The Ideal Cast Bullet Rifle
- Thread starter Rockydoc
- Start date
richhodg66
Well-Known Member
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
My thoughts also. If you want to hunt big deer with cast bullets, the 30 US Army is about the smallest that will work really well. Where I live there are still old guys that shoot deer with 180's and cow elk with 220's.
richhodg66
Well-Known Member
Never killed a really big deer with .30 caliber cast, but several "normal" sized ones and cast works fine if you tend to hunt close like I do. Ranchdog 165 grain .30-30 bullet from a .308.
todd
Well-Known Member
i own a sporterized 1898 spr armory in 30-40 krag. i use a 165gr ranch dog and h4198 that goes 1926 fps. i have killed 8 or 9 deer with it and everyone of them are DRT. my son has used it and 5 or 6 deer were DRT too. he has the longest shot with a cast boolit that was a doe and the range was 173 yards(laser range finder thingy).
i have another sporterized krag and two krag actions sans bolt. i've been thinking that either 35 krag or a 9.3 krag would be my cast boolit shooter. but thats down the road.
i also been thinking of taking the krag action and put it into a 22 hornet or 219 donaldson wasp. or i'll go all out and make it a 224 krag.
i have another sporterized krag and two krag actions sans bolt. i've been thinking that either 35 krag or a 9.3 krag would be my cast boolit shooter. but thats down the road.
i also been thinking of taking the krag action and put it into a 22 hornet or 219 donaldson wasp. or i'll go all out and make it a 224 krag.
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CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
My own choice as a dedicated cast bullet rifle is the 7.65 Argentine 1909 Mauser. Shooting a Lyman 311284 HP powder coated. The bullet (mold) I believe came from Brad.
Some year or two back, story was nose dia too big IIRC but in the .312 bore its been perfect!! Rifle shoots under 2" @ 1650 ish with 2400. It hasnt drawn blood yet but will work just perfect for the sub 200 yard needs of places I hunt. (Mostly sub 100)
Some year or two back, story was nose dia too big IIRC but in the .312 bore its been perfect!! Rifle shoots under 2" @ 1650 ish with 2400. It hasnt drawn blood yet but will work just perfect for the sub 200 yard needs of places I hunt. (Mostly sub 100)
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richhodg66
Well-Known Member
Not the expert some here are, but in my experience, the 311284 has been the best bullet in the '06.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
You can get bolts on Ebay pretty reasonable. It's the single lug that seems to cause any issues, if there are any, with the Krag.i own a sporterized 1898 spr armory in 30-40 krag. i use a 165gr ranch dog and h4198 that goes 1926 fps. i have killed 8 or 9 deer with it and everyone of them are DRT. my son has used it and 5 or 6 deer were DRT too. he has the longest shot with a cast boolit that was a doe and the range was 173 yards(laser range finder thingy).
i have another sporterized krag and two krag actions sans bolt. i've been thinking that either 35 krag or a 9.3 krag would be my cast boolit shooter. but thats down the road.
i also been thinking of taking the krag action and put it into a 22 hornet or 219 donaldson wasp. or i'll go all out and make it a 224 krag.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Those are 44 1/2's, but pretty "ideal" in my book!
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
My Springfield shots them very well but really likes the RCBS 30-180 fn bullet
But My true favorites will always be the 35 calibers.
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All these fine old "thirty-somethings" are making me feel envious and needful.
Siamese Mauser, Krag, 09 Argentine, Savage 99,...
Very cool stuff.
Hang onto those old guns, boys! They're not leaning in dark, neglected, cobwebby corners of gun shops, waiting for a sympathetic romantic to rescue them like they used to be.
I always though Ruger set folks up well for cast bullet shooting with (most of) the chamberings for the No. 3; 44 Mag, 375W, 30-40, 45-70... even the 223 for the more dedicated. The rest of them were "easy" CB shooters. I lusted for the 30-40 and 375W myself, but only ever ran across one 223 (which I bought), a 44 Mag, and a couple 45-70s, all of which looked brand new.
My pick is the 30/30 as an "ideal," because it's common, easy to load for, efficient (moderate case capacity) with numerous common powders, comparatively easy to find brass for, easy to cast for (30s, in general, I guess), easy on the shooter, etc. Pretty boring common knowledge.
The main reason I see the 30/30 as MY ideal is that it fits the platform I've chosen for my personal battery these days - the Contender Carbine. It fits, it suits, it's not abusive in a lightweight rifle - perfect for that platform. If I had chosen a heavier gun, say some repeater, my choice might be different, but the 30/30 is just so easy to please and so "civil."
Siamese Mauser, Krag, 09 Argentine, Savage 99,...
Very cool stuff.
Hang onto those old guns, boys! They're not leaning in dark, neglected, cobwebby corners of gun shops, waiting for a sympathetic romantic to rescue them like they used to be.
I always though Ruger set folks up well for cast bullet shooting with (most of) the chamberings for the No. 3; 44 Mag, 375W, 30-40, 45-70... even the 223 for the more dedicated. The rest of them were "easy" CB shooters. I lusted for the 30-40 and 375W myself, but only ever ran across one 223 (which I bought), a 44 Mag, and a couple 45-70s, all of which looked brand new.
My pick is the 30/30 as an "ideal," because it's common, easy to load for, efficient (moderate case capacity) with numerous common powders, comparatively easy to find brass for, easy to cast for (30s, in general, I guess), easy on the shooter, etc. Pretty boring common knowledge.
The main reason I see the 30/30 as MY ideal is that it fits the platform I've chosen for my personal battery these days - the Contender Carbine. It fits, it suits, it's not abusive in a lightweight rifle - perfect for that platform. If I had chosen a heavier gun, say some repeater, my choice might be different, but the 30/30 is just so easy to please and so "civil."
RBHarter
West Central AR
In that scale , I know this is blasphemy, I've had exactly 1 rifle , excluding the Gew 98 1916 DWM in 280 B Square with the .303 throat , that simply refused to work with me . An 11/43 1903A3 . It wouldn't shoot anything much above sickly 30-30 start loads . I believe it is the only one I've parted company with and felt like I'd had it too long and was glad to be rid of it .
I have a couple that are just too easy and one of those IS a 30-30 . The 358 Win might be the perfect balance for me though it's enough for the great deer . I have run well into jacketed speeds with a 250 gr bullet with by many contrasts mild recoil . It also shoots that 35-250 into about .900 for 5 with field timing .
It's also been quite sporting with WC , SWC and RNFP intended for 9/38/357 use . I haven't tried the cute little 358-95 for the 380 yet .
I have a couple that are just too easy and one of those IS a 30-30 . The 358 Win might be the perfect balance for me though it's enough for the great deer . I have run well into jacketed speeds with a 250 gr bullet with by many contrasts mild recoil . It also shoots that 35-250 into about .900 for 5 with field timing .
It's also been quite sporting with WC , SWC and RNFP intended for 9/38/357 use . I haven't tried the cute little 358-95 for the 380 yet .
Dimner
Named Man
Okay.... all this talk about milsurps makes me want another milsurp in 3006. I have a 1903a4, original everything except the actual scope. The closest I could get, or rather the closest I wanted to pony up for was a weaver k4 post reticle. Anyway, I love that rifle, but it's in such nice condition I don't want to take any chances.
So my other option is to rebarrel a turkish mauser 1938. It's a gew98 action that the turkish started with.. Currently 8mm mauser. It's already had the stock refinished and altered a bit.
What would be the cheapest way to get that turkish mauser up and running in 3006?
todd
Well-Known Member
30-30 hmmppfff!!!! try 35/30-30!!!!!!!
this was sighting it in. (JES Rebore did a fine job!!!!)
i have (or rather gave my sons each one) three sporterized 91 Argentinas (1893, 1894 and 1900) in 7.65x53. the rifle i gave to my youngest son is a engineer carbine the other two are rifles. the youngest son's had a oversized bore, but i got a 180gr fn gc saeco that measures .314"(.313" bore). the other rifles are .311", so they like .313" boolits (LEE 312-185-R 185 Gr GC RN). i use imr 4895 for both of my rifles, mine uses unique but i still have sight redfield apeture in.
youngest son's
oldest son's
mine(without the redfield)
my rifle had so much gunk in the trigger and bolt that you hand hard time firing it. i completely disassembled it (which i found on u tube, not good using only one hand to disassemble) wiped the gunk off with gumout brake cleaner and then i lightly oiled it. now the trigger pull is like baby's bottom.
this was sighting it in. (JES Rebore did a fine job!!!!)
i have (or rather gave my sons each one) three sporterized 91 Argentinas (1893, 1894 and 1900) in 7.65x53. the rifle i gave to my youngest son is a engineer carbine the other two are rifles. the youngest son's had a oversized bore, but i got a 180gr fn gc saeco that measures .314"(.313" bore). the other rifles are .311", so they like .313" boolits (LEE 312-185-R 185 Gr GC RN). i use imr 4895 for both of my rifles, mine uses unique but i still have sight redfield apeture in.
youngest son's
oldest son's
mine(without the redfield)
my rifle had so much gunk in the trigger and bolt that you hand hard time firing it. i completely disassembled it (which i found on u tube, not good using only one hand to disassemble) wiped the gunk off with gumout brake cleaner and then i lightly oiled it. now the trigger pull is like baby's bottom.
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
Both my 1898 and 1891 Mausers in 7.65 dont shoot nearly as well as the 1909.
CW
CW
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I confess that I have been sort of "forgetting on purpose" that there's still one "done-up," D/T'd VZ 24 at the back of the top shelf in my safe, just in case some day I might get the urge again to burden myself with more rifles than I can keep up with. The plan in the back of my head is a cast-only 358W. Probably never happen, but I am quite vested in the diameter, materially and mentally, and I think it would be a good and even logical step up if I ever decided I needed more punch, more range, or needed to use up a lot more powder much more quickly - for whatever reason.
If I were as smart as I thought I was 20 years ago, I'd have grabbed one of those $70 Adams & Bennett barrels in 358W from Midway. I've had several of those screwed onto Mauser actions and they have shot wonderfully. When I was still shooting my 6.5x55, I always made it a point to tell people "yeah, that's a $70 barrel" when they saw how it shot.
I probably should do an intermediate step of a 35 Remington or 35/30 (@todd rubs it in every time he shows his off) on a Contender instead, but anything beyond the 357 Mag/Max or 30/30 for me right now is just daydreaming.
So much cool stuff, but the mundane still makes more sense for me, and I'm even having fun with it.
richhodg66
Well-Known Member
The .30-30 is a fine cartridge and I have several. The .30-30 is one that "there's always room for one more" in the safe.
todd
Well-Known Member
cast boolits is a big reason why love the krag. you can take to 22 all the way up to 40 cal. i want a 36 krag, 35 krag, 25 krag and a 26 krag. ohh......the 405 JES!!!
but on the other hand, those same calibers are in the 30-30. its a big reason why i want to go with the 219 donaldson wasp.
and yes, i do show it off, don't i?...........lol
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Surplus 30 cal barrel and a smith willing to join the two.