Guns & Outdoors Forum

Bigslug wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2026 3:48 am

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2026 2:03 am /:laughsinpowdercoat:\

Maybe slightly more likely for me than getting Zee to cast, but only slightly. Certainly not for a tight tolerance bore riding nose at any rate. We may talk again when running them through a can becomes a real possibility.

And now I'm trying to shake the image of CPJ in front of an Easy Bake oven. . .

Look at his profile and it's easy to imagine! Good luch shaking it.

local Bass Pro has 30.06 220 gr for a mere $62 / 20rds before sales tax

Price seems steep but no lead smelting or sniffing lead fumes required and you get a jacketed bullet.

Maybe you just like science? Could dial down the load to 1050 ft/sec get a brand new and now unregulated suppressor then it just goes click…clic…click

No can for these. This is poor man's / pre-Spitzer man's dangerous game rifle. The main can-candidate is currently the factory-threaded Ruglin .357.

Japhy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 25, 2026 1:20 am local Bass Pro has 30.06 220 gr for a mere $62 / 20rds before sales tax

Price seems steep but no lead smelting or sniffing lead fumes required and you get a jacketed bullet.

Maybe you just like science? Could dial down the load to 1050 ft/sec get a brand new and now unregulated suppressor then it just goes click…clic…click

Berrys bullets sells a 220 plated bullet for subs in a 30 cal…. Mostly for the blackout but you could adapt for any 30 cal. If I recall they were under 60 bones. My 300BO shoots them well.
https://www.basspro.com/p/berrys-superi ... n%20Berrys

Bigslug wrote: ↑Tue Aug 25, 2026 2:15 am The main can-candidate is currently the factory-threaded Ruglin .357.

“Don’t stop believin’”
Steven Ray Perry.

The work continues:

I went back and tested ten shot groups for five of the flattest spots on the velocity curve from the initial ladder test. Best results was 30 grains of 3031 for about 2MOA at 1750 fps: The max test was 36 grains at 1998 fps, and while the departing velocities were the tightest of the day, three of the ten were clearly tumbling when they hit paper. Either this bullet doesn't want to go fast, or 3031 may not be the fuel of choice.

Have had very good luck with H414 on another bullet, aside from occasional ignition delays possibly due to a too-small charge of a spherical powder. Since H414 is basically intended to be a spherical replacement for 4350, 4350 is next on the testing block, with no other changes to the cartridge. Seating depth and lube change experiments on tap to be tried if warranted.

Real life throwing some minor curve balls, so might be a couple weeks before I get back to it, but the game continues...

Not junkcollector level scrounging but found these today…..

Awesome find

Elk Creek wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2026 2:18 am Not junkcollector level scrounging but found these today…..

Id say it qualifies

There’s a nice moose load!!!

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2026 2:53 am There’s a nice moose load!!!

Moose, elk, rhino, any big thing that needs shot.

JunkCollector wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2026 2:43 am

Elk Creek wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2026 2:18 am Not junkcollector level scrounging but found these today…..

Id say it qualifies

Wow!

NICE! Especially if you own a 30-06

Freezer wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2026 10:27 am NICE! Especially if you own a 30-06

I do! A browning 1895 levergun.

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 11:48 pm The work continues:

I
3031 30gr flat spot test.jpeg

The max test was 36 grains at 1998 fps, and while the departing velocities were the tightest of the day, three of the ten were clearly tumbling when they hit paper. Either this bullet doesn't want to go fast, or 3031 may not be the fuel of choice.

This is an interesting read. You have a slick new bullet mold, a commitment to non-spitzer heavy bullets with gas checks,

But! If the center of gravity of the bullet is too far aft it is much more likely to yaw excessively and then become unstable as in tumbling. You likely discovered the critical velocity for that particular bullet

Moving more mass forward the velocity can be increased before instability. Could find a shorter taper nose, test how the gas check changes performance, or concave the tail end

Thats the physics view but you are the expert bullet caster

Japhy wrote: ↑Tue Sep 08, 2026 4:05 am

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2026 11:48 pm The work continues:

I
3031 30gr flat spot test.jpeg

The max test was 36 grains at 1998 fps, and while the departing velocities were the tightest of the day, three of the ten were clearly tumbling when they hit paper. Either this bullet doesn't want to go fast, or 3031 may not be the fuel of choice.

This is an interesting read. You have a slick new bullet mold, a commitment to non-spitzer heavy bullets with gas checks,

But! If the center of gravity of the bullet is too far aft it is much more likely to yaw excessively and then become unstable as in tumbling. You likely discovered the critical velocity for that particular bullet

Moving more mass forward the velocity can be increased before instability. Could find a shorter taper nose, test how the gas check changes performance, or concave the tail end

Thats the physics view but you are the expert bullet caster

A number of items to contend with - balance point being one of them. I believe that to be slightly forward of the .311" diameter driving band section and into the .300" bore ride section. A known problem with cast bullets is RPM threshold - basically if your twist rate is too high, and you take your velocity above a certain point for that twist rate, you start to exceed the material/structure capabilities of the projectile. In the .30-06's standard 1-10" twist, the wheels seem to start falling off the accuracy cart around 2100 fps with most bullets. There are guys going significantly faster, but they're using custom 1-14" to 1-16" tubes. I'm running a lot of vintage toys and stock hunting rifles, so a twist rate change is not an option.

HOWEVER: I did start to re-try the experiment with IMR 4350 and it looks like a more promising option:
A couple ten shot samples from the ladder test (every shot a slightly higher powder charge than the last). Going to go back and re-visit the flat spots in the velocity curve to see what works best. May also try those same flat spots with a change in bullet lube to see if that makes a difference.

Those results look good. What is the bullet mix?
Hoping you dont tell me you just tossed in a handful of wheel weights in the pot.

Japhy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 12, 2026 12:03 am Those results look good. What is the bullet mix?
Hoping you dont tell me you just tossed in a handful of wheel weights in the pot.

Oh no. It’s a well calculated mix of unicorn semen and fairy piss mixed with pure lead from the Andes mountains.

Ask ME about my alloy? I toss random wheel weights in a pot and make bullets. :laughsinpowdercoat:

No unicorn semen - just the standard Lyman #2 I typically use for spicier speeds.

Old school print shop linotype alloy? With its high tin content, THAT would probably be the unicorn semen, at least these days.

Wheel weights. . .siiiigh. . .they're pretty much all zinc in this state anymore. I've had a few good scores over the years of scrounging and sympathetic contacts, but they're a vanishing resource. Don't use it much as I'm usually at higher speed (rifle) or lower speed (non-magnum handguns) for which it's less ideal, but it's kinda what a toastier .357 or .44 load wants.

Standard velocity pistol mix: I used to have access to a range where I was frequently the only guy there at the end of the day and could scrounge off the slope to my heart's content. Some hundreds of pounds of rendered jacketed bullet cores later. . .that stuff's about 1% antimony; add a little tin to help mold fillout and it gets my Ruger/Marlin .357 to 1200 fps. Accuracy craps out on that alloy if I go faster - next batch, probably wheelweights.

I got 200 plus pounds from my BIL worked worked in a diesel shop. Some of those WW were 8 ounces plus. Big suckers. I gave away probably 50 pounds. Not even sure how many I have left, other than a full 5 gallon bucket. It’s enough to blow a testicle if you tried picking it up.

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 12, 2026 12:53 am I got 200 plus pounds from my BIL worked worked in a diesel shop. Some of those WW were 8 ounces plus. Big suckers. I gave away probably 50 pounds. Not even sure how many I have left, other than a full 5 gallon bucket. It’s enough to blow a testicle if you tried picking it up.

Hee!

SAFETY TIP: I was gifted a 5 gallon bucket of wheelweights from a coworker who's late father was collecting. Be advised that plastic buckets get brittle when exposed to UV light over time, and they cease to support 70+ pounds of lead when you lift them.

One of the things that's changed as I get older and EVEN LESS interested in exercise: .30 caliber ammo cans are a much better way to store and move your stash of 1# ingots than .50 caliber ammo cans.

Fun fact, 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights easily stop .22 LR when sciencing in your garage.