Cast bullets the .303 British

[Jeff F]

I'm thinking about casting and shooting cast bullets in some of my Enfields. Can any one recommend some molds. I'm looking for plinking bullets 150 grain or better and possibly some hunting bullets for use on elk and smaller at close to medium range. We have a bullet sizer lubricator and I can GC if need be.

 

[Remo-99]

LEE has .312 cal double cavity molds and handles for the price many other makers charge just for handles, they also have some single cavity Tumble Lube type CTL312-160-2R to clear out at $14.
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1219627945.4866=/html/catalog/surplus.html

 

[35 Whelen]

I have at one time owned three No.4 Enfields. I shot 95% cast bullets in them. I live in the country and have my own range so I shot TONS of cast bullets out of these rifles...in fact in one span of about 6 months I had used almost an entire carton (1000) of primers shooting the Enfields. I have since sold all but one of my Enfields. I kept my Maltby because it was the most accurate.
If I could only have one mould for my Enfield, it would hands-down be the Lyman 314299. Cast from wheelweights, with a gas check the bullets will weigh right around 205 grs. and mic out at .314". I also have a custom Lee mould that drops a similar bullet that weighs about the same as the Lyman bullet.
The Lyman bullet has been very accurate in all my mil-surp rifles. I usually run the bullets at around 1600 fps with little or no leading. More velocity is easily possible, but it doesn't take much velocity to poke a hoel in a piece of paper. If I do have a problem with leading, I'll add PSB shot buffer to the load which always eliminates leading.

Last year I shot a doe with my Enfield and a bullet from the Lee custom mould. As expected, it completely penetrated her body.

You might want to check here: Surplus Rifle Forum
And here: Cast Boolit Forum
for lots of info on cast bullets in your Enfield.
Good luck!
35W

 

[Slamfire]

If I could only have one mould for my Enfield, it would hands-down be the Lyman 314299. Cast from wheelweights, with a gas check the bullets will weigh right around 205 grs. and mic out at .314".

Well that is my one and only Lee Enfield mold. I read an article by Mike Venturino and this is the mold he used, and he recommended AA5744.

Last year I cast a bunch of these, using home made Lyman #2 alloy, used AA5744, and did not chronograph my loads. I would have to dig into my ammo box to find my load data, but I should have been pushing these bullets around 1700 fps.

I was shooting for fun, in offhand practice, and at one hundred yards they shot well.

I have also used AA5744 with cast bullets in the 45/70 and 30-06. It does so well I am not going to fool with any other powders.

Mike was getting five reloads with 303 Brass before he got case head separations. I don't remember if he was neck sizing, but that is what I did. I also used a "M" die to expand the neck.

I used my Dillion 550B to expand the neck, dump the powder, and seat the bullet. I size on a Redding Turret, trim off press, and I prime all rifle cases by hand.

 

[Jeff F]

Thanks 35 Whelen and SlamFire1, thats the info I was looking for.

 

[dmftoy1]

+1 on 314299. That's the only bullet I'm using. Over 2400 it's accurate and cheap!