Cast Bullets in .308

[winman]

I have some 172 grain cast bullets I would like to use in my .308, but think I remember reading that the base of a cast bullet should not be seated below the bottom of the neck. If I seat these deep enough for the cartridge to work through the action they will extend well into the body of the case. Would this cause a problem?  Thank you.       

[Graybeard]

I personally would not want to seat them below the neck. I think it increases the liklihood of the gas check coming off at firing and if you get the lube below the neck it might melt and mix with the powder if the round gets hot enough to melt it and might mix with it anyway if the powder touches it.

That is not to say it can't be done just that in my opinion it's not a desireable thing to have the bullet base below the bottom of case neck. I'd seat them long and single feed them.

[winman]

Thanks Graybeard, I'll do just that.

[dakotashooter2]

Kind of puts those of us who want to use a heavy RN or FP cast bullet in a hard spot unless the gun has a very generous throat. I've tried 3-165 gr and up bullets and there is no way I can seat them without going below the neck.

[quickdtoo]

You can always ream the throat. 

Tim

http://www.4-dproducts.com/display.php?group=Throaters&PHPSESSID=875bac993c6317eca275b35bd5dbdfd1

[jhalcott]

  they discussed this on Cast Boolits a while back. Some times they said they wouldn't do it .other times they said it was NOT a problem IF the gas check was crimped on. I haven't had any problems when I've done it ,but I only use crimp on checks.
 http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=30906&highlight=gas+checks+powder

[Larry Gibson]

The Hornady GC and the new Lyman GCs are crimp on and losing one as described is no longer a problem. The problem with seating cast bullets below the necks are; the lube contaminating the powder, the bullet (if a soft alloy is used) base riviting and creating a not square bullet base and gas cutting of the bullet base causing leading in the throat.  If a cast bullet of BHN 15-18 or harder is used riviting does not seem to be a problem.  The use of a dacron filler over the powder has allieviated the other two problems for me.  I regularly use 311041 and 311291 in a couple .308s. The bullet bases are seated below the case necks.

Larry Gibson

[Lead Head]

I have solved the problem by purchasing a luber sizer custom die from Bufflo Arms sized at .300". Then I use my sizer luber with a top punch that fits the gas checked base of the bullet well and run the bullet upside down into the .300" diameter die far enough sizing the nose and or upper driving bands so when the base of the gas check is at the base of the case neck and the round will chamber with a slight crush. Not enough to deep seat the bullet or cause the bullet to be pulled if round is extracted.

This process works great in all my rifles. I use the same process for nearly a dozen different rifle calibers.

[calvon]

With all due respect, riveting because the bullet protrudes into the powder space doesn't happen. Gas pressure on the base of the bullet is exactly offset by the pressure on the exposed sides of the bullet and thus no riveting occurs. Bullet hardness is not a factor.

Powder contamination by exposed lube, however, would be a factor.

[Dezynco]

I've never noticed any performance degradation by having the bullet base seated below the neck.  I figure that some of the powder will stick to the exposed lube, but not enough to worry about.  The contaminated powder will probably still burn because the unexposed powder will burn hot enough to light it off as well.  Once the exposed lube is coated with powder, it is effectively sealed away from the rest of the powder in the case.

Sorta like putting flour over bisquit dough to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin......

I do however seat my bullets out as far as possible in my single shot rifles and pistols, mostly for accuracy, but not for any concern about the exposure to bullet lube.

[WayneS]

You can always ream the throat. 

Tim

http://www.4-dproducts.com/display.php?group=Throaters&PHPSESSID=875bac993c6317eca275b35bd5dbdfd1

Thanks for the link, I need to contact them and see if lengthing the lead can be done by hand or is a lathe required

[quickdtoo]

I'm sure a lathe is the better choice, but I've done it by hand on three 45-70s and a 35 Remington, all H&R single shots, see the link on it in the H&R FAQs and Help sticky, they all shoot excellent, it also makes a nice tapered leade into the rifling. 

Tim

[Lloyd Smale]

I wont seat a cast bullet so deep that the lube is in with the powder. Ive had squibs doing it especially in warm weather. Ill give you a bit of advice. If your not going to hunt with the cast bullets and just want them to plink look for a 130 grain 312 mold designed for the 762x39. there usually alot shorter in the body with a long nose. the reason i say not to hunt with them is everyone ive found is a pointed bullet and a cast pointed bullet is not ideal for big game. Nice thing to is there a bit bigger so you can experiment with differnt sizing dies. Another neat way to shoot your 308 is with bullets designed for the 3220 and 32mag. there you can find alot of molds that have good flat points but there a bit light on weight as most are 120 grain designs. I fooled with shooting 32 mag 115 rfgc lbts that were sized to 310 and lubed conventionaly and also tumble lubed. I cast them out of 5050 ww/lyno and was pushing them to 2500 fps in a 3030. A 308 could easily do this. Now i never shot a deer with them but i wouldnt hesitate to do it. Ill tell you one thing they sure put a slap on rocks at a 100 yards!

[WayneS]

I'm sure a lathe is the better choice, but I've done it by hand on three 45-70s and a 35 Remington, all H&R single shots, see the link on it in the H&R FAQs and Help sticky, they all shoot excellent, it also makes a nice tapered leade into the rifling. 

Tim

Nice taper indeed, this is a 10" T/C  32 H&R barrel, I half ass sluged the throat and it's .3125-.313 and tapers down to a .308 bore., Diffently need to make a chamber cast to see what I'm dealing with.