Cast Boolit challenge!
- Thread starter JR86
- Start date
I've come to the conclusion over the years that "Good cast accuracy" starts at 375. You need bearing surface. Besides, getting a 30,7mm or 270 cal pointed bullet decently accurate pays the same dividends as getting a hand gun performing real good. Then what? You gonna hunt with it? If something is anti climatic I usually opt out
Bearing surface is only one element to deal with quality/precision cast bullet shooting. An accurate load comprises of a series of properly assembled/balanced rounds (component wise)with a correct bore diameter(bore fit), proper lube, seating depth, and proper powders that allow a given cast alloy to accelerate with out surpassing the alloys Yield point.
Not to mention that a cast bullet should be closely inspected for flaws, so that any incomplete physical structure is identified, and no voids or inclusions exist. Most traditional cast bullet powders are not well suited/intended to be used in higher performance loads. Too much pressure too fast.
30 cal Cast bullets are very effective for hunting. I have shot many animals, with various styles of cast bullets.
If a bullet caster/ Reloader, shooter is diligent, he can get jacketed bullet performance with some combinations. I have managed to get 2400+fps with 200 grain 311299 bullets in my 308winchester. They shoot around 1.5 MOA out past 200yards. One load I use allot has been used to take a few deer out past 250 yards with no problems at all. Kills them dead as can be. Nothing anti climatic about performance like that.
I do agree though, that large calibers are allot of fun to shoot cast bullets with! I prefer .458 cal.
I'd say larger bores are easier to get cast bullets to work in but the potential accuracy with some tweaking is pretty similar. Many people just aren't willing to go through the trial-and-error and tweaking to get cast to work well in a .30ish cartridge.
I've tried both at minute of pie plate at 100.
And I DO mean tried lol multiple projectiles, of different sizes, different powders, Dacron fillers, nada. I've tried M14 with poor results too, but that was a Chinese copy and in the end I tried jacketed with bad results too.
Refer to my third last post for carbon copy info
Three of these are match targets, shot at Spruce Grove and Trochu, all are 200 yds.
These were breech seated 209grPB from a Jones mould, about 1450fps out of a Browning 1885 with an RKS 32-40win barrel. 13.5gr AA9, Emmerts lube.
There are better targets than these around, and better shots than me. Cast bullets can deliver some pretty good accuracy when breech seated. the 25 is 1-1/2". I have seen .969 shot with the same bullet, 10 shots, 200 yds.
I have some 100yd targets from a weekend winter match shot with a 32-30rem somewhere, can't find it at the moment. But, these illustrate the point that they can be accurate.
http://s1285.photobucket.com/user/32-40win/slideshow/32-40win
These were breech seated 209grPB from a Jones mould, about 1450fps out of a Browning 1885 with an RKS 32-40win barrel. 13.5gr AA9, Emmerts lube.
There are better targets than these around, and better shots than me. Cast bullets can deliver some pretty good accuracy when breech seated. the 25 is 1-1/2". I have seen .969 shot with the same bullet, 10 shots, 200 yds.
I have some 100yd targets from a weekend winter match shot with a 32-30rem somewhere, can't find it at the moment. But, these illustrate the point that they can be accurate.
http://s1285.photobucket.com/user/32-40win/slideshow/32-40win
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I haven't played much with my M-1's for about a decade, but I could usually put a clip full into 3 inches at 100 yards with 38.0 gr. of H-41.
I believe that I used the RCBS .30/30 bullet. I cast up 5 000 for my Y2K prep, and have about 800 left. I can do the same with my Norc M-14's but my elderly eyes aren't cooperating much these days.
