Cast shooters have a little different outlook towards accuracy in a lot of cases. There are people out there who strive for benchrest accuracy with cast, it is an endeavour fraught with ups and downs, just have to have the patience to pursue it. Definitely teaches a person about wind and how to shoot it, some are content with loading in the 13-1500fps range, some want to get to jacketed velocities, some build cartridges, some breech seat their bullets. I played with 55gr gaschecked bullets in a 22-250 for cheap plinking at gophers and 130gr in a 7x57 & 7-08, one for iron sight service rifle matches and one for grouse and the odd yote, and plainbase bullets in a 32-30Rem and 32-40win for Schuetzen matches, and a 450-400ne 3" with gaschecked bullets. Velocities ran from 1400-2200fps, depending on bullet and purpose. I needed minute of gopher head on one, holding under 5" offhand at 100 on another, holding a 1-1/2" bull @ 200 on another off the bench, another was the ability to punch a moose at 150. Ran bullets that were oven hardened wheelweights, then to 1/30 for hunting, 1/20 for the Schuetzen matches, straight wheelweights for the service rifle.
Cast Bullet benchrest guys
- Thread starter Wolfdog91
- Start date
JSH
Gold $$ Contributor
Nice looking case, enough neck and enough case capacity. Looks like a modified and longer 30 Herrett.
I have never had a designated CB rifle for accuracy. I did acquire a 788 in 30-30 a while back from this board that I plan on working with this summer.
I have achieved some good loads in 308 and 358 bolt guns that will rival jacketed accuracy of equal rifles.
I keep my alloys separate and blend as I please. I know lead has gotten harder to find, but it is out there if you keep your eyes open. Best thing I can say is, keep a couple hundred bucks in your pocket all the time and be ready. I just located about 1000 lbs of dead soft sheathing lead, all brand new, no tar or nails. Scrapper wanted $200 for it, called a few guys and all of them goofed around and missed it. Another buddy bought it all for making jigs and fishing weights.
Lab grade alloy does not guarantee accuracy.
I still believe, size is king. Every thing else comes after.
I have never had a designated CB rifle for accuracy. I did acquire a 788 in 30-30 a while back from this board that I plan on working with this summer.
I have achieved some good loads in 308 and 358 bolt guns that will rival jacketed accuracy of equal rifles.
I keep my alloys separate and blend as I please. I know lead has gotten harder to find, but it is out there if you keep your eyes open. Best thing I can say is, keep a couple hundred bucks in your pocket all the time and be ready. I just located about 1000 lbs of dead soft sheathing lead, all brand new, no tar or nails. Scrapper wanted $200 for it, called a few guys and all of them goofed around and missed it. Another buddy bought it all for making jigs and fishing weights.
Lab grade alloy does not guarantee accuracy.
I still believe, size is king. Every thing else comes after.
Sechrist2015
Gold $$ Contributor
We also run some .331 neck 30BR's as well, and with the right load they will shoot in the .1's all day. But wind is definitely a major problem.
Newest toy I'm starting to play with is a wildcat 30x357 plain base breech seat CPA 44 1/2. Super wild to play with and definitely makes you work for it.
Also working on a mould design for a 6ppc xp100 rifle I picked up here on the forum that drives tacks with a 68gr flatbase.
Newest toy I'm starting to play with is a wildcat 30x357 plain base breech seat CPA 44 1/2. Super wild to play with and definitely makes you work for it.
Also working on a mould design for a 6ppc xp100 rifle I picked up here on the forum that drives tacks with a 68gr flatbase.
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JSH
Gold $$ Contributor
Seems I read some years back one of the CBA guys was campaigning a 35BR with pretty good success?
I necked up some 7BR brass for the heck of it one winter, pretty good looking I thought.
As far as rimmed case go, I still think the 7.62x54R shortened and taper removed would make a dandy wildcat.
I necked up some 7BR brass for the heck of it one winter, pretty good looking I thought.
As far as rimmed case go, I still think the 7.62x54R shortened and taper removed would make a dandy wildcat.
Sechrist2015
Gold $$ Contributor
I hope that round works better for you than it did us. Had 3 of them, two of them were great at 100 yards at about 1400fps. 200 yards it shot minute of big red barn.
Wolfdog91
Silver $$ Contributor
Hope y'all don't mind me being quiet I'm just enjoying reading all of this lol. Seriously though this is some amazing info !
You said you ladle pour all your bullets, any reason why exactly? I just got a PID to keep my lead at a constant temp but I use a bottom pour how much do you feel ladle pouring helps make good boolits?I hope that round works better for you than it did us. Had 3 of them, two of them were great at 100 yards at about 1400fps. 200 yards it shot minute of big red barn.
Sechrist2015
Gold $$ Contributor
It's really more of a preference. Also let's us run bigger batches at one time as our pot holds 100lbs. We have a PID bottom pour pot as well but it mainly gets used with the soft alloys for plain base bullets
JSH
Gold $$ Contributor
One of my most humbling CB experiences was with 6.5’s. Twist and bullet design is a big part.
I cast with a ladle for one summer when I first started. Got a bottom pour and never looked back. A mentor of mine wanted some CB’s from a mold I had. He is a meticulous fellow, he weighed sorted what I gave him. Out of a couple hundred he had maybe a dozen culls. His comment was I see your still ladle casting, nope not for a long while.
Sold all of my casting ladles some time back. Clean pot, clean alloy, proper temp and a steady cadence when casting from a bottom pour gives stellar results.
I don’t have a PID, but look forward to one.
I cast with a ladle for one summer when I first started. Got a bottom pour and never looked back. A mentor of mine wanted some CB’s from a mold I had. He is a meticulous fellow, he weighed sorted what I gave him. Out of a couple hundred he had maybe a dozen culls. His comment was I see your still ladle casting, nope not for a long while.
Sold all of my casting ladles some time back. Clean pot, clean alloy, proper temp and a steady cadence when casting from a bottom pour gives stellar results.
I don’t have a PID, but look forward to one.
PhilC
Silver $$ Contributor
We shoot 100yds only since no 200yd range. Mine is inconsistent, sometimes shoots great and others not so, am sure some of which is me.I hope that round works better for you than it did us. Had 3 of them, two of them were great at 100 yards at about 1400fps. 200 yards it shot minute of big red barn.
What I did was research CBA match reports back to 2017, found 4 unique shooters with the 6.5CM and, IIRC, 8 total match reports. The one constant among all reports was velocity -- 1600 - 1650fps. I was sure my issues were a combination of the 8 twist and velocities 1700 - 2000fps. After re-evaluating, I changed my load which dropped velocity to ~1615fps and produced groups vs patterns.
I shoot for fun more than competition, even so, it is frustrating at times.
Also use a PID controlled bottom pour pot and cast at 725deg with Lyman #2.
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