The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Cast bullets in .30-30

dahermit · February 27, 2013, 02:25 PM

If you are after top accuracy, the bullet nose must ride the bore. Some .30 cal. cast bullets will be too small to ride the bore, others will be too tight. The nose portion that rides the bore ("two diameter bullets"), should enter the bore from the muzzle when pushed. If it falls right in, the bullet nose is too small. Before you by a lot of bullets, try to get samples of the designs so you can do the press into the muzzle test. Otherwise, you may end up with a 500 round box of bullets that do not work in your 30-30. My Saeco 301 196 grain as an example, fit my Ruger 1b 30-06perfectly but was way too small in the nose for my Winchester M52 in 30-30.
Also, if you do not cast your own, they will not have an "index mark" (Index mark = a very small notch filed in one side of the mold blocks that produces a slight projection by which to index the finished bullets...so small that you can scrape it off with your finger nail), from which to orient the bullets the same way for each shot. Indexing is one of the top factors in rifle cast lead bullet accuracy.

February 27, 2013, 02:25 PM	#18
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	If you are after top accuracy, the bullet nose must ride the bore. Some .30 cal. cast bullets will be too small to ride the bore, others will be too tight. The nose portion that rides the bore ("two diameter bullets"), should enter the bore from the muzzle when pushed. If it falls right in, the bullet nose is too small. Before you by a lot of bullets, try to get samples of the designs so you can do the press into the muzzle test. Otherwise, you may end up with a 500 round box of bullets that do not work in your 30-30. My Saeco 301 196 grain as an example, fit my Ruger 1b 30-06perfectly but was way too small in the nose for my Winchester M52 in 30-30. Also, if you do not cast your own, they will not have an "index mark" (Index mark = a very small notch filed in one side of the mold blocks that produces a slight projection by which to index the finished bullets...so small that you can scrape it off with your finger nail), from which to orient the bullets the same way for each shot. Indexing is one of the top factors in rifle cast lead bullet accuracy.