Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting Evolution and lead

I started back in '70 with the hand loading drill and slowly began a segway into BP and lead in the mid '80s. It began to grow more focused around 2010 and now I have all manner of distractions with oddball rifles, casting, Lord Black etc. Having gone full retro, my most enjoyable rifle and one remarkably precise offhand is a .45 flinter. Nonetheless, the ones that educate me are the old cartridge guns and slug guns.

I did something as a result yesterday that amuses me vastly. Having just disposed of a nice old Savage 24 in .30-30/20 bore that shot its last group for me at just over 3/4" @50 with leaf sights, I have graduated from the test bed mode for developing cast bullet loads for smokeless guns.

Therefore, I loaded some ammo for the M94 yesterday that is, as far as I can discern, match perfect. Flawless to the eye, the caliper, neck tension, run out (.000"). It was easy and that's the scary part.

BP cartridge shooting is a subtle but apparently successful teacher.

Now I need a match quality rifle chambered for .30-30?

Dan

Get a hold of Dakota Arms. Ask about the Miller.

You can make all sizes and shaped bullets for that thunder gun.


30-30 may be too much power.

Can't help much for your match quality rifle but I understand the desire for a precision platform exploiting high quality cast ammo..Maybe a custom MGM 30/30 Encore barrel with your choice of twist from 1-8,1-10 & 1-12 might just be the cat's arse.

I recently purchased a hard to find 24" SS 45/70 barrel for my Pro Hunter, with BP assist launches home brew 435 gr cast and prints bug holes at 100. Vel was 1232 and five shot deviation was a mere 15 fps.It doesn't get much better than this...

Woody, I went down to the dark side awhile back with some success. Platform is wrong on many levels but it is the schizzle for close in work on hogs. Current loads are fueled by SR4759, bullet is a Brooks custom of 183.5 grains cast of 30:1 alloy. They do 1/2 MOA at 50 with a pizzy little Millett red dot, spreads in the pick about the norm. Current MV is 1050 fps. -phfffft-whop-flop-







Had used the M24 mostly as an educational platform for learning about some of the minutiae related to casting and such, pretty much wore it out for those purposes and sent it to a thankful home. The Sneezer was last year's project which, with the help of some thoughtful folks turned out well.

But....the world of BPCR sets a higher standard for reloading technique. One collects the "stuff" and ponders along the way about all the [bleep] details. Then one day a fella looks at a somewhat ignored first CF rifle for deer hunting and says to his own self, "What you got bish?" Waitin' for the boom on that one, just to see. I anticipate running the 180ish grain 311041 up to around 2250 fps out of the Trapper, we'll see how that goes. I cast them at 12 BHN w/GC, weight consistent within .2 grains. I fugged around culling the loads I just made for giggles, the spread is zero on weight.

Point was that after doing all this stuff it was plain stupid how easy it was to load brass bottle neck cases that are, as far as I can tell, match grade quality. Even a caveman can do it.

Now if I can just figure out how to get those 40 something years back...

-snork-

Don't know about match quality, but I have an old Savage 340 chambered in .30-30 that shoots much better than it should. Nephews have used it over the years to drop a number of does and small bucks with mild loads and Nosler 125 BT's.

Since watching the evolution of the .30 Sneezer I have been playing with the idea of having the barrel threaded and spinning a can on it. I think a Meister 165 hard cast sub sonic might be fun.

Any pitfalls to avoid?

It just might, but you won't benefit from hard cast. Let me know when you take the leap, I'll toss you some Sneezer bullets....dry wax lubed/sized/blessed by Father Vinny. They are 3 for 3 in different guns at subsonic velocity....out of the park over the CF wall.

That's why I suggested the encore barrel knowing your "Snezzer" showcases the ability of high quality cast to match or even exceed jacketed performance.

I'm hung up on the 45's having all but the big 120 [ with no desire for that punishment] . Just can't beat a good well balanced BP cast bullet combo IMO.

Almost forgot, one of the reasons I disposed of the M24...needed room in the box. Got a Highwall .45-70 headed this way. Just cast up some Hindenbergs for that one. Full box of those things will hurt your toes if you drop it I'll betcha.

512 grains is a lot of damn lead, but it will be throated for 540 gr LR bullets of the prolate nose form sorta mebbe.

Got some pesky armadillos around the house that I have trouble getting close to some days.

I get it now. It's a first gen Contender frame, no Encore tubes for it. The muffled pipe came from Bullberry, they do some remarkable work IMO.

Many thanks!

Roger that on the contender frame...my next endeavor is to get the Gould HP to the 10 ring. So far it's marginal in 45/90 attire but now downsizing to little brother for a go.

Sir, you are entirely too organized!

Nice looking convertible ashtrays you got there!

There was a time when I loaded Hornady 148 grain HBWC upside down for my Smith 2"...100% effective in decapitating large toothy fish when I wanted my hooks back. And you could eat right up to the hole. They could almost double as a shot glass as well, something critically important down in the Keys on a first fishing date.

The A Farce gave me a merit badge for anal retention.