[xtimberman]

Every time I price jacketed bullets for my hunting rifles, I almost faint at how high the prices have risen! Some folks cast bullets for their BPCRs, but never give a second thought to casting for their everyday hunting rifles. High cost of jacketed bullets is reason enough to shoot lead in them, but cast bullets can be very effective on game - and accurate, too. Besides, you will shoot your centerfire rifles more frequently and become more familiar and proficient with them.

Here are a few bullets that I've cast for several of my rifles: L-R Lyman 245496 85gr GC Loverin bullet for .243, Lyman 31141 175gr GC bullet for .30-30, Lyman 311284 225gr GC bullet for .30-40, and Lyman 338237 200gr plain base bullet for .33WCF.

Photo of the three rimmed cartridges loaded for leverguns: L-R .30-40/1895 Win, .33WCF/1886 Win, .30-30/1893 Marlin.

.243 Win and the very accurate Loverin bullet:

Anybody else cast bullets for their deer rifles?

xtm

 

[Guest]

xtm,

I don't cast for my Smokeless centerfires...but that .243 your showing is very interesting. Is it not a gas-checked bullet? I couldn't tell from the pic. Here in Maine, unless your Moose hunting, the .243 will do about anything you ask of it. It is my favorite all around cartridge and can be carried in a lightweight gun like the Rem Model 7. Great in the brush, light to carry, and deadly accurate. So I'm very interested in that casting...what can you add about it...

giz

 

[c pierce]

Xtm Are you reforming 45.70 brass for that .33 wcf.

 

[xtimberman]

That .243 bullet is the only one of those shown that I haven't shot any game with! :|

I can't find any of the targets that I shot with this bullet, so you'll have to take my word that it is accurate. I haven't tried any other cast bullet design in the .243. Yes, it has a little brass gas check on the bottom. The yellow Javelina NRA alox lube is the same color!

Guy Loverin is credited with this type of design - with the short nose and the long bearing surface with multiple grease grooves. Some are used with gas checks and some are not. If you look in the older Lyman/Ideal books, you see that they offered these moulds in nearly any caliber and in several weights. The design worked well because the short nose and long sides of the bullet centered well in the bore for top accuracy.

I had it in mind to use these bullets on varmints and prairie dogs, but my son took the rifle with him when he moved to Utah several years ago!

xtm

 

[Guest]

xtm,

What grabbed my attention was how similiar that is to a 500 grainer in a BPCR...perhaps not the ogival at the apex, but in the lube and driving bands...neat mold. I hate gas checks but that one could definitely change one's opinion

giz

 

[xtimberman]

c pierce,

Yes. Most of my .33 brass is formed from an old lot of R-P .45-70s. R-P brass in that batch of cases seems to be thinner in the neck and shoulder area than other brands and gives me fewer wrinkles and failures during the forming process.

I recently bought 100 new pieces of .33 Jamison brass, but I haven't had a chance to load any of them up yet.

Giz,

I'm not real fond of gas checks either - because of the recent exponential increase in prices! They can be hard to find, too! I can push some rifle bullets to the ~1800fps threshold without leading, but to shoot at the 1800-2000fps levels, I need one on the base. At the higher velocities, bullets often run out of lube, I get gas cutting, and my alloy can stand improvement. I'm experimenting with some of the newer hard lubes right now.

xtm

 

[toroflow]

FWIW, today I bought some 30-30 lead slugs from "Misery" (Missouri) Bullet Co. $25 for 250 165grain FPs. That's 10 cents a piece. No way I'm investing in melting/casting equipment at that price! Besides, my hourly rate is a tad too valuable to be breathing in lead fumes in search of the perfect pour!

Also got some of their 405 grain 45-70 slugs...$36 for 200...kinda pricey in my book, but since I was ordering 30-30 and 32-20 slugs, I figured why not.

Here's Misery's website if anyone is interested:
http://www.missouribullet.com/results.php?category=6

 

[LeMat]

Ken, that is awesome!

I can get them cheaper from them than I can from Rim Rock Bullets up here in Ronan! I used to get "seconds" from Montana Gold here in Kalispell, but you gotta buy 1,000 and it get's really expensive.

I may just start shooting lead in the 9mm's now.

 

[toroflow]

Hey LeMat, I get really nice cast 9mm lead slugs for 4 cents each ($20/500)!! I buy em 2500 at a time (or mix n match with other calibers) that fits in a US postal "flat rate" box for $11 shipping! Ping me offline if you want this "connection" !

 

[LeMat]

Good Lord! You're like the Clark Howard of the shooting world!

PM sent.

 

[toroflow]

Good Lord! You're like the Clark Howard of the shooting world!

PM sent.

Who is that?

 

[LeMat]

Good Lord! You're like the Clark Howard of the shooting world!

PM sent.

Who is that?

He's basically a money saving "guru" that I've been listening to on the radio for a few years. Guess he has a show on HLN now. Pretty smart guy.

http://clarkhoward.com/

 

[xtimberman]

Hey Toroflow,

I was wondering if you were shooting cast bullets in your "new" old Winchesters.

That .30 cal. Missouri bullet looks like it is a copy of the plain base Lyman/Ideal 311281. If it's cast of a good alloy, you should be able to push it to ~1600-1650fps in a rifle with a very good - fine bore. I'd start out at ~1500fps or so to see how it does.

I have a batch of casting gear and moulds, but I still buy bullets. I like to buy bullets that I shoot in high volume - such as for .30 Carbine, 9mm, and .45acp, but I save my casting sessions for bullets that are not offered commercially - and for bullets that require special alloys and special care.

xtm

 

[toroflow]

Hey Toroflow,

I was wondering if you were shooting cast bullets in your "new" old Winchesters.

That .30 cal. Missouri bullet looks like it is a copy of the plain base Lyman/Ideal 311281. If it's cast of a good alloy, you should be able to push it to ~1600-1650fps in a rifle with a very good - fine bore. I'd start out at ~1500fps or so to see how it does.

I have a batch of casting gear and moulds, but I still buy bullets. I like to buy bullets that I shoot in high volume - such as for .30 Carbine, 9mm, and .45acp, but I save my casting sessions for bullets that are not offered commercially - and for bullets that require special alloys and special care.

xtm

I don't shoot lead in my old Winchesters YET. Soon as those .30 cal bullets arrive from Missouri Bullet, I will be loading and shooting them. I won't be pushing them beyond 1500 fps or so though...no need. And BTW: I DO shoot lead in my Winchester & Marlin .444s, and use the same bullets meant for .44 special & mags (.429" 240 grain SWC).

 

[Quarter Cherokee]

I cast only two bullets for centerfire rifles, .45-70 and .348 WCF. Have you seen the price of jacketed bullets lately? Holy Moses! Yeah, I shoot cast bullets for that reason. I just recently ordered two - that's all I could afford - boxes of .348 WCF, 200 gr. Silver-tip. :shock: Well, they ain't gettin' shot up for practice anytime soon, if ever. I'm saving that stuff for posterity.