RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

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RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

Post by tnaz »

I think I would like to cast some bullets for my RG 30-30 and need a little help with a mold. Looking towards 170 grn without a gas check, but is a GC a big deal. WW quenched; when is there a problem with leading?

Thanks for the help,

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Re: RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

Post by Ranch Dog »

Another fellow on the forum just bought this 170-grain, round nose, plain base bullet mold on ebay: LEE Custom 6-Cavity Bullet Mold 311041. It seems to me that it would be a good choice of anything a 30-30 Win would want to do.

Reference the question about what to expect from the bullet, you probably would be good to go up through 25.0 KPSI but things are going to go south as it approaches 30.0 KPSI.
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Re: RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

Post by tnaz »

Yep, I looked at that one. how fast before leading becomes a problem? And is a gas check a big deal? I have not been at this to long.

Thanks RD
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Re: RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

Post by Ranch Dog »

tnaz wrote:Yep, I looked at that one. how fast before leading becomes a problem? And is a gas check a big deal? I have not been at this to long.

Thanks RD
In my frame of reference, it is related more to pressure than velocity but given the 30-30 Win... ahhh... 1700 FPS. It really depends on the powder you are going to use.

I personally don't mess with plain base bullets except for a few low pressure semi-autos. Gas checks eliminate the questions you are asking and lets them perform at jacketed bullet velocities (given the typical levergun pressure range).

My bolt guns; 300 Savage, 308 Win, and 35 Rem (in a Rem 600), run into issues at the 48.0 KPSI ~ 52.0 KPSI range or 2650 FPS depending on the alloy I used.
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Re: RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

Post by tnaz »

Ranch Dog wrote:
tnaz wrote:Yep, I looked at that one. how fast before leading becomes a problem? And is a gas check a big deal? I have not been at this to long.

Thanks RD
In my frame of reference, it is related more to pressure than velocity but given the 30-30 Win... ahhh... 1700 FPS. It really depends on the powder you are going to use.

I personally don't mess with plain base bullets except for a few low pressure semi-autos. Gas checks eliminate the questions you are asking and lets them perform at jacketed bullet velocities (given the typical levergun pressure range).

My bolt guns; 300 Savage, 308 Win, and 35 Rem (in a Rem 600), run into issues at the 48.0 KPSI ~ 52.0 KPSI range or 2650 FPS depending on the alloy I used.
But isn't pressure what produces speed/FPS? So if fps is more then pressure is also more? Up to its max? Or will one powder produce more fps/pressure than another; in powders used in this case? Is their a powder that produces more fps than pressure used in 30-30 reloading?
I don't know if I asked that right!!!
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Re: RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

Post by Ranch Dog »

tnaz wrote:But isn't pressure what produces speed/FPS? So if fps is more then pressure is also more? Up to its max? Or will one powder produce more fps/pressure than another; in powders used in this case? Is their a powder that produces more fps than pressure used in 30-30 reloading?
I don't know if I asked that right!!!
Velocity seems to be the belief, a given alloy fails at a given velocity, because that is the only way most shooters have of determining internal ballistics. I've been using pressure trace equipment with load development for 15 years now and I personally think, based on this experience that pressure has more to do with it that how fast it is going down the barrel.

There is a velocity that most alloys will fail but in order to achieve that velocity a pressure threshold cannot be breached or failure due to pressure will occur before pressure due to velocity will occur. Of course pressure/velocity curve is not linear and neither is a comparison of one powder's pressure/velocity curve to another.

Based on the above, here is where my experience has taught me that cast bullets fail.

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Re: RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

Post by Missionary »

Good morning
I have to agree with our founder Mike on the pressure issue.
Put a fast powder under a 50-50 cast bullet like Unique and that bullet in a 24 inch Rossi is going to start having accuracy problems about 1300 - 1350 fps. Change powder to 2400 and I can move that same cast bullet up to 1550 - 1550 fps before issues start .
So we have to ask... What really changed ? I can go faster with one powder (2400) because the pressure was not increased over the Unique but maintained that lower pressure for a longer time period.
Mike in Peru
Way down south in Arequipa, Peru till June 2020.
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Re: RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

Post by tnaz »

Thanks Mike and Mike for the lessons. Still not where I want to be with this but with what y'all stated Its coming around.
I slugged my barrels today but I could not get a really good reading on the inside or outside; depending on how you look at it. groove because mic face to wide and I do not have points. So I did what has been said not to do and used my calipers for small reading and mic for outside reading.

RG 30-30 .301 & .309

R92 357 .347 & .357

Thanks again for the info, maybe I'll get it soon.
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Re: RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

Post by Ranch Dog »

tnaz wrote:Thanks Mike and Mike for the lessons. Still not where I want to be with this but with what y'all stated Its coming around.
I slugged my barrels today but I could not get a really good reading on the inside or outside groove because mic face to wide and I do not have points. So I did what has been said not to do and used my calipers.

RG 30-30 .301 & .309

R92 357 .347 & .357

Thanks again for the info, maybe I'll get it soon.
I wouldn't sweat the bore diameter, just the groove and your mic or groove should be good for that. I think you would be happy with a .310~.311 bullet for the 30-30 Win and .358 for the 357 Mag.
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Re: RG 30-30 cast bullets and mold

Post by tnaz »

Ranch Dog wrote:
tnaz wrote:Thanks Mike and Mike for the lessons. Still not where I want to be with this but with what y'all stated Its coming around.
I slugged my barrels today but I could not get a really good reading on the inside or outside groove because mic face to wide and I do not have points. So I did what has been said not to do and used my calipers.

RG 30-30 .301 & .309

R92 357 .347 & .357

Thanks again for the info, maybe I'll get it soon.
I wouldn't sweat the bore diameter, just the groove and your mic or groove should be good for that. I think you would be happy with a .310~.311 bullet for the 30-30 Win and .358 for the 357 Mag.
Are you still selling molds?
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