Interesting test target.

Charlie

Charlie

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I shot this target today at 50 yards with a Ruger bolt action 308 using lead bullets I cast several days ago. The alloy is supposed to have a hardness of 18, and they were gas checked. The bullets were the same Lyman 173 grain #311041. The cases were the same. The primers were the same. The rifle was the same. The powder was different between load A and load B. Load A was 25 grains of IMR 4227. That should produce a MV of just below 2,000 f/s. Load B was 36 grains of IMR 3031. That should produce a MV of a bit less than 2,300 f/s. Both loads were about midway between min and max for those powders.

Load A was pretty good. The target has three A groups. A1 was shot at the piece of paper. A2 and A3 were shot at different holes that had been shot into the target.

Load B was terrible. The point of aim for B was a piece of paper stapled to the target. The B hits are scattered all over the target and show keyholing.

I suppose B was just going too fast for the bullet even though the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook showed that bullet going up to about 2,700 f/s.

Live and learn.
 
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I shot some cast through my Ruger #1 in 30-06, with Lee mold gas checked bullets, as I recall. I got my best accuracy with a small dose of Unique, something like 13 grains if I remember correctly. You can find the load on line as it's the "Universal Cast Bullet Rifle Load", or something like that. Anyway, like you, I've been told that you can run cast bullets hot in a rifle but I've never had any luck with it. By the way, be sure you get all the copper out of the barrel before you try lead bullet accuracy work. I mean ALL of it. Anyway, I do with you the best of luck. I continue to shoot lead rifle bullets, but in more sedate calibers, like .45-70, .40-65, .38-55, .44 Mag and .45 Colt. It's a fun hobby and it is possible to get some good groups out of lead bullets.
 
Just because the "book" says it's ok, doesn't mean it is. Cast boolits are a world unto themselves and even gas checked, hard alloy may not play nice with high powder charges. Check your barrel for leading.
 
The barrel had a good cleaning before the test and will get another good cleaning this evening.

The only lead bullets I have used in rifle so far are in several 45/70 rifles and some pistol-caliber rifles. I bought those bullets. I am enjoying this adventure into casting and using lead bullets in other centerfire rifles.
 
You might also need a harder alloy to get the higher velocities with any accuracy
 
Ben W. said:
We're pretty close to each other, I see! I'm in Shallotte. Are you shooting at Ant Hill?
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We have met several times unless there is another Ben from Shallotte on here. You fixed an ejector on a Glock for me. I generally shoot at Buccaneer or on my land in Winnabow. I shot some of those loads with 13 grains of Unique today but did not try for any groups since it was raining pretty hard. They did hit the steel target. I may try to put up a paper target next week that will give me an idea of how well they shoot.
 
Yes, Sir, that was me! Perhaps we can meet up at Ant Hill sometime and shoot together. I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy that! I'm a member there also, now.
 
I piddled with casting a coupla years ago. It's great fun and very satisfying. But there's def some voodoo to it.
I was messing with a 45-70 and 405gr 16:1 boolits ~1100fps. I ended up going ~.003 over groove diameter to get a good seal and then accuracy improved greatly. Shot cleaner, too. No gas checks needed at that velocity. And it hit HARD..
Ended up way over and soft on the 45C as well.. But again, slow.. šŸ˜ƒ šŸ‘
 
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