.30 cal. Ranch Dog
- Thread starter Ben
- Start date
Best 30-30 bullet for Marlins. The nose differences just require some changes to seating depth. In my rifle I neeed to trim cases to get loaded rounds to chamber and still be able to crimp.
Not a big deal.
Shot a couple deer with the 425 and 350 gr versions for 45-70. Michael designed some great bullets.
Not a big deal.
Shot a couple deer with the 425 and 350 gr versions for 45-70. Michael designed some great bullets.
Rally
NC Minnesota
I'm wondering which version you have Brad, if you have to trim cases back for a Marlin? I evidently got the last of the older version from NOE in a RG4. Then ordered another mould in 5 cavity, both with same designation, but the 5 cavity was a wider nose. I PM'ed RD at the NOE site and he said the wider nose was for the Winchesters and my original purchased mould, was for the Marlins. I can crimp in the crimp groove of either and still chamber them in my Marlin but the earlier version way out shoots the wider nose, in my Marlin, and dimple points the best.
We had this conversation on here once before, and it sounds like there have been 5 or 6 versions of this mould made. The bullet Ben has pictured here appears to be the original nose shape, and should work in most Marlins????
Kevin,
Before you buy the mould, I have a 1/2 gallon of the wider nosed RD bullets cast, sized to .311, lubed and checked. If you want to try them out just let me know and I'll send you some.
We had this conversation on here once before, and it sounds like there have been 5 or 6 versions of this mould made. The bullet Ben has pictured here appears to be the original nose shape, and should work in most Marlins????
Kevin,
Before you buy the mould, I have a 1/2 gallon of the wider nosed RD bullets cast, sized to .311, lubed and checked. If you want to try them out just let me know and I'll send you some.
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Mine is a very early NOE version. It was one of the first moulds Al ran that I can remember. I just looked it up and the buy was started in May of 2009! Looks like I got mine 8/29/09. Mine has no set screw on the screw that works as a sprue plate stop.
Nose shape, mostly the radius of the rounded taper, has changed slightly over the years. That makes some have a fatter nose and that is what changes seating depth. It is very minor but even .001 large can cause issues.
My Marlin is a mid 70s vintage rifle.
This was the first NOE mould I purchased. Drove me nuts as I could not get good fill out. I cast with it numerous times. Until I cleaned it for the third or fourth time with casting in between it didn’t settle down. Not sure what the issue was but there was some nasty oil in the mould. That is no longer an issue so I can only assume that Al is using a different cutting fluid or cleaning the moulds before shipping.
Nose shape, mostly the radius of the rounded taper, has changed slightly over the years. That makes some have a fatter nose and that is what changes seating depth. It is very minor but even .001 large can cause issues.
My Marlin is a mid 70s vintage rifle.
This was the first NOE mould I purchased. Drove me nuts as I could not get good fill out. I cast with it numerous times. Until I cleaned it for the third or fourth time with casting in between it didn’t settle down. Not sure what the issue was but there was some nasty oil in the mould. That is no longer an issue so I can only assume that Al is using a different cutting fluid or cleaning the moulds before shipping.
Rally
NC Minnesota
Did Al make your mould or was it a Lee made group buy?
I have a Mr Coffee in my shop I use to get hot water to scrub my new moulds with. Tooth brush, dish soap, and a couple heat cycles seems to cure most oil problems. Really tough ones get some rubbing alcohol scrubbing. I still soot my brass moulds with a wood match first time around.
I have a Mr Coffee in my shop I use to get hot water to scrub my new moulds with. Tooth brush, dish soap, and a couple heat cycles seems to cure most oil problems. Really tough ones get some rubbing alcohol scrubbing. I still soot my brass moulds with a wood match first time around.
Essentially, yes. Mine is that early.
Ian
Notorious member
I got one from what must have been the second run from NOE, took over a year for the buy to come to fruition. Iirc SiFi Jim honchoed that one. The nose is about like Ben's mould, it will fit anything like Fiver said, but the crimp groove probably won't line up where you want. Great bullet, though. Had the SC version from Lee but it wanted to fly sideways.
That thin band will blow out without GC. I tried the original Lee, Lasercast, MBC, and a guy from SC that was making his version. Even had Larry G test some with max LeverE in his rifle. All had very decent hunting accuracy in my 336. Can't shoot those max loads in the levergun anymore, 2400 is good to 1800 now (loaded some with Rx7 to try). Even tried it with 1% Sb, 1% Zn and a tad of Cu @ 50 and works as well as harder alloy - BLL or PC the same. Group size shrinks about half if you can jam the lands. Meplat just affects BC, can't tell a difference @ 100 yds but the super wide one may require seating deeper to get in the loading gate. I've never used the crimp grove (FCD) and seat as long as will feed. To avoid jamming the lands I use a honed fender washer to size the nose just where it would engrave. If I were to cut another mould, I'd put a mini ball seat where the lands start and fill the throat with alloy. Taper nose and meplat as you wish.
As to lube, best full power I've ever found is rapeseed oil - good lube, atomized at the muzzle so no lube gubbers, absolutely no leading. And a real PITA to use.
As to lube, best full power I've ever found is rapeseed oil - good lube, atomized at the muzzle so no lube gubbers, absolutely no leading. And a real PITA to use.
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I loaded 20 rounds for my Howa , 308 Win.using the 170 gr. R/Dog.
My Howa has been pillar bedded, glassed, and free floated, and has a $120 Timmney trigger set to 1.5 lbs., clean and crisp with zero take up and over travel.
It is one of the most accurate .30 rifles that I own.
I wanted to use this particular rifle to evaluate the accuracy potential of the R/Dog bullet.
I was concerned that the large dia. nose would prevent smooth chambering without " deep seating " the bullet.
With this particular rifle, my earlier concerns seem now to be a " non - issue ".
The Howa chambers with a .310" dia. bullet with no problems at all. ( This rifle has always liked a .310" dia. cast bullet )
Now to get to the range and see how they shoot.
Ben
My Howa has been pillar bedded, glassed, and free floated, and has a $120 Timmney trigger set to 1.5 lbs., clean and crisp with zero take up and over travel.
It is one of the most accurate .30 rifles that I own.
I wanted to use this particular rifle to evaluate the accuracy potential of the R/Dog bullet.
I was concerned that the large dia. nose would prevent smooth chambering without " deep seating " the bullet.
With this particular rifle, my earlier concerns seem now to be a " non - issue ".
The Howa chambers with a .310" dia. bullet with no problems at all. ( This rifle has always liked a .310" dia. cast bullet )
Now to get to the range and see how they shoot.
Ben
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Spindrift
Well-Known Member
Very interesting! I have a Howa .308 myself, that I am very pleased with. And the RD- design bullets have been tempting me for a while, I can see one in my future.
I will be following your results with interest. But then, of course, you seem to make any bullet/gun- combination shoot one ragged little hole
I will be following your results with interest. But then, of course, you seem to make any bullet/gun- combination shoot one ragged little hole
TRUE.........
Spindrift
Well-Known Member
I have noticed there are quite a few varieties; different nose designs, front/rear driving bands, different lube grooves...
I lack the expertice to predict exactly which one will work best for me (yes, I should probably do a pound cast). The one I am most tempted by, is the heavy Arsenal TL variety. Fat, bandless conical nose and robust rear driving band.... Just seems like a shooter to me
I lack the expertice to predict exactly which one will work best for me (yes, I should probably do a pound cast
). The one I am most tempted by, is the heavy Arsenal TL variety. Fat, bandless conical nose and robust rear driving band.... Just seems like a shooter to me