The Load

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  • Last Post 16 December 2016
Mike H posted this 16 December 2016

Not really Cast Bullet but thought it might be of interest.Years ago Ed Harris wrote a piece about  reloading with Red Dot powder and how usefull it was with reduced loads,the load was 13 grains of Red Dot in military size cartridges such as 30-06,303 British and 308 Winchester.Having decided to fire form some new .308 cases,I thought to try if the load would do the job.I didn't have Red Dot but AS30-N,an Australian powder that should be very close to it,I loaded 13 grains of AS30-N into new Lapua cases and 155 grain moly coated projectiles.My rifle was a new FTR rifle with a 30” barrel.Twelve shots went well and recorded a velocity of 1661 feet per second,the group was 0.892” and 3.5” lower than full power loads.The range I was testing on is a safety range and very noisy,the reduced loads were a pleasant surprise,being very quiet.

I should have used a lead GC load but my rifle has a 3085” diameter throat and my bullets are larger and I had no suitable sizer.

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onondaga posted this 16 December 2016

Mike H you said,

"I should have used a lead GC load but my rifle has a 3085” diameter throat and my bullets are larger and I had no suitable sizer."

You only need to size cast bullets if they are too big to easily chamber for any size chamber. An ink test with a dummy load's bullet inked will give good answers about size.  If the ink isn't marked chambering then your bullets are too small for highest accuracy potential. Ink marked all around the front diving band on chambering shows a sliding fit to your chamber and that is good. The largest diameter cast bullet that will easily chamber has the highest accuracy potential.

It is a good idea to have a range of bullet sizing dies in your caliber and also learn to custom hone them for exactly the size you need. Example .3125” gives me a sliding fit in my 7.62X39 Remington Spartan single shot. Any larger is very difficult to chamber and I can feel that size .3125 definitely slide in and show the ink gets marked all the way around the front diving band from a sliding fit.

The Lee Lube and Size kits are available in good sizes and they are easily honed by yourself plus Lee offers custom sizes at reasonable cost. Sizing is very individual to each rifle for highest accuracy potential.

 

Gary

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GP Idaho posted this 16 December 2016

Mike H:  As you have “no suitable sizer” I'd like to recommend the NOE sizing system. It works much like the Lee sizing dies but incorporates replaceable bushings available in .001 increments. Check out Al's web site for lots of handy tooling. Gp

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R. Dupraz posted this 16 December 2016

One real advantage that the NOE system has over the Lee is the relatively inexpensive nose sizing bushings which are in .001” increments. No more sizing dies or lapping required for bands or nose. This allows fitting the nose to the bore as well as using bushings to size the driving bands. So one can then use a bullet design that wouldn't otherwise work because of an oversize nose. By just sizing the nose to the diameter that fits.

 

This has been a definite plus when fitting bullets to my military rifles as well as Contender pistols where the OAL is critical.

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SierraHunter posted this 16 December 2016

I always found 10 grains of IMR 4756 to work quite well in a range of cartridges. Started using it in the 35 Remington, but have used it in just about everything now, except for 06 sized bases usually bump it up to 12 grains for those.

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R. Dupraz posted this 16 December 2016

Tens grains of SR 4756 with the RCBS 145 Sil is an accuracy load in my 7-30 Waters Contender pistol. Only problem is that it has gone away never to return I understand and the 12 # keg is nearly empty.

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SierraHunter posted this 16 December 2016

I've still got a unopened keg. I thought they still made it, but might be wrong.

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