.308 cast boolit load.

[Alpha1]

I am on a roll I have been shooting cast loads over the chronograph at my new club at 25yards. This is new territory for me up to now I have loads for 7.62x39. 38 Special. and .303 smle. 303 P14. 303 No4. I am wanting to try some .308 loads for the Mas36 I have got some soup can boolits in .310 does the same powder charge apply = 5 grains of V310.

If the Mas36 works out OK I plan on having a go with the Nagant next and then may be my Swedes and may be even the 7.92 Mauser.
After that it depends what is lurking at the back of the cabinets I am not going to bother with the Steyr etc they are wasted at 25 yards. Having said that the amount of range time I get at any thing over 100 yards its probably a waste of time loading jacketed bullets for any of my rifles. emrolleyes

[phaedra1106]

I use 4.9g of N310 for my 308s using either the 115g Soupcan or Round Nose boolits, my 300aac Blackout also shoots the Soupcans nicely with 3.4g

[dromia]

Yes Dave 4-5 gns, actual amount isn't really critical within that powder range, of any fast burning pistol powder like Vihtavuori N310 will work in all those calibres preferably with a light for the cartridge cast boolit.

[dromia]

BTW cast boolits will shoot as well as jacketed out to 600 yrds without any special casting or loading effort.

They will hold their own beyond that as well but require more involved alloying, casting, loading and QC procedures.

It is a lot easier, cheaper and more fun to get a boolit to fit the gun than to get a gun to fit the bullet

I was shooting on Sunday at 300 yrds and a new shooter, no guns or FAC yet, had a go with my 03 Springfield which was shooting cast at 1600 fps. He put all five shots into the five ring three of which were V bulls, rested from the trench. Recoil was mild and accuracy was first rate, he was over the moon and a convert after that he wasn't interested in the AI's, Steyrs, Sakos and all the other eye of a newt taccyblack F'n'TR rifles that were there for him to use.

He did the same with the 7mm Boer Mauser all five in the bull using cast and then moved onto the Martini Henry 577/450 PP'd cast boolit with all his shots holding the black at 300 yrds.

He had more fun and equal and better success with those 15 rounds than with all the 308's and .223's he'd shot before.

I reckon he still has the grin on his face.

Mind you after shooting like that we decided he couldn't come to our range days again. Having a good time is one thing but shooting better than the rest is just not on. :lol:

[Burner]

My Shooting mate Tommy and I have been using cast 150g round nose and spritzer bullets with great results.
Using 16-20g of 2400 in all the standard rifle calibers.
Almost no felt recoil and great accuracy.

[Alpha1]

I feel a casting session coming on.

I am tempted to have a go with the Steyr Its not likely I will ever get a range over 400 yards in my neck of the woods and 300 is more realistic.
I am using Lapua brass and 155g bullets with VN140 at the moment. I am probably wasting my money with this combo. If I can get the same accuracy with cast it may be worth a punt. (And it will be interesting finding out.)

Not sure I have any moulds for .308 I will have to have a rummage in my gun room.

[dromia]

I'm doing a teaching session on Tuesday morning, so the pots will be fired up if you fancy coming round for a bit play Dave.

[phaedra1106]

I was having similar thoughts, my outdoor shooting is limited to Ponteland range, usually 100 to 300yds so a cast boolit would certainly do the job.

For me the difference in cost would be negligible, the cast 115g with gas checks would cost me £120/1000. I'm currently getting 1/2MOA with Nosler Custom Competition 168s which over here (if you can get them) are around £300/1000, however, I brought back 2000 from the US at £137/1000 and still have about 1600 left so that will cover my outdoor shooting for at least the next year.


Adam, is the Tuesday session at the club?

[dromia]

No it is at the Pukka Bundhooks foundry, my garage.

[Alpha1]

I would love to join you Adam unfortunately I have a Graduate over from France that I have to mentor for the next two months. Definitely time I was thinking about retirement me thinks.