Lee 30 cal rifle molds....which bullet weight?

[saskgunowner101]

I'm thinking about getting a Lee bullet mold so I can throw cast bullets out of the 30/30. I notice that WSS has a couple available, but with lighter weight bullets being 113 or 120 grains. Would these just be for plinking as they seem too light for deer (to me).

I notice that they can be ordered direct in heavier weights, does anyone have any experience with the 160-170-180 bullets for use in the 30/30? Any and all thoughts appreciated.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1267554103.406=/html/catalog/bullmol2.html

90367,90368,90369 in the 30 caliber section

 

[bugs]

.30 molds

have one for 170gr have shot hundreds of these in 30/30 .30rem and.300 sav.they are accurate and have cast some from soft alloy and shot deer with them also. Only complaint is that it is single cavity kind of slow if you want a few hundred for plinking.

 

[ben hunchak]

Lyman's 311041 is kinda the standard for the 30/30 and that same bullet always surprises me when i load it in my benchguns. So if Lee makes a similar mold...go for it...I've loaded the Lyman bullet to 2300fps, top end 30/30 loads, and accuracy held up good on the hard cast, gas check bullet, sized to .310"...Ben

 

[blacksmithden]

Get something that casts 170 grain flat nose. That's a standard bullet for the 30/30. I don't know if WSS is still carrying them through. Both of their stores here in Edmonton have gone to pistol, black powder, or 12 ga slug molds. That's it. No 30 cal rifle stuff at all.

 

[tigrr]

I have the Lee 150gr C309-150-F and the 170gr C309-170-F. I gas check them both, only use flat nose bullets in a tubular 30/30 mag. They turn out with lube and gas checks at 160 and 180 grain. Great for distances up to 200 yards. Open sites - 3" at 100 and happy to hit a 16 inch gong at 200. Fun stuff!

 

[saskgunowner101]

Thanks for the info guys....I have a real urge to put the old 30/30 to use next season (count down already) and I'd like to get an accurate combo sorted out by then. Eight months.......that's doable.

 

[JBD]

Have tried quite a few in my 30-30 the 170 grain works well, as does the 150 grain flat nose. The 160 grain for the sks did not shoot very accurately. The 200 grain lee did not feed reliably in my marlin.

 

[glenliz87]

I use the Lee C309-170-F mould. I purchased it at Higginsons they are double cavity. The bullet shoots accurately out of my 30-30. However,I did have to lap the nose section of the mould to .301, without lapping it was not accurate enough. If your rifle has micro-groove rifling, you will likely have to do the same thing.

 

[zuke]

Try this place h t t p://www.factorysales.com/html/xcart/catalog/bullmol1.html
Great price's! I've delt with them a half dozen time's with no problem's.

 

[mbogo3]

Try going on the Cast Boolits forum lots of experts/data there...............Harold

 

[squirrelnuttz]

Lyman/Ideal # 31141 170 ish grain flatpoint with gas check base. The 170ish because it depends on alloy, mine dropped around 175-6 last time. Great for .30-30, 30-06, 308.
I'm using a .309 sizer die with it. Or it could be used in a .303 if a guy had the right sizer die that did not wage it down too much past .311

 

[ben hunchak]

Note that #31141 is the old designation for lyman's #311041...