Plain Base , 30 cal. Cast Bullets

[Ben]

Was another beautiful day here. 74 degrees and blue sky.
I had to get outside and cast some.
Today was .30 cal. plain base day. I cast with 2 of my favorites,
the NOE 311332 plain base and my SAECO # 315 plain base.

Both are capable of nail driving accuracy out of any of my nine ( 9 ) , 30-06 rifles.

They are easy on your ears, easy on your shoulder, easy on your pocket book,
what is not to like ?

The right charge of fast burning propellant like International Clays, Alliant
Unique, American Select, Herco, or even Bullseye can deliver groups at
50 yards for 5 rounds that are in a " ragged hole."

I really enjoy shooting my plain base .30 cal.cast bullets.

Ben









If you take out the " 2 O'clock round " from the group below( and that round is most likely me..not the rifle ) ....it is basically shooting in 1 hole at 50 yards.

 

[JSH]

I have one plain base 30 mold. It was on one of the group buys from lee over at CB. 45 2.1 drew it up after I described what I was after. He could not have done a better job if I was there looking over his shoulder! Design was one big lube groove, with crimp groves that would also work as a tumble lube groove, along with a nice healthy base.
There was a little interest and leewas behind a lot on group buy stuff and there had been some issues. Fast forward a year or so and I forget who dug it up, but a group buy was done and ordered. Wait time was crazy long. I had actually forgotten about it.
Lee kind of dropped the ball on it and the nose profile was not as designed. We had the option of sending them back but I never did.
I have shot it in about every 30 caliber cartridge the average guy would have, along with a few wild cats. It drops around .313-.314 depending on alloy. It has enough bearing surface that I think is why it shoots so well in a variety of chamber, throat and bore sizes.
It is my main go to projectile for my 32-20 buckeye black hawk. Nose should work fairly well for hunting. The 6.5" black hawk will run this thing at 1400fps and change. Along with keeping them all in side a 4" circle at 100m on demand. Cases drop out of the cylinder.
I am really surprised there are not more plain base 30 caliber designs around.
Jeff

 

[Ben]

I am really surprised there are not more plain base 30 caliber designs around.
Jeff
______________________________________

I have about a dozen .30 plain base moulds.
Only 2 of them are factory plain base.
The reminder started out life as a g/c mold
and at a later date had the g/c shank removed.
( Like the SAECO # 315 that you see above )

Ben

 

[freebullet]

Nice lookin boolits.

I'm looking for an 80-90gr plain base 4-6 cav .311 mold for use as a small game 30-30 load.

 

[45 2.1]

I have one plain base 30 mold. It was on one of the group buys from lee over at CB. 45 2.1 drew it up after I described what I was after. He could not have done a better job if I was there looking over his shoulder! Design was one big lube groove, with crimp groves that would also work as a tumble lube groove, along with a nice healthy base. Jeff

Lee did several that they got creative with the dimensions on. The absolute best one that they did correctly was a copy of an ancient 3118... (currently the 311008)... Ideal mold I have. It was very accurate in a number of things. I think this is the bullet freebullet is interested in. Sometime in the near future MiHec will run this on his site.

 

[freebullet]

That looks great. In a 6 cavity aluminum would really save some lead and put out the quantity I'll need for the wife.

 

[Josh]

Nice lookin boolits.

I'm looking for an 80-90gr plain base 4-6 cav .311 mold for use as a small game 30-30 load.

Send this to Tom, it is made for the 30 Badger but will fill the role nicely. I designed it to mimic the BC of a 22 LR bullet.

 

[Outpost75]

Accurate Molds 31-114D is .314 diameter intended for the .32 S&W Long, but you could tweak diameters for your requirements when you order.
31-125D is designed to fit the GI throat on the .30 M1 Carbine, but it shoots well as a small game and gallery bullet in most .30 cals. up to the '06 with 5 grains of Bullseye.

31-134D is .314 diameter, intended as a heavy bullet for .32 S&W Long in a rook rifle, and also works well as a small game bullet in the 7.62x39 or 7.62x54R. I also use it in a tight-bore .303 British which it is large enough for.

31-155D is designed for the .30-'06 and fits the SAAMI throat, being lightly engraved upon chambering. It can also be used in the .30-30 if your throat is worn a bit such that it does not engrave too hard upon chambering, if crimped in the crimp groove. Also works well in the .308 and 7.62x54R with 5-7 grains of Bullseye.

These are all my designs which are in the catalog. Also 36-155D for .38 Special, 43-225D for .44 Special and 45-245D for .45 Auto Rim and .45 Colt.

43-200Q and 43-230G are my designs for the .44-40 and .44 Special / Magnum.

 

[KHornet]

Have three plain base 30 cal molds. 311410, 311241, and 6 cav Ranch dog, Have never really spent much time on any of them. Would like to find decent loads of around 1000 fps for the Ranch Dog in 30-30 and 308 if any one has experience that they would like to share.

 

[Outpost75]

Good place to start in any case from the 7.62x39 up is 5 grains of Bullseye with a bullet from 115-155 grains, which is the lightest which always exits the barrel from a .30-'06 and gives good accuracy at 50 yards with any bullet from 125 grains to 160 grs..

.30-'06 boltguns with HM2-.312-160-5 used without the GC, or Accurate 31-125D or 31-155D.
In the '06 4 grs. of Bullseye with 125-grain bullet 869 fps, 11 Sd "Cat Sneeze"
.................5 grs. of Bullseye with 125-grain bullet 1043 fps, 25 SD
In the '06 6 grs. of Bullseye with 160-grain bullet 1087 fps, 11 SD
.................7 grs. " " " " " " 1174 fps, 15 Sd
.................8 grs. " " " " " " 1232 fps, 10 Sd
In the '06 6 grs. of Bullseye with 205-grain bullet 1022 fps, 8 Sd
" " " 7 grs. " " " " " " 1067 fps, 6 Sd
" " " 8 grs. " " " " " " 1106 fps, 10 Sd
" " " 8.5 grs. " " " " " " 1223 fps, 14 Sd

 

[Bret4207]

I still have the "30 Plinker" GB mould. I've never been able to get it to really sit up and so anything great, but everything tells me it should work if I can just find the right combo.

That 310-85 looks like a natural for the 32 S+W & Long in my tight barreled K32.

 

[Joe7436]

Here's a picture of a 30 caliber bullet I designed for the 30 Luger and 7.62x25 Tokarev. It has a very thick base bearing band because if you know both those cartridges have a very short neck and I didn't want gas getting to the lube groove when the bullet in seated. That long bearing surface seals the neck off. This doesn't matter in other applications. I designed a bullet and cut a mould on my lathe, then I sent bullets to 45 2.1 to draw up and sent to BaBore who made me a better mould. Maybe 45 2.1 may still have those dimensions and you can ask him if you can have them. It's a very good bullet in the two applications I've used it in.

 

[Brad]

Looks like a longer, skinnier 120 Lee TC for 9mm. For the 30 Mauser than long rear band makes sense.

 

[Joe7436]

Funny you say that Brad because I sort of modeled it after the RCBS 9mm TC except of course with that thick base. I sent Eutectics quite a bit of them and he was going to test them in his 32-20 at HV in cold weather. Been months haven't heard from him. He's going to gas check some of them too. I've done that with converting the H&I die on the Lyman luber sizer except with my little set up I didn't modify the die. I made an adapter that holds the gas check material disc and centers the bullet over it. Work very well. I don't really shoot many of them checked, there's really no need at pistol velocities.

 

[Cherokee]

That's a neat TC design that would probably work well for 30 Carbine and 32-20. Is that mold available ?

 

[Rick]

If it's not Tom at Accurate Molds could easy enough make you one if you send him the specs.

 

[Joe7436]

I'll find out of 45 2.1 still has the specs. I shoot that bullet out of four 30 Lugers and sometimes out of my 30 carbine. The Lugers are a 1920 Commercial Luger, a Benelli B80, a Browning High Power, and 1911 Colt.

 

[HARRYMPOPE]

I recently have been using tightgroup with light charges.it seems to work very well.with a 308 ruger scout with peep sights it's about a 2.5 moa load with 5.5g and a pistol primer.
This is a bit better than average 5 shot group at 50 yards with a modem bond pointed plainbase.