The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

As above, what happens if I just load up some lead .303 projectiles and put them through my Metford? I'm not sufficiently advanced enough to do molds yet but I want to put lead through my rifle instead of FMJ.

Also, is it just old rifles that need a mold, or anything that you shoot lead with?

Slightly related but different, what are gas checks and when do you need them?

Background : I want to shoot lead through my Martini Metford (303), my LR9 (9mm) and possible a Martini Henry in the future

Thanks

Charlotte.

You don't need a chamber cast to get shooting in lead but slugging your bore, driving a lubricated soft lead .375" BP ball through your bore is a good idea to get the groove diameter so that you can select a boolit of 1-2 thou diameter greater than the groove size.

The reason for this is that if the boolit is under groove size and gas passes the boolit in the bore then there is the good chance of leading and inaccuracy.

Condom bullets are usually under groove size but gas passing the harder copper jacket doesn't have the same effect as on lead.

Lead boolits being softer than condom bullets are more likely to deformation during the travel into the rifling so getting good boolit fit with it supported and centred in the throat greatly aids accuracy by reducing the risk of boolit deformation. That is why a chamber cast is recommended however a good boolit that has driving bands just over groove diameter should get you shooting.

Gas checks are used for higher velocity cast boolit rounds not for checking gas as good boolit fit and obturation does that but to act as a gear in the ratchet of the rifling and stop the soft lead bullet stripping the rifling as it enters the barrel, this will allow gas cutting and thus leading as well as deforming the boolit and degrading accuracy.

For out to 600 yrds a good boolit, heavy for the calibre to help with the start pressure, say 200 gn plus in the Metford driven to a maximum of 1800 fps should work as good as jacketed with just and softish BHN 12 lead. With a little work getting good boolit fit and an appropriate powder, usually slower than the same jacketed round it should cut the group size easily.

Cast boolits are for all rifles not just old ones, for instance if I was to get a bespoke F class type rifle made i would have it chambered for a good lead round and would not feel disadvantaged. For $150 or there about's I could have a bespoke mould cut to my design and dimensions and in making my own boolits I can exercise extreme QC to ensure that I was putting nothing but consistent rounds down the barrel. With lead it is a lot easier to get a boolit for you rifle rather than what condom shooters do get a rifle made to fit the available jacketed boolits.

BTW my Metford shoots 0.315" diameter boolits of a Lyman 314299 bore riding design. The bore riding section of the boolit I have dropping from a 0.316" mould is too big for the bore but fits the wear on the throat nicely. I know this from a chamber cast and the target.

Thanks for the info. Still a lot to learn.

Charlotte - I hope you don't mind me adding a few questions, as I've been thinking along the same lines...

What sort of powder load do you use for a 200 gn .303 boolit, intended for about 1600 fps?

Do you need filler?

If so, what's the deal with filler?

What velocity is good for 200 yrds?

And, is a .303 converted Martini Henry a good rifle for cast boolits?

I know there's some detailed text in the library, but I be grateful for a 'starter' answer...

Vihtavuori N120 is my powder of choice for cast boolit shooting from 100 out to 600yrds.

Starting at around 19-20 gns for a velocity of around 1500 fps up to 26 gns for a velocity of around 1800 fps will get you out to 600 easily.

Alliant 2400 is also another good powder as is Ramshot Enforcer, IMR 4227 and Vectan Tubal 2000 all work well in my experience being in the similar burning rate zone, each powder has its own weight range. Use good published data, Harris is an excellent starting point.

Filler is not necessary with these powders, I tend to steer away from powders and loads that require fillers, I'm a simple soul and like to keep things that way. None of these powder seem to be very position sensitive Enforcer and 2400 seem to be the best in this respect, a consistent loading regime deals with any position issues anyway if you feel it is having an effect on groups

"is a .303 converted Martini Henry a good rifle for cast boolits?"

Is the pope a catholic?

I have a preference for single shot rifles and cartridges that head space on the rim

Dougan,

If you read up on the old metfords, the rifling wears out very quickly when used with modern FMJ nitro loads. I don't think that the Enfields are similarly afflicted but this stuff it Victorian so it deserves gentle handling.

I am a sinner though and have been using PPU in mine

I wouldn't be too worried about wearing out Metford or any other rifling with modern loads unless you are going to be shooting hundreds a year.

Metford rifling was developed for BP loads however when the first newfangled smokeless came in it burned very hot especially the British cordite ammunition and this caused rapid throat wear, the robust Enfield rifling was introduced to give longer life.

Modern single base powders run a lot cooler and even if handloading jacketed boolits it is unlikely to be at top stoke loads so not so much of an issue nowadays. This where some of the confusion of copper bullets wearing out barrels quicker than lead comes from, this more a function of lead usually being shot a lower velocities than jacketed so less pressure and heat rather than the bullet material on its own.

I have always found if shooting jacketed bullets in Metford rifled barrels that plain based bullets work far better than boat tail.

Thanks for the info Adam - So it's the same, in a way, as the indoor loads; in that you use a fast burning powder rather than worrying about case volume...

...Although I'm fairly new to reloading I don't think cast boolits sound too difficult...but will be asking some more detailed questions when I actually get round to it.

The reason I asked about the Martini was that I did some searches on t'internet and found some quite negative opinions about some .303 conversions...mainly about them not being up to regular modern use (though they were talking about factory rounds being used) - I'm glad you've dispelled this, as I've always fancied one - using cast boolets would be a good way of taking care of it, and something new and interesting to try.