Favorite .30 caliber mold?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010237938?pid=530266

Lyman 2-Cavity #314299 303 Caliber (.314) 200gr
I'm in the neighborhood of 250 boolits cast/coated/shot so far with this mold and it has been excellent in my 7.62x39s & 300blks. Running them through a lee .311 sizer finishes mine out around .3105 & Using a 7.62x39 expander button in the 300blk die with a good chamfer on the case mouth has prevented shaving during seating. They ring steel just like the .60 cent jacketed projectiles too

That 311299 (310299, 312299, 314299 etc) is an excellent choice for shooting 30s.

NOE Makes a 4-cav aluminum mould for it. various diameters available. 310, .311, .312, .314, .316, for about the same price as the 2-cav Lyman.

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/sho...2-208-rn-l4/312-208-rn-l4-4-cavity-gc-312299/

.312 is sold out at the moment, but keep checking back. NOE moulds are very good, I have several.

For 30-30 308, and 30-06 general use the Lyman 311291. For the 06 alone, or the 308 in my 99, 311413.
Plinker, 311316 in anything including 30 Carbine.

Lee .311-150gr FNGC works great from my parts gun.
Also is a great hunting bullet.
I’ve only used it with RL7. Runs about 1,800fps.

For plinking/blasting, nothing much beats the Lee .312-160gr PtGC cast from a 6-cavity mold. I powder coat them and size them .311” for the .300BO.

CAUTION! If you are using brass made from cutting down 5.56x45 brass, be sure that loaded rounds will “plunk” in your barrel. I had some that the necks were too thick to allow loaded ammo to chamber. I also use a Lyman M die to expand and flare the case necks prior to seating, and a Lee factory crimp die to crimp loaded rounds.

A friend has a suppressor that he can switch between a Daniels Defense and an AAC REM Mod7.
The Lee 200gr .311”-200gr RNGC over 9.0gr of Lil’Gun makes a splendid subsonic load.

I built my .300 because it’s the best “scroungers” cartridge as it’s actually at its best with salvaged, remanufactured brass and scrap cast bullets running salvaged powder...

Lee molds are running ~$30 for two cavities and $50 for 6-cav. Powder coated, gas checks aren’t needed!

Lyman 311291. 170 gr. Requires a Gas Check. I used it in 30-30, 30-06 @ around 1800 fps with IMR4895 powder. Alloy 15 bhn. Lyman needs the antimony to produce a good diameter, as there molds are regulated with their #2 alloy.

My 3 Saeco pistold molds all produce diameters larger then needed.

GooseGestapo said:

I built my .300 because it’s the best “scroungers” cartridge as it’s actually at its best with salvaged, remanufactured brass and scrap cast bullets running salvaged powder...

Click to expand...

Thats exactly why I did mine!

Lyman 311041 was my first rifle mould back in the 70's. Still a solid choice.

Another of my favorites is the Lee 150. Downright spooky accurate in a .308 or '06. I'd say too light for big deer.... but,holy smokes can it do a number on varmints. Should find nirvana with it around 37-40g of Varget in the '06 loaded just short of "sticking" on jam.

too light for large deer?
I think not! Shot placement!

I’ve shot a number of deer with the 150gr Lee. (mine cast to 158gr, and 160gr)
I’ve never recovered a spent bullet from a deer. The last one was a 140lb doe I shot at 90yds. Bullet broke both front legs, penetrated heart and exited leaving a 2” exit wound. Velocity was 2,250fps from a Marlin 20” bbl. 30.0gr of IMR3031. Sized .311”.

I gave my first single cavity mold to my older brother. He used it to teach my nephew and scout troop to cast while stationed at Loring AFB at Limestone, Maine. My brother gave a fellow airman some loaded in .30/30 over 7.5 gr of Unique for ~1,150fps. (I prefer 10.0 @1,500) as he wanted to plink and perhaps shoot some snow she hares in upstate New York on leave for Christmas; telling him to raise the elevation about two notches on the rear sight.
After returning, the airman handed my brother one of the bullets with a riveted tip. The airman had been deer hunting and had seen nothing all morning so decided to walk up some rabbits on the way back to the lodge. Jumped a ~150lb doe that bounded away stopping about 95yds away, looking back at him. Without remembering he had “something for rabbits”! Bullet hit the right ham, and was recovered from under the hide on the far shoulder! Deer ran 45yds and dropped.
Bullet was cast from range scrap...

I’ve also got the 170gr FNGC as well as the 185 .314” 185 RNGC. (It’s actually a mismarked .311” 180gr RNGC, it throws .311” 180gr bullets...) Neither cycle smoothly through my Marlin/Glenfield Model 30. (Half magazine, birch stock M336). Slightly too long seated/crimped to crimp groove. Model 94’s handle the longer bullets fine.