.30 cal plain base gas checks?
- Thread starter Spindrift
- Start date
Spindrift
Well-Known Member
Are you psychic, or someting
18,5 was very good. 19grs opened up, and 19,5grs even more.
This is a 5-shot 1MOA (28mm c-c) group at 100m, with the NOE #315- clone with PBGC and the Howa .308. This might not impress you seasoned bullet casters, but for me this is a very good result. I cast these bullets a couple of years ago. There was some evidence of inconsistent mould temp (learned a bit since then)
Observations on plain base GC, so far
- Accuracy node closely resembles regular GC bullets of the same design
- Accuracy potential is at least as good as regular GC of the same design
Ian
Notorious member
Are you psychic, or someting
18,5 was very good. 19grs opened up, and 19,5grs even more.
No, not psychic, I simply translated what your first round of groups were trying to tell you.
Spindrift
Well-Known Member
A little while ago, I bought a MP312-159 «Hunter», 8-cav plainbase solid mould. This is an aluminum mould, with a sprue plate lever, like the Lee 6-cav’s. It has taken me a while to figure this mould out. Finding the right sprue plate tension, the proper casting cadence, how to position it properly under my bottom pour pot, handle pressure- and all those little details that sometimes need attention to get nice bullets.
The other night, everything came together. The pile of bullets grew fast!
I have lots of options with this bullet. Lubed/PB, Lubed/PBGC, PC/PB or PC/PBGC.....
I installed some plain base GC and coated a few bullets. I’m looking forward to testing these. How will they stand up to regular PC’ed GC bullets? We’ll see!
The other night, everything came together. The pile of bullets grew fast!
I have lots of options with this bullet. Lubed/PB, Lubed/PBGC, PC/PB or PC/PBGC.....
I installed some plain base GC and coated a few bullets. I’m looking forward to testing these. How will they stand up to regular PC’ed GC bullets? We’ll see!
Spindrift
Well-Known Member
I shot some of the MP- Hunter, PB Solids today- Powder coated. Some with plainbase GC, some without. Shot them in my Howa .308.
Using Vectan Tubal- 3000 (4895- ballpark), 31 grs with PB bullets produced a sorry 3,5MOA group at 100m.
When I was supposed to shoot 31grs with PBGC, a gentleman showed up, and decided to go out to the berm- without alerting me. Luckily, I saw him and pulled back the bolt. The cartridge was a jam fit, however; the extractor slipped the rim, and remained in the chamber. I thought «oh no, here goes the neck tension». When I could shoot again, this round produced an anticipated flier. The other four, however.... look promising.
32-35 grs of Tubal- 3000 with PBGC/PC produced unremarkable groups in the 2- 3 MOA region. The 31 grs with PBGC will definately be shot again. POI is also very close to POA at 100m.
Using Vectan Tubal- 3000 (4895- ballpark), 31 grs with PB bullets produced a sorry 3,5MOA group at 100m.
When I was supposed to shoot 31grs with PBGC, a gentleman showed up, and decided to go out to the berm- without alerting me. Luckily, I saw him and pulled back the bolt. The cartridge was a jam fit, however; the extractor slipped the rim, and remained in the chamber. I thought «oh no, here goes the neck tension». When I could shoot again, this round produced an anticipated flier. The other four, however.... look promising.
32-35 grs of Tubal- 3000 with PBGC/PC produced unremarkable groups in the 2- 3 MOA region. The 31 grs with PBGC will definately be shot again. POI is also very close to POA at 100m.
Spindrift
Well-Known Member
Another fun day at the range today. Some disapointments, some nice surprises, lots of hot coffee.
This winter, I shot a lot of subsonic HP bullets in my S&L 30-06. The target was placed on the ground at about 60m. Behind it, 40m of snow-covered field, before the back-stop. Most of the snow has melted now; the ground was littered with nearly unmolested HP bullets from my shooting. Naturally, I picked them up. To study them, and eventually remelt them.
There were 25 regular GC bullets. All of them had the GC in place. I found 9 PBGC bullets. 2 had released the GC, despite being launched at pedestrian velocity.
I shot the MP-Hunter, PBGC/PC with 31 grs Tubal-3000 in my Howa .308. The load that looked so promising the last time. Well, it seems it wasn’t so impressive , after all. The same load, with regular GC HP, had a bad, uncalled flier.
So far, my impression with the PBGC is this:
- with regular lubed bullets, you get increased tolerance to the point of «classical Gc cast bullet performance»
- With PC, it seems the tolerance for pressure/velocity is not too different from coated PB- bullets.
This winter, I shot a lot of subsonic HP bullets in my S&L 30-06. The target was placed on the ground at about 60m. Behind it, 40m of snow-covered field, before the back-stop. Most of the snow has melted now; the ground was littered with nearly unmolested HP bullets from my shooting. Naturally, I picked them up. To study them, and eventually remelt them.
There were 25 regular GC bullets. All of them had the GC in place. I found 9 PBGC bullets. 2 had released the GC, despite being launched at pedestrian velocity.
I shot the MP-Hunter, PBGC/PC with 31 grs Tubal-3000 in my Howa .308. The load that looked so promising the last time. Well, it seems it wasn’t so impressive , after all. The same load, with regular GC HP, had a bad, uncalled flier.
So far, my impression with the PBGC is this:
- with regular lubed bullets, you get increased tolerance to the point of «classical Gc cast bullet performance»
- With PC, it seems the tolerance for pressure/velocity is not too different from coated PB- bullets.
Spindrift
Well-Known Member
Yes, it was GC’ed. That is the MP 327-Moulnir, a .314 bullet designed for the .327 Fed Mag. In order to avoid skirting in .30-cal, you have to do incremental downsizing, alternating between nose-first and base-first. When I made those bullets, I lacked a .314- sizer, which is useful in this process.
I must say, the moore I shoot cast bullets, the more I appreciate bullets requiring simple preparations. I’ve shot quite a bit of coated PB or checkless bullets lately, and for my recreational purposes, they work quite well!
I must say, the moore I shoot cast bullets, the more I appreciate bullets requiring simple preparations. I’ve shot quite a bit of coated PB or checkless bullets lately, and for my recreational purposes, they work quite well!