Anyone cast bullets for 300 blk?

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  • guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    736
    Severn, MD
    TLDR; Anyone cast for 300 blackout? Mainly looking for a plinking round at 100 yards. I want to load both Supers/Subs.

    I recently built a 300 blackout using an Anderson lower and a BCA 7.5", 1:8 twist complete upper. With 308 FMJ bullets coming out to 20 cents a pop, I found it way more economical start casting and powder coating my own.

    The casting lead i started out with is straight WW lead, at ~14-16 bhn. Fluxed and pours fine.

    I had terrible luck with the 230/309 lee double cavity mold. Upon inspection of the casts, the land located close to the middle of the bullet and just ahead of the lube grooves mics at 305", making these casts undersized. On top of that, there is a boat tail on the mold that many accounts causes further inaccuracy and gas cutting (getting leading). I decided to cut my loss on this 20 dollar mold (perhaps i got a lemon?) and buy a 6 cavity .312 160 gn mold instead.

    A buddy of myn owns the 312/160 and gave me some casts (16 BHN) to try out. After powder coating and resized to 309, they shot alot better and cleaner (no leading) but still getting minute of paper (8" group) at 100 yards. Granted, I probably had my crimp set too heavy (still set from those undersized 230/309 bullets), and using 17.5-19 gns of h335 (i know this powder is too slow, but it cycles the round and chronos around ~1500 fps).

    ----

    Despite of all of this, i'm pretty optimistic about this whole venture. I heard people modifying the 230/309 mold by reaming out the boat tail with a 5/16 reamer. Will probably start with this before trying to ream out to the undersized land.

    I have some imr4227 powder at hand and will use this stuff instead of h335 on the 160/sized 309 supers. I also have a 311 sizer on the way for loading these bullets up in a 7.62x39.

    Furthermore, I am aware that gas checks are also a must for supers, and i got those on the way as well as a lyman cast 4th edition book for a formal read and reference on casting.

    Anyone doing/had done this? Any tips/tricks/advice is accepted. Thanks!
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Read this and the help I got.
    https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=242694

    I have molded the Lee 160 .311 die Powder coated gas checked and sized to 309 and have a plinking load for 300blk shooting steel at 100 yards. After shooting it more I'd say I get about 2-3 MOA @ 100yards
    15.0gr H110 2.030"

    I have molded the Lee 230 .309 die powder coated gas checked and sized to 309 and have a subsonic load for 300blk shooting steel at 100 yards supressed. After shooting it more since that thread, I get about 3-4 MOA @100 yards
    9gr H110 2.260"
    I don't do a GREAT job of weeding out my rejects so every once and a while I have a flyer. Yes, I gas check the boat tailed 230 cause without gas checking, its not as accurate. you need a flat base that powdercoating just does not give you. It will work ,but not as accurate as gas checked.

    John gave me a lyman M die to flare the mouth which is needed to use these powder coated bullets. The setting of my FCD crimp basically closes it back down but not really a crimp.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    One of the reasons I bought into .300blk was "hey, trim and resize 5.56 casings. This will be dirt cheap. So far, I buy a case of 5.56 for half what I pay for .300.

    Casting for 300blk and powder coating is less $ and more practical than .223

    for me, Its more the hobby than saving $.
    But since you mention it, I"m paying about 10 cents a round of my Powder coated casted 300blk with the free lead I got. The labor is quite high though. Like I said, a hobby.

    My reloaded .223 with bulk FMJ for shooting steel is I recall 26 cents a round.
     

    guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    736
    Severn, MD
    Read this and the help I got.
    https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=242694

    I have molded the Lee 160 .311 die Powder coated gas checked and sized to 309 and have a plinking load for 300blk shooting steel at 100 yards. After shooting it more I'd say I get about 2-3 MOA @ 100yards
    15.0gr H110 2.030"

    I have molded the Lee 230 .309 die powder coated gas checked and sized to 309 and have a subsonic load for 300blk shooting steel at 100 yards supressed. After shooting it more since that thread, I get about 3-4 MOA @100 yards
    9gr H110 2.260"
    I don't do a GREAT job of weeding out my rejects so every once and a while I have a flyer. Yes, I gas check the boat tailed 230 cause without gas checking, its not as accurate. you need a flat base that powdercoating just does not give you. It will work ,but not as accurate as gas checked.

    John gave me a lyman M die to flare the mouth which is needed to use these powder coated bullets. The setting of my FCD crimp basically closes it back down but not really a crimp.


    Thanks for the informative response and reference. I'll try gas checking and getting my hands on some h110 and report back on accuracy.
     

    Fox123

    Ultimate Member
    May 21, 2012
    3,926
    Rosedale, MD
    Lee 309 230 powder coated and sized to .311

    Cheap Sub plinking bullet

    7.8 gr lil gun around 2 moa


    Burns super dirty though, will look at h110 when this 5 lbs is used up.
     

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    guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    736
    Severn, MD
    Lee 309 230 powder coated and sized to .311

    Cheap Sub plinking bullet

    7.8 gr lil gun around 2 moa


    Burns super dirty though, will look at h110 when this 5 lbs is used up.

    I have the same mold. What distance are you achieving 2 moa at and what gun are you using? I get 6" groups at 100 with 10gn imr 4227 with a 7.5" 1:8 twist barrel.

    I'm experiencing a bit of leading with this load and the bearing surface engaging the case neck is undersized at 305" with powder coat so a substantial crimp is a must to prevent bullet setback.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I make Lee .312-160gn TL and NOE .309-150gn and powder coat them. Since I use them mostly for rapid fire practice at 50 and 100 yards, I don't weight them but just do a visual. I get about 1.5 to 2 inch groups at 50 to 3 to 4 inch groups at 100 from my 16 inch build. I benched my just built 8.5 inch pistol yesterday and got even tighter groups at 50 yards. 300 Blackout has tight chambers so it is important to use .223 brass with thinner walls when you make your brass or when you load the neck will be too thick.

    If I were buying molds and were going to powder coat today, I would look at NOE molds as he has made plain molds for the caliber just for powder coating.

    I size to .309 and use 16.5 to 17 gns of H110 for my loads.
     

    guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    736
    Severn, MD
    I make Lee .312-160gn TL and NOE .309-150gn and powder coat them. Since I use them mostly for rapid fire practice at 50 and 100 yards, I don't weight them but just do a visual. I get about 1.5 to 2 inch groups at 50 to 3 to 4 inch groups at 100 from my 16 inch build. I benched my just built 8.5 inch pistol yesterday and got even tighter groups at 50 yards. 300 Blackout has tight chambers so it is important to use .223 brass with thinner walls when you make your brass or when you load the neck will be too thick.

    If I were buying molds and were going to powder coat today, I would look at NOE molds as he has made plain molds for the caliber just for powder coating.

    I size to .309 and use 16.5 to 17 gns of H110 for my loads.

    Yeah. i heard the NOE molds are good. I just got my lee 6 cavity 309/160 mold and I forgot to order a pair of 6 cavity handles for it :facepalm: luckily amazon prime got that covered i will get it by sunday.

    As for 223 brass conversions, i got a printed list i found online on which head stamps to sort out.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Yeah. i heard the NOE molds are good. I just got my lee 6 cavity 309/160 mold and I forgot to order a pair of 6 cavity handles for it :facepalm: luckily amazon prime got that covered i will get it by sunday.

    As for 223 brass conversions, i got a printed list i found online on which head stamps to sort out.


    We probably all have the same list. ;)
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I haven't seen much brass lately but, if I do, I will put it aside and give it to MDS folks who need some. It seems at my club, rifle shooting is way down and there is mostly steel cases in the brass buckets.
     

    Slowhand

    Pre-Banned
    Dec 13, 2011
    1,869
    In a van, down by the river.
    Casting for 300blk and powder coating is less $ and more practical than .223

    for me, Its more the hobby than saving $.
    But since you mention it, I"m paying about 10 cents a round of my Powder coated casted 300blk with the free lead I got. The labor is quite high though. Like I said, a hobby.

    My reloaded .223 with bulk FMJ for shooting steel is I recall 26 cents a round.

    I envy your time and skills. My FIL reloads. He says its no cheaper as he just shoots that much more. I love the 1200 rnd boxes of 9mm he gives me a couple of time a year tho.
     

    j8064

    Garrett Co Hooligan #1
    Feb 23, 2008
    11,635
    Deep Creek
    I've been casting boolits for 300 BLK for several years. Nothing special. I simply added other rifles to my collection that I feed with a Lee .312 mold I already had on hand: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010214728?pid=752956

    When I first built my 300 BLK AR I trimmed 223/556 brass, like many folks do, to build rounds. Over the years I've picked up a lot of free 300 BLK range brass. With plenty of free wheel weight and reclaimed range lead on hand, casting and reloading is part of my winter routine.

    My CB's are sized to .309 with gas checks. They are lubed with Alox and loaded slightly lighter than 150 gr 308 JB's. In both my AR and Ruger American Ranch my CB's are just as accurate as any JB's out to 100 yds.

    Again, nothing special. But CB's work well in my rifles.

    YMMV. Good luck!

    :thumbsup:
     

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    j8064

    Garrett Co Hooligan #1
    Feb 23, 2008
    11,635
    Deep Creek
    Two questions. What is your COAL and what brand dies are you using?

    John, if you're asking me I'm using Lee dies. I seat the CB's to the crimp groove which makes the finished round ~ 2.020". I add a light crimp with the Lee FCD.

    Hope that helps.

    :)
     

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    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I was just curious. I use the same and I try for 2.020 but some wind up at 2.030. Do you clean the tail of the bolt after shooting your Alox bullets? That's where I get paint or lead buildup.
     

    guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    736
    Severn, MD
    Reporting back, I am still getting minute of cookie sheet on the 300 blkout at 100, but I really suspect this is happening from running supers without a GC on.

    I got the GC's yesterday, and loaded a couple this morning. Went to the range and i didn't get the COAL quite right, as the thick powder coating messed with the ogive engagement to the barrel lands (160/312 sized, GCed, seated at 2.06" ( was previously set to another PC batch that was not so thick) gave me feeding problems) - went back to the bench and reseated it to 2.02" and it feeds now. Going to test them out next time i go to the range.

    I also loaded a couple of GCed 311 sized boolits with the same batch for my 7.62x39 ruger american, and ladder tested a couple of GC loads and even loaded a bit of non-GC reduced loads and WOW! 3-4 MOA with 14.5 no GC (shot the same with GC on) and ~1 MOA with a 5 shot group with 16.0 GC. I didn't really bother pushing them any higher as I am mainly loading these as paper punchers to replace the usualy tula/steel case crap i burned through:

    DPThpsS.png
     

    jollymon

    Active Member
    Dec 6, 2016
    852
    Now in Tennessee ,
    I tried a few years back and was having a lot of fun with it till it stopped cycling regularly , I put the little tube from the can of gun scrubber in the gas tube thinking it was full of carbon , Well I got more coming out of back end then the muzzle , So I pulled out the gas tube to find a lot of lead that had built up clogging it , I replaced the tube and used a propane torch to melt what was in the front sight tower . Found some lead in the BCG too Since then it's jacketed only
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    If you powder coat your bullets, you will not get any lead buildup. You will get some residue behind the gas rings on the tail of the bolt but it comes off easily. If you buy powder by the pound, their powder coat seems to be thinner than something like Harbor Fight type powder.

    While I have heard of people having blocked gas tubes, I have not had it happen to me.
     

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