Ever since the 165 gr. 30 XCB bullet came out several years ago, I always wanted one for my 30 cal. rifles, especially my 30-06 and 300 Sav. It's been a great cast bullet accuracy wise and for longer range shooting as well as a hunting bullet, but the initial run of molds got scooped up before I could purchase one and the recent group buy over on Cast Boolits I didn't find out about till it was closed. I know Al always has some overruns, so I've been keeping a close watch on his site and sure enough they showed up this week and I ordered mine over the 4th. I've waited about two years to get one. I ended up buying the 3 cavity gas check version for the price of a two cavity and threw in a top punch as well for my RCBS lube sizer if I want to use it at some point, I mostly shoot powder coated bullets in rifles and handguns but I always test both with identical loads and shoot what's the most accurate. Al had his molds on special during the July 4th holiday week, plus I had a 10% off discount code. After all was said an done I paid $78 shipped to my door, I can't wait to cast up and shoot some of these bullets in my 30-06. I plan on using H-4198 to start and see if I can hit the 2500 fps. velocity range in my 30-06 and just go from there if the accuracy hold up. Lots of powders to work with in the slower burn range and alloy combinations to get some excellent results. 310-165-FN-H3 3 cavity GC (30XCB) Cast up about 150 of the 30 XCB bullets this morning. I only had a limited time today to work with them, so I just coated about ten each using Super Durable Clear and Popping Silver Vein gas checked and sized them to see how they would turn out. I cast a random set of samples during the casting process, and after they cooled, I measure and weighed each set. The bullets across the sampling weighed between 167.0 and 167.3 grs. Two bullets from the mold using my micrometer measured .311" while the third bullet measured .311.5" After powder coating with Smokes Translucent Copper, I ended up sizing the bullet to .309" so it would easily chamber in my tight chambered rifle. A recent backyard test with the 06 and the 30 XCB was a bit disappointing but I learned a couple of things and there is a bright side to the testing. The bad news is I'm not going to hit 2500 fps. with this powder bullet combination an end up with good accuracy, it just want stabilize at that velocity in MY rifle, but that's not so bad. The good news is that at 2300 fps. using the 35.0 gr. load of H-4198 I shot 5 shot groups that you could cover with a dime. I also discovered that the traditional lube bullets left my cases filthy an more crud in the bore, but the powder coated bullets left me with nice clean cases and a shiny bore, so I'm going to call that good enough and move on to other projects. For around here and with the short ranges you can actually shoot at the above load is more than enough for anything I need to do. I will eventually get some dope on that load out to 300 yds. for just in case moments. Granted, this is only at 50 yds. but from experience, if they shoot this well at 50 yds. they shoot really well at 100 yds.
Looks Good! Maybe see how much you can "Harden" up your pot melt and see if you can get your velocities up! I have found the harder I can get things with out making them brittle, the better they fly! Still, Lead has it's practical limits in velocities, last thing you need is friction melt, which I have always found fun, but useless! Keep us posted!
Fascinating stuff. About 35 years ago I experimented with 50 gr cast bullets in a .222 Remington. Gas checks make all the difference. Ever do anything with paper patching? Read an article years ago where some guys were clocking 3000 fps with cast bullets out of '06 rifles.
Hardening up my lead isn't the issue I can get my bullets to any desired hardness which helps give the bullet toughness to withstand the internal ballistics imparted on the bullet by the load pressure and rifling but that doesn't always equate to bullet stability/accuracy. At some point along the way flaws in the cast lead bullet accentuate yaw and wobble and as the velocity increases in a given twist rate barrel so are the gyroscopic forces in the form of RPM increased so any yaw and wobble is also increased once the bullet exits the bore an thus you get a larger group and in some instance no group at all. The only way to get around that is use a slower twist rate barrel so that even if you shoot the bullet at a higher velocity it's still turning the same RPM's as it was in the faster twist barrel at the lower velocity. But since I don't have the barrel option and I want to stick with an alloy that has some expansion characteristics for hunting purposes I'm pretty much at a stopping point with this load.
I've played around with paper patch bullets in my Mosin rifles in 7.62 x 54r and had good results, but it's much more work if you do it correctly to get accurate result at high velocity with paper patched bullets. I just put together some rds. with what I had on hand component wise without going to any extra expense, and it worked ok, but it's something I just never pursued much further.
They are gas checked and I tried sizing to .310" but they chamber much easier with the tight chamber tolerances sized to .309". I can shoot the above load all day and the bore is nice an shiny, I don't really even have to clean it.
I think it is really great that you have had this success shooting cast boolits! Most never reach that velocity with accuracy and no leading. jim
I was happy when I loaded some 160 gas check in my hunting rifle to see how well it kilt a deer. Worked great with Lyman listed loads. I knew then I would not worry about hunting rounds or the anti gunners, that was back in the 70s.
