Cast Rifle Bullet FPS

Boolit Mold Join DateMar 2013LocationSt Louis, MOPosts9

I haven't cast for a rifle bullet yet, but have been wanting to get one for my 30-06. From reading about it, it sounds like I'll need to keep velocity to around 2-2200fps at the top end. Is that a general rule for any bullet weight? My thought is a 170g at 2000fps is going to be a little better hunting bullet then a 150g at 2000fps.

Are you running gas check cast? I shoot gas check cast sized .311 out of a 30-06 @ 1600 FPS and the same out of a 300 WM @ 2100 FPS. Both will shoot 1 inch groups at 100 yds. You will have to shoot a range of velocitys and powders and sizes and seating depth to find what will work in your rifle. I have had best luck with IMR SR 4759 powder. The mould I use is a Lyman 311284, 210 gr +/-. Good luck and have fun working up your load.

To get good performance from cast loads from your .30-'06 for hunting you want to have a bullet as heavy as you can stabilize, with as blunt a shape with large meplat as will feed. I have not had good success with roundnosed bullets, and would rather have a soft bullet with a big flat nose at .32-40 blackpowder velocities which will expand and stay together than a harder, streamlined bullet which zips through game with little disturbance.

To get reliable expansion with good weight retention, without the bullet fragmenting and breaking up, you want to limit bullet hardness to about 14 BHN. But if you use a large flatnosed design in which the meplat in a .30 cal. is at least 0.25", then you can use a harder, heat treated bullet which will stand full velocity and it will have good killing power.

This is the bullet I use in my .30-30 Winchester at ballistics approximating the .32-40 Winchester, which is a reliable deer killer at woods ranges.

A bullet of this shape with a gaschecked base, with suitable alloy and lubrication can be driven to about 2000 fps, and would be effective on deer to about 150 yards, with results similar to .30-30 factory loads. A heavier 220-gr. bullet of this general shape would approximate .30-40 Krag energy levels and would be better for larger animals over 100kg.

it's not the top velocity.
however without going through a bunch of measuring, tinkering, measuring, having a custom mold cut, alloy manipulation, brass manipulation, powder re-work, fillers, buffers, primer testing, diameter testing, and another powder work-up.

you are going to be limited in velocity to about 1900 fps.
so you might as well use the heavier boolit

it's all an educated guess,,,, till the trigger is pulled.

the more i find out about shootin boolits, the more it contradicts everything i ever learned about shooting jaxketed.

To get good performance from cast loads from your .30-'06 for hunting you want to have a bullet as heavy as you can stabilize, with as blunt a shape with large meplat as will feed. I have not had good success with roundnosed bullets, and would rather have a soft bullet with a big flat nose at .32-40 blackpowder velocities which will expand and stay together than a harder, streamlined bullet which zips through game with little disturbance.

To get reliable expansion with good weight retention, without the bullet fragmenting and breaking up, you want to limit bullet hardness to about 14 BHN. But if you use a large flatnosed design in which the meplat in a .30 cal. is at least 0.25", then you can use a harder, heat treated bullet which will stand full velocity and it will have good killing power.

This is the bullet I use in my .30-30 Winchester at ballistics approximating the .32-40 Winchester, which is a reliable deer killer at woods ranges.

A bullet of this shape with a gaschecked base, with suitable alloy and lubrication can be driven to about 2000 fps, and would be effective on deer to about 150 yards, with results similar to .30-30 factory loads. A heavier 220-gr. bullet of this general shape would approximate .30-40 Krag energy levels and would be better for larger animals over 100kg.

Right from the horse's mouth. I also like the heaviest projectile I can put out in a .30 bore. I have pushed 180 gr. up to 2450 with good accuracy (1.5" @100 yards). If my rifle would shoot a 200-220 gr., that is where I would go. Of course I have things in the front yard that can eat me, so that colors my opinion on heavy boolits.

The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!

I'm pushing the lee 170 gn at 2400 fps. I don't really think its necessary to go that hot, but its working for me. I'm getting 1.5'' groups @100 yds.

Boolit Master Join DateMay 2012LocationRepublic of Texas, District of Round Rock.Posts301

Pressure vs hardness. Reference Lee Second Edition cast bullet hardness table. Gas checking will allow ~+10,000 psi to that tables numbers without any leading.
Go as heavy as you can without loosing accuracy at the range you will be shooting.
I am taking my 143gr 308 cast to 2100fps and getting excellent accuracy and 169gr to 2000fps with excellent results.
I am also a big fan of the flat nose for hunting. It's like using a sledge hammer on them.

Griz44Mag
Christian
NRA member, NRA Range Saftey Officer
TSRA
CHL Instructor
Constitutionalist

Hi Matt, Welcome to CastBoolits.

Velocity isn't necessarily your friend, trying for a bit of extra fps can be counter productive for both accuracy and killing power. You didn't say what you'll be hunting but from MO I'll assume deer. If you use a heavy boolit with a wide flat point at around 1900 fps at reasonable ranges you'll have a bleeding hole on both sides and it doesn't get much better than that.

I don't currently load the 06 but I do the 308 and 30-30 and both do very well with air cooled WW + 2% tin at 1900 fps with 19.0 gr SR 4759 & standard primer. In the 06 a starting charge of about 21 gr SR 4759 would be a good place to start.

Rick

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mattd

When you get tired of your accuracy going south at about 1900 - 2000 fps when you're trying to push up to 2200 fps PM and I'll explain why. You can push to higher velocity with some bullet designs though but it takes doing everything just right.

If you want to hunt deer and pigs with cast in your '06 a 170 - 190 gr bullet with a FN and cast soft will be best. It will kill even quicker and better if you lightly HP it with a Forster 1/8" HP tool.

You will find that 1900 - 2000 fps with such a cast bullet is quite sufficient for deer and pigs out to 200 yards.

Larry Gibson

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Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

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