How about .309 lead 220 grain bullets in 30-06 at 1,500 fps or so?

B

briandg

New member
Lord, it is so hard to find information among all of the trash!

I own a 1903-a3 Springfield two groove, dated 1945, probably never issued. It has given me acceptable accuracy with everything so Far. I've always liked shooting mid power loads, and I've fired a lot of lead rounds. It looks as if the bar re will have a rate of 1-10. It appears that a 220 grain bullet with 1,800 fps will work. I am thinking about using 220 grain flat point lead coated from Missouri bullet.

Does anyone have any comments?
 
Might have done better to start a new thread than bury a cast bullet question at the bottom of a loading die construction discussion.

Any road, you ought to be ok.
The .30-40 Krag was designed, with 10 twist, to shoot a 220 grain roundnose at 2000 fps. I have no worry about stability. You will just have to try and see if a .309" coated is large enough. Cast bullets usually do better if a little more oversize, but the coating might make the difference.

I see a 215 gr .309" on Missouri Bullets but not a 220.
 
Should be no problem 1500 to 1800 with a 220 lead bullet. You probably have the Lyman 49th that shows several loads with a 210 lead bullet that should meet or exceed. Coated bullets do not seem to be available with gas checks if that makes any difference. For the '06 I've only used 180 gas checked bullets sized to .210 and with a max load of Trail Boss, velocity unknown (no chrono). Those work out well where 150s not so much so.
 
I have done many.

This was before coated, so I used gas checks and shot a LOT of 180 Gr lead from a 1917 Enfield in '06. No problems once the bullet fits the bore correctly.
13 grains Red Dot is a good place to start. This should get you around 1500 to 1800 fps. Sometimes accuracy can be better with Unique or 2400. If you want to pick up the pace, SR4759 is a great reduced rifle powder. It looks like little doughnuts to make them burn properly.

I also shoot coated bullets out of my Bolt 308. I have great success shooting silly wets. Cleaning the 10 pigs is pretty easy.

David
 
I think you will find (I have) that using cast bullets, .311 would be more accurate then .309.

I've had a lot of keyholes in my 30 cal rifles using < .311 bullets.

But the best way to tell is to try both sizes, all barrels are different.
 
Slug your bore.

Then you will know what size it is, probably .308, so usually a ,309 will work fine.

David
 
+1 on what kraigwy said. With that, and given your very mild loading, I would suggest that you error on the side of too big, than too small. Too big can be made to shoot accurately, but too small never will.

Personally, I never use anything smaller than .310", but I'm not loading for an oldie 30-06 and I never bother with gas checks.
 
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