Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting 30-06 cast bullet

Well, every path has some turns. I don’t recall ever trying 4759 in a Hornet. 4227, 2400 and Li’l Gun mostly. Good luck regardless. I’m fairly sure you will figure it out. What alloy were you using?

Quality stuff from MBW

COWW's + a pinch of tin. BHN 12. 1-25 or 1-30 next time, plus lower velocity.

Was using 50/50 wheel weights and Lino on a case forming exercise in a Hornet years ago, same mound. Don’t recall how it shot but they were full power loads. No leading, hit the paper generally where I wanted.

Your approach might be the trick.

I ordered some Lyman 311041, 173gr, FN-GC from Montana bullet works. They are sized .310 like you all suggested. Hopefully they ship soon.

I looked at those but they were sold out.

I got the bullets yesterday they look great now time to find a decent load for this bang and clang

3gr of Red Dot and the coated 225415 is my K Hornet's jam.

Thanks, Dinny

Shot them today, with 20.0gr 20.5 and 21.0 of 2400. 20.0gr produced a pattern lol, 20.5 was a little Better. 21.0 was a tad better. I was using WLR primers. Do you all have any powder recommendations?

79S, based on your charges, I'm thinking that was for the .30-06? If the groups were that bad, first thing I'd look at is the size relative to the bore. Barring that, I've had very good luck with 5744 and IMR 4198 in .30-06. Used to have a match load for my Springfield that used 5744 and the RCBS 180 gr. FN sized to .310. Shot better than I could, and was 1 MOA capable. will look it up if you are interested.

Old70

If you could that be great. Yes this is for an 06 and The bullets I got are sized .310, was reading an article last night and they talked about using 5744..

Try 24.5 gr. of 5744 or 26.0 gr. of IMR 4198. I used Rem 9 1/2 primers.

Velocity may be a little over 1600, but you’ll be close

Old70

What diameter are the bullets, and what diameter is your throat?

I won't comment on the powder charges other than to say they sound right in the ball park. The Lyman manual quotes a max of 27 grains 2400 with that bullet (2140fps), so it would seem you could ramp up the charges some more since you seem to be experiencing a trend toward better accuracy with each higher step in velocity.

My powder of choice for this work is 4759, but that's moot because it is no longer in production.

Bullet diameter is .310 far as throat I’m assuming you mean my oal? I got my data from Lyman at one time 20.0 of 2400 was their accuracy powder. But I will say this I cannot seat To the recommended OAL of 2.968.

How well does that .310 bullet fit inside fired brass from that chamber? That will help you determine the best diameter for the throat. In my experience the throat is what matters most. If they don't fit the throat at a usual cartridge length then that throws off all powder charge recommendations and could be why accuracy is a foul.

Thanks, Dinny

That short stretch of "no man's land" between the mouth of the chamber and the beginning of the rifling is the throat. It can vary in length and diameter depending on the manufacturer.

The leade comes into play here also. Leade is the "butt end" of the rifling lands. It can be sharp and abrupt or slightly tapered for a short (or long) distance until full height of the lands is reached. (I have a special .30 throat reamer that creates a leade with a 1 1/2 degree included angle taper. It is an accuracy enhancer, but the downside is that it then demands that cast bullets be seated a lot further out. Sometimes you just can't have your cake and eat it too.)

A cast bullet must be started straight into the rifling if best accuracy is the goal. How well the bullet fits the throat is key to that, and the leade can (should) help guide the bullet in also. Guys who are anal about cast bullet accuracy pay strict attention to all that and often go so far as to select the bullet size and shape that best fits the configuration of their throat/leade, and seat it accordingly so that it's guided straight and true with a minimum of distortion. Other guys reconfigure their throat/leade configuration to accomodate a specific bullet. Cast bullets are soft fragile little beasties that don't cotton to the kind of abuse that jacketed ones can shrug off as they start their long journey down the tube.

I suspect you're loading to magazine-compatible overall length? That may or may not be optimal. In fact it probably isn't. Seat it out until the nose is engraved by the leade, even if perchance it's only sticking inside the case neck by its toenails and try that. If rapid fire from the magazine is your goal, or a magazine full in reserve for hunting is of the essence, then you likely will have to make a compromise in your accuracy goals. Or maybe not. That's why you have to systematically eliminate all these variables to find out.

A well fitted bullet will shoot pretty well across a relatively wide range of velocities, but like any other load/rifle combo there'll be a sweet spot. An old gnarled cast bullet veteran will find that sweet spot pretty quickly, but only because he put on his thinking cap and analyzed his equipment's requirements before he casts the first bullet and seats it in a case.

This is the beauty of the cast bullet hobby. It can be approached on many levels, but all approaches must be thought about. It requires a little more participation of the shooter's brain. It can be richly rewarding or supremely frustrating- whichever one chooses to make it.

I’m loading into the lands no jump like some recommended. I checked them for runout and it was non existent. I’m opening the case mouth as recommended so not shave the bullet.. I’m going to track down 4198 or 5744 and try it I just need 2moa lol. This bang and clang is something to help me shooting off hand for service rifle matches

I got some 5744 as recommended headed to the range to test them and get velocity. I’m trying 24.5gr and 25.0

Also thank you for all the info you been providing.

Looks like 24.5gr of 5744, cci 200, bullet seated at 2.945 is the winner. With an avg velocity of 1980. Thanks again for the help and suggestions!