More bullet sizing/lube questions.....

[L_Kilkenny]

I'm gonna try using some .313 100gr. RNFP .32M hardcast in my .30-30 for coon and small game (in lieu of buying a .22mag). Questions.......

Right now they are pre-lubed but I'm guessing I'll need to re-lube?

With already having lube in the grease groove I'm guessing a basic tumble lube will be fine?

Cheap, readily available alternative to lee's alox lube? Homebrew maybe?

Haven't slugged the barrel on my 94ae but I'm thinkin a .310 should be the right starting spot (gonna have to order a die)? Or would a .311 be better? What are you guys running in your 94's?

Or should I not worry about sizing and give the .313's a try?

BTW, velocities will be less than 1500fps and I've never shot cast thru a rifle or cast/lubed/sized my own bullets.

LK

[pokey]

cheap alox/xlox,

http://cgi.ebay.com/Liquid-Xlox-Cast-Bu ... 335a431b34

good stuff.

[jhrosier]

LK,
If your bullets are lubed and you shoot them as-is, there should be no need to relube them.
I would seat one and make sure that it chambers OK before loading up a whole bunch.

OTOH, if it makes you feel better, a bottle of Lee liquid alox shouldn't be more than four bucks at your local gun shop.

Some folks get by just smearing a coat of Johnson's paste wax on their bullets.

Jack

[JFE]

Before loading too many of them I'd try a couple to see if they chamber properly. In mine I have to size to 0.310 max and any larger results in sticky chambering. Every rifle is different so best to check what works in yours before loading a few hundred of them.

[Hobie]

I don't see re-lubing and I would, of course, make up a dummy cartridge to ensure function. A proper small game load won't be as lube critical as a high velocity load and so the lube already there should be sufficient.

[L_Kilkenny]

I don't see re-lubing and I would, of course, make up a dummy cartridge to ensure function. A proper small game load won't be as lube critical as a high velocity load and so the lube already there should be sufficient.

Interesting.......I would of thought that after re-sizing and removing only .002-.003 of lead that more lube would of been removed than anything else. Lube in the grease groove enough ya think? Still might re-lube just to be on the safe side, I have a high fear of leading!

Pokey, thanks for the tip on the cheap Alox.

BTW, I'll try one of the .313's and see if it goes. Next I just need to find an expander die for .30-30 (so I can get the lead started). Wonder if the one from my .32HR die will work in a pinch?

LK

[Charles]

A couple of thoughts on your issue;

1. .313 might be too large, so do try a dummy round or two. I would prefer .310.
2. Sizing won't remove much lube from a groove
3. I hate Alox!
4. A good alternative is Johnson Paste wax.
5. Take a pair of needle nose pliars and twist them in the case mouth to bell enough for the cast bullet to enter. YOu seating and/or crimp die will take out the bell.

[J Miller]

I don't see re-lubing and I would, of course, make up a dummy cartridge to ensure function. A proper small game load won't be as lube critical as a high velocity load and so the lube already there should be sufficient.

Interesting.......I would of thought that after re-sizing and removing only .002-.003 of lead that more lube would of been removed than anything else. Lube in the grease groove enough ya think? Still might re-lube just to be on the safe side, I have a high fear of leading!

Pokey, thanks for the tip on the cheap Alox.

BTW, I'll try one of the .313's and see if it goes. Next I just need to find an expander die for .30-30 (so I can get the lead started). Wonder if the one from my .32HR die will work in a pinch?

LK

LK,
Sizing a bullet does not remove any lead. It just compresses the bullet to a smaller diameter. When that's done the grease grove usually doesn't shrink too much unless you really reduce the diameter a lot. .313" down to .311" or .310" shouldn't cause too much trouble.

Use a larger diameter jacketed bullet to bell the case mouth to start the bullet. I had been using the bullet in a 50BMG dummy round and it worked great. But I couldn't get a consistent straight bell, so I bought a Lyman M die for my 30-30 and the cast bullet test. I will tell you without any hesitation that the Lyman M die for rifles makes a tedious job a snap. And as long as your cases are trimmed to the same length it's consistency is excellent.

I use the liquid alox lube to add lube to factory swauged pistol bullets, and "occasionally" questionable cast bullets. I prefer to keep the actual lube grove filled with a semi-soft bullet lube.

Joe

[Sixgun]

As for expanding your sized brass, in addition to Joe's excellent advice on a 50 cal bmg round, I also advise every cast bullet reloader NEEDS a Lee Universal Expander Die on their bench. It will expand the case mouth on everything from .22 to 45 cal. without opening up the neck. This sometimes is essential to cast bullet neck tension.------------------Sixgun

[Thunder50]

If you use the Lee liquid alox, dilute it with mineral spirits about 3pts spirits/1pt alox, for a thinned lube. You won't need much and it dries faster than the thick stuff.

[L_Kilkenny]

Good info everyone, learning things everytime.

LK

[blueroan]

Go over to castboolits.gunloads and do some reading; marlinowners also. There's some guys doing a lot of cast bullet shooting there. There is also a site called gmdr that has reduced cast bullet loads for most any caliber.

Investigate a LYMAN M-die. It has a bell at the case mouth and appropriate size in the case neck.

LEE makes a push through sizing die. I'd recommend a .310 or .311 to prevent leading.