308 cast loads

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  • Last Post 20 December 2018
tony1960 posted this 19 December 2018

One for the brains trust. Has anyone played with 150-180gn loads using WST, I would think somewhere around the 11-12gn load would be a start up load. Posting for an ex shotgunner friend who coincidently has a bucket load of WST. I'm leaning towards R7 or AR2207 (ADI). Any loads that will group at 100yds would be appreciated.

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Scearcy posted this 19 December 2018

You will find there are dozens of useful cast bullet loads for the 308. Personally I have used 4759, 4198, 4227, 4895, Varget, and Rx7 that I can think of. I am sure there were more powders I can't remember. Any of the Lyman manuals and the Lee manual (I believe) have many loads for the 308. The Fouling Shot has dozens of 308 loads shown in the match results. You can be sure they mostly will group well.

Pick a load that puts you in the 1600 fps to 1800 fps range. If you do not have a mold already there are a couple of midweight Lee bullets for which the molds are very inexpensive. Stay with a softer alloy initially and fire away.

With a sound rifle 2" groups should be very easy to get. Depending on you and your rifle you can get under an inch but you are not a failure if you don't get to that level of accuracy.

Jim

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joeb33050 posted this 19 December 2018

 

THE BEGINNER'S RECIPE FOR CAST BULLET RIFLE ACCURACY
 

 

Shooting cast bullet five-shot five-group 100-yard averages between 1.5" and 2" is easy. This isn't the best or the only or the least expensive recipe; it is a recipe that will produce groups < 2” if ANY recipe will. 
            The shooter must have one or more reloading manuals, the equipment needed and a modest amount of experience.
            Notebook: Maybe the most important item

 

Rifle: Any recently manufactured Winchester, Remington, Savage or other rifle in 308 Win.  (I'm partial to Savages; other rifles will work.)
Sight: Any good Adjustable Objective scope starting at 3-9 X set at 9X. Midway sells a Simmons Whitetail Classic 6.5-20 X scope for ~$110 that is about 90% as good as the best scope made.

 

Rest: Any stable home made or bought rest and sand bags.

 

Brass: 100 new commercial cases

 

Bullet: Lyman 314299, 311299, 311284 or 311041

 

Alloy: Any, soft to hard, that will cast good bullets

 

Lube: Any commercial or homemade lube

 

Primer: Any name brand Large Rifle 
Powders: IMR 4227, 14 to 23 grains, or A#9, 12 to 15 grains. Many other powders will work.

 


Full length size and trim the cases to length, chamfer the case mouths in and

 

out, bell the case mouths with a Lyman “M” die.
            Inspect the cast bullets for obvious defects, re-cycle the defectives, put on gas checks, size to diameter between .312" and .309" and lubricate.

 

Find the maximum overall length for the cartridge.
Prime the case, throw the powder charge, inspect the powder level and seat the bullets.
Fire the cartridges
Measure the groups

 

WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN!
Vary the powder charge, bullet diameter, seating depth and? to improve accuracy.

 

 

 

Notes:

 

If good jacketed bullets, shot at cast bullet velocities, with the powder and charges listed above, will not shoot group averages ~ 1”; then the barrel will probably not shoot cast bullets accurately.

 

 

 

Some barrels are not accurate. If, after several tries, the rifle will not reliably shoot <3” cast bullet groups nine out of ten times, the barrel is probably not accurate.

 

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tony1960 posted this 20 December 2018

Thanks guys, I may try to talk him into giving me the WST and I'll buy him some Rx7 or 4227. Wouldn't mind giving some Trail Boss a go, I have a small quantity here somewhere. As long as they'll make 200yds and knock things dead.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 20 December 2018

hi ... i attach a burn rate chart url for general interest. 

HOWEVER be aware that burn rates are not the whole story, and are not as linear as we would guess.

https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/burn-rate-color.pdf

it is yet another reloading mystery why some guns like some powders and another similar one likes another powder .... for optimum results.   optimum .

as a dedicated plinker for the last 20 years i have developed a trick to make use of various ( cheep ) powders i find at estate sales or my own over-buys ...::  i settle for 3 moa and better groups .... heh ... sometimes i have to move the bean cans way up to 25 yards !! .... btw, 3 moa and better ain't always real easy !! ...  almost always bullet fit is too loose ...

**********

with a new powder i load about 3 and try them out before going for a box full ...  with light plinker loads make sure the bullet isn't stuck in the barrel ....  with heavy plinker loads, ... well, don't load heavy loads with fast powders  ( g ) ...  they go from great medium loads to way too much in about one grain ...  

i would try to develop some loads with that WST ... which reminds me that after i develop a decent plinker load with a set of components, i shoot a few and then move on to something new, maybe another gun ....   ....   kinda hard to explain to rational people, but i have found out i am not alone ( g ) ...

ken

 

 

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