Cast in the .30 U.S. Carbine

[dahermit]

I use my home-cast, powder coated, gas-checked bullets to keep my .30 M1 Carbine fed.

Before anyone asks, no I have never had a problem with cast bullet debris plugging the gas port hole. If it did, I would unscrew the gas plug and clean the hole out with a small wire... no Biggy.


The .30 Carbine is a great fun-gun.

[USSR]

I have used regular lubed non-gas checked bullets in my carbine for years without a problem.

Don

[Mike / Tx]

This is something that is coming up soon form me. I rummaged through some old boxes my pop had stashed away years ago. Managed to find a couple of gallon milk jugs of Carbine brass that has now been cleaned, deprimed, sized, and trimmed. While I was at it, had a grandson run them through the Dillon pocket swager to uniform them all.

Hopefully around the end of February or so we'll start burning some powder.

[zplinker]

At one time I had a couple 760 Rem. rifles, in 35 Rem. Not being interested in them for hunting or anything, the boys and I started fooling around with 200 gr. cast bullets, and they worked out well. Then, boys being boys, they wanted to zip it along faster, so we ended up loading Sierra 110 gr. Blitz bullets, which chronographed at 2950. Very explosive on impact, to say the least, and were plenty accurate out to 50-75 yds.

[dahermit]

Originally Posted by zplinker

At one time I had a couple 760 Rem. rifles, in 35 Rem. Not being interested in them for hunting or anything, the boys and I started fooling around with 200 gr. cast bullets, and they worked out well. Then, boys being boys, they wanted to zip it along faster, so we ended up loading Sierra 110 gr. Blitz bullets, which chronographed at 2950. Very explosive on impact, to say the least, and were plenty accurate out to 50-75 yds.

All well and good, but it has naught to do with cast bullets in a .30 Carbine.

[Mike / Tx]

Well we polished and separated all our brass, poured checked and powder coated a few hundred or so bullets. Got everything ready to load and couldn't find the dad gum dies. Figured what the heck and picked up a set of Lee carbide off tha evil bay. So hopefully this coming week we might get some loaded..

[std7mag]

Thank You for that, Dahermit!

I picked up a new "paratrooper" M1 Carbine last year. ( before the Great Boating Accident )
I've been loading up Sierra 110gr softpoints.
But if i can find cast to run reliably through it, i will!

[mehavey]

I ran 30 carbine -- ALOX'd -- at full speed w/o any issues at all.
Haven't tried PC (yet ), but would expect similar success.

(I do always run GC'd, though, to protect the trailing edge as it
passes the gas port)

[Shadow9mm]

Good lookin bullets!

[44 AMP]

Is it just me, or does that loaded round look like ladies lipstick to anyone else here??

[rodfac]

yep

[Mike / Tx]

Well it's FINALLY time to test a few loads. I liked that red PC so well we did ours in the same color. I have 20rds of rn and hp to try in both the rifle and revolver, then load a big batch for each. I'll probably just shoot at 20 and 50yds and go from there.

[Unclenick]

Do they leave a red mark on the target's collar?

[Mike / Tx]

Oops

[Mike / Tx]

Do they leave a red mark on the target's collar?

That would be nice.

We did manage to shoot through the chronograph with both the rifle and the Blackhawk. I was a little disappointed with the velocities from the rifle, but quite pleased with the BH. No leading was noted from either which was hoped for. All loads were using AA-9 from 10 - 12grs. Bullets were the NOE 311-121-RN GC, the MP 314-640 GC HP, and some Berry's 110gr RN.

So now we go to production mode and will probably load up a 50 -100 round batch to get things sighted in etter with. Unfortunately the MP hollow points did not feed, but I think I have a nose punch that I can use to swage the opening with so they will feed. Definitely going to give it a try.

[mehavey]

We did manage to shoot through the chronograph with both the rifle and the Blackhawk.

I usually stop that after the 1st shot.





through = over (perchance?)

[Mike / Tx]

through = over (perchance)

Well yeah, thru the uprights not the box.

With the 123gr RN GC PC cast out of the Ruger BH we got from 1350 up to 1520fps, from the rifle same loads from 1690 to 1850fps.

With the 115gr HP GC PC out of the BH between 1420 up to 1590fps. ( just couldn't get these to function in the rifle ) They could have been single loaded but I wanted to check feed and ejection.

With the Berry 110gr RN we got 1950fps.

Nothing scientific or really averaged sine we were dealing with wing gust that kept blowing the chronograph around on the stand so we had a lot of readjustment between shots.

That said, I've already loaded up several hundred of each bullet to play with at a later date. The best part was no leading was noted with any of the cast PC'ed loads even up to the highest velocities.

[Shadow9mm]

are they gas checked? with powder coat over top? kind of looks that way based on the pic since I don't see a sprue cut. good looking bullets.

[chris in va]

Don't waste money on gas checks, you won't need them at those velocities with powdercoated.

[ms6852]

That is good looking lipstick, I have the same color on my 45/70

[dahermit]

Originally Posted by chris in va

Don't waste money on gas checks, you won't need them at those velocities with powdercoated.

I originally bought that gas check mold to use for my Ruger M77 7.62x39. So that .30 gas check bullet sees double duty (7x62x39 and .30 U.S. Carbine).

[mehavey]

I always use gas checks when the bullet's trailing edge has to pass by a gas port.

[Mike / Tx]

Don't waste money on gas checks, you won't need them at those velocities with powdercoated.

So here is my perspective on that. The alloy I am using is pretty ductile, and usually runs around a 10BHN. Granted I HAVE shot plenty of plain base bullets both with standard lube and PC'ed, most of those were from larger bored revolvers and rifles with a much softer kick in the pants to get started.

I used the GC's and PC'ed these due to running them through the rifle as I really didn't know what the loads were going to end up being, and really didn't want to be pulling it apart cleaning a bunch of gunk outta the gas port and such.

Turns out that the HP's wouldn't function properly in the rifle, but did fantastic outta the revolver. I'll possibly give no GC a try sometime in the future, but for now I have se real hundred already made up and ready to load. At the rate I've shot them over the past decade, I should be good till around 2050 or so.

[TBM900]

Originally Posted by dahermit

I use my home-cast, powder coated, gas-checked bullets to keep my .30 M1 Carbine fed.

Before anyone asks, no I have never had a problem with cast bullet debris plugging the gas port hole. If it did, I would unscrew the gas plug and clean the hole out with a small wire... no Biggy.


The .30 Carbine is a great fun-gun.

Have you looked for debris from the coating in the port and around the piston?
I have access to a supply of coated bullets and was wondering about the polymer coating getting into the gas system.