Cast .312 bullets |
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Travis
Groupie Joined: November 05 2019 Location: Burien, WA Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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Posted: February 28 2020 at 5:42pm |
I have 2 SMLEs that I load with .312 jacketed spire point bullets. I thought I'd try to cast some bullets for them for target shooting. I cast up a couple dozen of the Lee .312 bullets but was surprised of the micrometer measurements of the bullets. I'm wondering how they will shoot. The rib view that iis cut off measures .314. I would have guessed that the body of the bullet would have been closer to ..312. Any one else use these bullets?
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Travis98146
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britrifles
Senior Member Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 6539 |
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The photo of your sketch doesn’t show the diameter of the driving bands. Ideally, they would be groove diameter, .314 for a nominal sized barrel. The remainder of the bullet forward of the driving bands are usually just over bore diameter.
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Shamu
Admin Group Logo Designer / Donating Member Joined: April 25 2007 Location: MD, USA. Status: Offline Points: 17603 |
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I'm reading that as the measurement on the right of the sketch (0.3100)? |
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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Travis
Groupie Joined: November 05 2019 Location: Burien, WA Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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That number .31 was cut off my the printer. It measures .314. A .30 caliber gas check fits snugly on the .285.
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Travis98146
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britrifles
Senior Member Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 6539 |
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Give it a go and let us know how it shoots.
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Travis
Groupie Joined: November 05 2019 Location: Burien, WA Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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I have 20 bullets cast with gas checks. I'll get them lubed with carnuba blue and loaded with a "light' hunting load of 43 grains of BLC-(2). I usually use 46 grains for my hunting loads.
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Travis98146
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britrifles
Senior Member Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 6539 |
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Will that push the bullet too fast? What alloy are you casting the bullets from?
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Travis
Groupie Joined: November 05 2019 Location: Burien, WA Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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I went ahead and put together 10 rounds with these cast bullets. I used 44 grains of H4831 as that should give me a muzzle velocity of about 2200 fps. This was the minimum loading from the Lee manual. All the bullets fit the resized cases without being sized (the bullets). Now to get some decent weather to try out the loads on the outdoor range.
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Travis98146
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Pukka Bundook
Senior Member Joined: February 02 2015 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1369 |
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Travis,
I think with cast you need to drop back to 18-1900 FPS and no faster. You'll lead-up your barrel with those loads. Gas-checks will not help if too fast. Blue dot works very well for the above speeds.
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303 Hunter
Senior Member Joined: December 14 2019 Location: Alberta, Canada Status: Offline Points: 316 |
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What's the weight of those bullets?
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The Lee Enfield is to the Canadian north what the Winchester repeater was to the American west. Cal Bablitz
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Travis
Groupie Joined: November 05 2019 Location: Burien, WA Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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303hunter, they weigh out at 155 grains without the gas check.
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Travis98146
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Travis
Groupie Joined: November 05 2019 Location: Burien, WA Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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Well, so much for best laid plans. With this virus issue my gun range is shut down for the duration. As soon as it's up and running I'll take these loads out for testing. I'm open for suggestions as to a possible "low velocity" load for 155 grain cast bullets.
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Travis98146
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robj
Newbie Joined: November 23 2016 Location: Alberta Status: Offline Points: 1 |
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have a look at an article by C.E Harris "Cast bullet loads for Military Rifles"
16 grains of 2400 is the suggested starting point. It does require sight adjustments - setting to 600 for 100yd targets for example. |
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Travis
Groupie Joined: November 05 2019 Location: Burien, WA Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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I guess it's finally happened. My local gun range is now open. Since the weather has been improving (no rain, or at least limited rain), I can make it out and see what a couple of those new rounds do. I'll try to run 3 or 4 rounds through each of my Enfields.
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Travis98146
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