30-06 with cast bullets

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JFB

Hunter
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Sep 7, 2005
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I'm out of trailboss, so I was looking at some loads using the few powders I have.

what concerns me is a recomended starting load is only 1.7cc with the case capicity 4.4cc
thus 40% filled.

loading data for jacket bullets are around 3.9cc of powder.

Is this the normal for cast bullet loading to be less than half full of powder?
 

Enigma

Hunter
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Apr 17, 2002
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Houston metro area, TX
Yes, although it largely depends on the powder. There is tons of cast bullet load data available out there. You may have to search a bit, but it's out there.
 

Paul B

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Tucson, AZ
I run 25.0 gr. of AA5744 with 180 gr. cast bullets in my Browning B-78 30-06. It's a nice load.
Paul B.
 

JFB

Hunter
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thanks
I have been going through manuals and when I compared jacket vs cast loads I did observe they are about 1/2.

I throw powder by volume, so our 25 gr / aa5744 is also about 1.8cc.

I've loaded 10 rounds and will test latter

the one recomend powder that I had was imr 4198
150 gr berry plated over 21.0 grs
 
Joined
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Woodbury, Tn
Cast bullets(boolits) in rifles aren't driven to the extreme velocities that jacketed bullets are driven, to prevent leading. Go to https://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php
Search the "stickies", lots of good information! Good luck!
gramps
 

Rick Courtright

Hawkeye
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Location
Redlands CA USA
JFB said:
Is this the normal for cast bullet loading to be less than half full of powder?

Hi,

I've shot a lot a lot of cast bullets in the '06 that were loaded to "plinking" specs per an earlier Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook: Unique, in the neighborhood of 15 gr or so (check the book!) and a 150 gr RN cast in a Lee die. They're good for 50-100 yds at minute of soda can accuracy, and the air gap in the shells has never been a problem I could notice. A bit of crimp helps things get lit off consistently.

I can't speak to loading warmer loads, such as one might want for small game or pests...

Rick C
 

Paul B

Hunter
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Dec 4, 1999
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Tucson, AZ
First off, I've been shooting cast bullets since 1954. I've loaded 175 gr. cast bullets in the 30-30 at roughly 1950 FPS. Original 30-30 ran 1650 gr. bullets at that same speed IIRC. I've run 190 gr. bullets in the 30-30 to that same speed and if one wants to ask, yes they take deer very nicely.
As the cartridge in question is the 30-06, current I run 180 and 225 gr. cast from a Browning B78 and use the same charge, 25.0 gr. 5744. Recoil is such that you know you shot something and I believe in a pinch either load would suffice to take deer out to 100 yards and change.
I've run cast in the .223 Rem. a royal PITA BTW but they shoot well and have been reasonably accurate.
I sort of look at it this way. learning to load reasonably accurate ammo is like getting a BS degree. Making extremely accurate ammo would be akin to a master's degree in reloading. Attaining all the above with cast bullets would be like getting a Phd in reloading. I've been doing it for many more years than I care to count and I'm still learning. I don't consider myself as earning that Phd level yet. Maybe I never will but It's been fun trying.
Paul B.
 
Joined
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Missouri
I have studied cast bullet load data for decades. 30-30 is about the limit before going to reduced loads. So 30-30, 32 win spl, and any other cartridges where the velocity is about 2000 fps or less can be loaded to about the same velocities with cast or jacketed bullets. At one point, I believe 30-30 load data out of one of the reloading manuals I was studying showed the same load data with each type of powder listed for cast or jacketed 170 grain bullets. At that time I wasn't looking at 150 or lighter bullets.
 
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I made lead bullets for handguns for years and with large amounts of free lead in those days, I made my fishing weights and branched out into rifle bullets with gas checks added. . Loading mainly 30-30 win and PO Ackley improved 30-30 using Unique also 308, 30 06, 45-70. All of my loads were low power range loads. I did the last ones using IMR powders. Trailboss was not even made back when I started loading lead. As mentioned the Lyman lead reloading book is full of loading data. I never ran lead bullets out of any of my Ar15s, AR10 or Grand for fear of constricting the gas port with lead or bullet lube. The Grand was a NM I used in matches and was trained to clean it upside down just to prevent cleaning fluids from running into the port. Not saying it's a must, just what I did and why.
 
Joined
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Location
Missouri
Usual velocity limitations of cast bullets to 2000 - 2200 fps is because of the normal lubricants. For normal lubricants think of a wax-like lube containing beeswax, paraffin, and/or similar materials.

There are now newer lubricants which are reported to be good at velocities which are unbelievably higher. These coating are called "powder coat" and "high-tech" coatings. Here are the short and sweet descriptions of each and how they are applied and tested:

Powder coat is an acrylic powder coating which is baked on. The normal application method is swirling the bullets and powder in a plastic container and using the static generated to make the powder stick to the bullet before baking. The high volume method is a spray gun for the high tech powder before baking. Multiple coats may be applied. Testing involve smashing a bullet with a big hammer to ensure the coating does not flake off.

High-Tech coating is a powder which is precision weighed and dissolved in measured amounts of acetone. A measured volume of the acetone solution and the bullets are swirled in a plastic bucket until the acetone evaporates leaving the high-tech coating on the bullets before baking. Multiple coats may be applied. Testing is done after every coat by wiping the bullet with acetone on a paper towel. Color transfer to the paper towel is a failure! If the coating fails it is not possible "to add another coat" due to the new high-tech solution will dissolve the old coating. Thicker coats are not as successful. More thinner coats are better.

I believe it should be relatively easy to push powder coated or high-tech coated bullets at normal velocities for jacketed bullets. I have bullets made and it is now time to load and test them. I will likely start testing larger and heavier bullets first and then move toward smaller bullets. Not only do I want to test for function, but I also want to test for accuracy.

I have heard stories of commercially cast bullets with the newer coating where the coating were flaking off. This is a fail and bad things could happen if you were pushing them hard.

I will probably report on what I find in my testing.
 

LAH

Buckeye
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Jun 6, 2002
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WV
RCBS 30-180- FN & 20 grains of 2400. Been killing deer a long time.
 

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