What I'm working on lately....

[waco]

I am very new to loading cast in rifles. .308 is what I have been tinkering with. The molds I am using are both Lee. One is the C309-180-R and the other is the C312-155-2R

So far I have gotten good 50 yard result with both bullets. 10 shot groups under one inch. 1.5"-1.75" at 100 yards for five shot groups.

1700-1800fps using 2400 and SR4759

My next goal is to up the speed to 2000-2200fps using slower powders. I hope to be able to maintain sub 2 MOA groups out to 500 yards. We shoot at a 10" steel plate.

I'm loading once fired '74 LC brass that has been FL sized, squared primer pockets, flash holes cleaned up, and necks turned.

The bullets(these at least) are water dropped WW sorted to +/- .3gr sized to .311" and lubed with BAC and a Gator check installed.

IMR4064, Varget, and H4895 is where I was thinking I would start.

As for handguns, revolvers have been my main intrest as of late. .38SPL for the most part. 148gr wadcutters and an NOE 360477 150gr SWC are my go to molds.

Titegroup and bullseye are my powders. The NOE bullet gets sized to .358" and lubed with BAC, the RCBS WC bullet falls from the mold at .3585" and just gets some 45-45-10.

What is everyone else working on these days?

 

[Brad]

Well......

I am working to get better with my SRH in 44 mag using an MP 44/444 305 HP.

I am also working on getting better accuracy with my new rilfe at 2400 fps plus. That is a challenge and it takes lots of time to find what works. Mostly what doesn't.

Other than that I am working on helping to keep a new forum going.

 

[Ian]

That's a good list there Waco, should keep you occupied for a while, especially the 500-yard load for you .30-calibers. I'd focus on the Harris bullet at first for going past 2K fps.

I'm working on everything, a little bit at a time. Nothing is ever really "finished". Still futzing with bullet lube. Re-working all my .38 Special and .45 Colt standard loads with softer alloys, re-visiting the truncated-cone bullet in my 1911s, going super-heavy and super-light in my .30-30s, trying to make a "universal" load for three different .308 rifles, spending a lot of time doping out cast bullets in my M1A, doing a little gunsmithing from time to time, and taking furtive glances at the big elephant in my gun room, the HV quest Brad mentioned. Waiting on the papers to get my first suppressor out of "jail" so I can bring it home to stay, that sort of thing.

 

[freebullet]

Well I have a thing for 30 cal rifles in most any flavor, but repeaters in one way or another get me. Tinkering with loads for all of them as time allows. Playing with 35 cal handguns with a strong hankering for a big bore magnum handgun.

 

[Winelover]

Like Brad, I too am trying to become more proficient in long range revolver. Working with a 44 Mag. RH and 45 LC BH.

The past two Winters/Springs, I've been working on trying to obtain consistent sub 2MOA with my Armalite AR-10 -A4 carbine and cast. I have shot many 5 shot MOA groups @ 100 yards but the 10 shots ones are hovering around 2MOA.

 

[Brad]

Winelover, you need to find a guy who can teach you how to shoot well at longer ranges with a revolver. Too bad you don't have such a person near you.

 

[waco]

Ian. You made mention of the "Harris" bullet. Which one would that be. The 180gr?

 

[Brad]

I think it is the 155-2r you mentioned, not the 180.

 

[waco]

Thanks Brad.

 

[waco]

Sized and lubed some of the 155gr Lee's. They weight within a half grain of each other after GC and lube. In the 163gr neighborhood.
These are water dropped WW so I'm guessing 25-30K PSI is what I should shoot for? Would a medium fast powder like SR4759 fit the bill for around 2000fps or should I be looking at a little slower powders ? H4895, 4064, Varget and the like?

 

[waco]

Oh yeah. Gator checks and 2500 lube. There was a bit of BAC left in the die.

 

[Brad]

I would start with 4895 and see what it does. It will easily get the speed you want.
As for pressure, don't just look at peak pressure but also at pressure curve. A 30 K psi load of Unique is far different than the same pressure with 4895. Guess which one is harder on the bullet?

 

[waco]

Gotcha. I'll load them up with 4895.

 

[Rick]

I didn't see caliber mentioned but if it's for the 308 my single shot loves 19.0 gr 4759 with 160 to 180 gr bullets. Depending on bullet is runs 1850 to 2000 fps & shoots quit well. Groups open up past 20 gr with the 180 bullets.

 

[Brad]

I do beleive it is a 308.
Hey, if it worked in the past for Rick then I would listen.

 

[Brad]

You might just work up a load with Unique or 2400. They are both capable of good accuracy at lower velocities. That gives you a baseline for what the rifle and bullet can do.

 

[Rick]

That BTW is with air cooled WW +2% Sn at 12 BHN. There are 5 shots on this 150 meter turkey and the high one was called, it was also the fifth shot. That last shot is sometimes very tough to do. Scoped from the bench of course. Yep, I think my rifle likes 4759 pretty good. It's not real fussy about which bullet but this is with the RCBS 180 SP. I've never tried a quenched bullet in this rifle, never saw the need of it.

 

[waco]

Very nice Rick. Yes, it's a. .308. 19gr of 4759 shows promise in my rifle as well. I just still experimenting. I really need to get away from the 50 yard line and shoot 100 minimum. My goal is a 10" steel plate at 500.

 

[Rick]

What kind of rifle? Yeah, 50 yards won't tell you nearly what 100 and beyond will. Shooting on steel like I did for so many years the lead spreads as you keep shooting and covers up the previous shots making it very difficult to tell much at 50.

 

[waco]

It's a 24" heavy barreled Rem. 700 1:10 twist. McMillan A-3 stock. Leupold VX3 3.5-10x50 mildot