Thursday, May 11, 2017

Since cast bullets are a current subject,

this is where I got the load I use in 7.62x54r for general shooting.  Also for .308, .303, .30-06, 8mm.  Borrowing one part,
Because it is a mild load, soft scrap alloys usually give better accuracy than harder ones, such as linotype. Local military collector-shooters have standardized on 16 grains of #2400 as the "universal" prescription. It gives around 1500 f.p.s. with a 150-180 grain cast bullet in almost any military caliber. We use 16 grains of #2400 as our reference standard, just as high power competitors use 168 Sierra Match Kings and 4895.
The only common military rifle cartridge in which 16 grains of #2400 provides a maximum load, and which must not be exceeded, is in the tiny 7.63x39mm case. Most SKS rifles will function reliably with charges of #2400 as light as 14 grains with the Lee 312-155-2R at around 1500 f.p.s. I designed this bullet especially for the 7.62x39, but it works very well as a light bullet in any .30 or .303 caliber rifle. 

First rifle I tried this in was a 1903 Springfield, using this load under the 150-grain flat-nose bullet designed for .30-30; it's given 1" groups at 100 yards when I did my part.  I will note that, depending on rifle, the rear sight needs to be set somewhere around 450-550 yards to put it on a 100.

1 comment:

Glen Filthie said...

Stop it! You're breaking my heart! I can't cast lead bullets for love or money!

Or maybe it's my marksmanship that sucks.... :(