked some sources. The only load I found specifically for a 150 gr cast bullet (311466) was in the original Lyman Cast Bullet Manual. It gave a start load of 19.0 grs (1455fps) to 28 grs (2170 fps). The next closest load I could find was in Lyman's 4th edition Cast Bullet manual. Lee 185 gr start at 21 grs- max 29 grs. I do not have the 2nd Lee manual but it may list loads for their 155 gr 311 bullet. I have used these in a couple Enfields but always got better accuracy with the 311299 sized 314. I have put close to 30lbs of 4198 through a variety of mid bore military rifles over the years. You are lucky to have a "ton" in these days when a lot of powders are hard to find.

Thanks, Actually out of all the places I have been to to buy powder IMR 4198 is always what is left for some reason, I used it for my 200gr cast bullets but I am out of them and on to the 150gr ones now!
 
Just use any load data for any copper 150 grn .303 and go from there.

After all 150 grains are 150 grains are 150 grains
I am pretty sure that you can not used copper bullet load data for cast, if you push a cast bullet to fast you will lead your barrel and then its a real treat to clean!
 
I am pretty sure that you can not used copper bullet load data for cast, if you push a cast bullet to fast you will lead your barrel and then its a real treat to clean!

if you load them to the max load, you would likely have leading issues but that's not 100% guaranteed. many things cause leading including bullet alloy, lube used, bullet diameter, etc.

using jacketed/plated load data is a starting point to get you in the ball park.
 
if you load them to the max load, you would likely have leading issues but that's not 100% guaranteed. many things cause leading including bullet alloy, lube used, bullet diameter, etc.

using jacketed/plated load data is a starting point to get you in the ball park.

If you look in load books there is always separate data for cast and copper bullets, they always use different powders as well, I really would not be using Copper load data for Cast bullets, There is a reason that they have separate load data for cast bullets.
If you want to do this thats ok, but for me I tend to stick with powders from cast data.
 
If you look in load books there is always separate data for cast and copper bullets, they always use different powders as well, I really would not be using Copper load data for Cast bullets, There is a reason that they have separate load data for cast bullets.
If you want to do this thats ok, but for me I tend to stick with powders from cast data.

You need to read up on shooting lead bullets. Stuff posted in books are good starting points but not the end all in reloading. After all, the load data would only really apply if you were using the same gun, barrel, brass, powder lot, etc, etc, etc. that's why they give you starting loads.

You how many reloaders are using red dot or green dot in their rifle loads????? Bet you won't find any of that in a reloading manual.
 
When I first started shooting cast I tried jacketed loads and had keyholing/poor accuracy. Velocity is too fast. Opposite is ok though. I use cast data for lower velocity jacketed loads. I usually use imr4227 for cast loads.
 
My 1980s Lyman reloading book has jacketed and cast reload data. Cast usually uses lower chargers of faster powders than jacketed rifle data.

I use pistol powders in all my cast rounds. I use rifle only in jacket rounds. There is a concern with loading rifle powders charges too low called secondary explosion effect. Can bring higher pressures than a max load. That's why it's important to always stay within the data.

Fast burning shotgun/pistol powders don't have that problem. So 7gr of red dot behind a non gaschecked 150-180gr projectile works quite nicely in .303 British for example. (No further than 50 yards for that one)

13gr of red dot behind a GCed 150-180gr boolit is a good one for 100 yards.

My personal favorite is 16-19gr of 2400(AA9, or bluedot works too) behind a 185gr GCed boolit. Good out to 200 yards.

I have yet to master minute of angle loads from these as I've only shot them out of milsurp. But they make for fun cheap shooting. 16gr of 2400 is max load for 7.62x39 and will actually cycle an SKS

Happy shooting
 
Secondary Explosive Effects or SEE's have only been duplicated in ballistic labs with slow burning magnum powders and 70% or more empty space inside the case. Norma has published data on this.
Hodgdon recommends 60% loads of any H4895 data for reduced loads. That should tell you it's pretty safe if their lawyers let them say that.
Many anecdotal accounts of SEE's can't be verified and can't be duplicated in a lab. The fact is it could have been a double or even triple charge and the evidence has literally gone up in smoke after the fact. Even if all remaining rounds are pulled and checked it doesn't mean the one that blew up the gun wasn't a multi-charge.

The reason faster burning powders are used is because a lower velocity is usually required for optimum performance of cast bullets and that lower velocity will reduce peak chamber pressure. It can reduce is so much so that conventional rifle powders meant for 45k+ psi wont burn properly/completely/cleanly. The use of a fast burning powder that will burn at a lower pressure is necessary. Two rifle powders I often use with cast bullets are H4198 and SR-4759. I also use H4895 or Benchmark but only in certain rifles that I've gotten good results in. I also sometimes use various shotgun/pistol powders for exceptionally light loads but they don't work well past 50yds. I use Unique, Bluedot, Reddot, and 800x. With those I also often use cast pistol bullets to save on lead. One of my favourites is the Lee 90gr .314" SWC. Mine drop .315" and I shoot as-is in 303B and x54R but size down to .311" for use in .308" rifles.

I never use full power load data meant for jacketed bullets with cast bullets because they've never worked well for me. It usually results in barrel leading, keyholes, and frustration.

Personally when loading cast bullets I load one of two ways. I either use a load that fills at least 50% the case so a double charge will be very obvious as it will be filled into the neck or cause the case to overflow, or I use a load that if doubled wont blow up the gun. Most loads with H4198, Trail Boss, H4895, Benchmark, or SR-4759 satisfy the first and most loads with shotgun or pistol powders satisfy the second. That's not to say a double charge wont be overpressure and wreck my brass but only that it likely wont blow up the rifle. I've mostly moved away from shotgun and pistol powders except for the light pistol bullets I mentioned above.

Haven't had a multi-charge yet *knock on wood*
 
Yeah I agree SEE is a highly contested concept. I only mentioned it as food for thought. The other issue I forgot to mention with under loading rifle powder is the possibly of inconsistent pressures and in burnt powder fowling up your gun and cases. Never a fun time. Dacron filler packed on top of the charge before bullet seating can fix that issue. Point is, using jacket data for cast loads is useless because you ll never get good accuracy with that.
 
It is not useless...it is a starting point if you have no other data....that's all I am saying.

Usually the book recommends different powders for cast than jacketed. And when powders do overlap, the recommended max load for cast is usually comparable to the min load for jacketed. Sure you could use the data... But I'm just saying you d be wasting components
 
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