New 30-30 Loads

[Schneeky]

I've been trying to figure out a really basic mould for 44M that may have a chance at being useful even if it was to end up being too small for the current stable of toys. Although I think I have the gammot of common sizes covered between the Henry carbine, The Ruger and the Smith.
I had almost settled on a 429421 Lee or Lyman or some such bear-n-buffalokillerz. But I read somethin/somewhere that changed my mind. Checked with a couple of the more "boutique" mould makers but the sheer number of variables was overwhelming.
Then there's the cacophony of the different "camps".
Soft-n-slow. -I up-n kilt a moose with m'44 Special!
Hard-n-Fast! -I shot a Carribou in Alaska... and struck oil in the backdrop!
To Gas Check or Not to Gas Check! -Speed limit 1000fps
Greasy Lube, Powder coat or HiTek it? Beeswax and Valvoline, anybody?
And that ain't eeeeven started on that witch's brew in the pot. Hehehe.
Yer bullets are "frosted". Add antimony. Add tin. Too "shiny". Too soft. Wrong mix for the mould. Oy vey!
But seriously, I'm 54 years old and have been shooting most of my life. Hunting, competitive benchrest, varminting, blahx3. I have never personally known someone who pours their own in all that time. This whole time spent reading about it, albeit confusing, has been interesting. And I'm gonna do it. Not sure if I'll be slingin any un-jacketed soft or hard lead this particular hunting season. But somethin's gonna get melted and poured out of a pot that resembles a bullet! d;^)

[Mags]

... but the sheer number of variables was overwhelming.
Then there's the cacophony of the different "camps".
Soft-n-slow. -I up-n kilt a moose with m'44 Special!
Hard-n-Fast! -I shot a Carribou in Alaska... and struck oil in the backdrop!
To Gas Check or Not to Gas Check! -Speed limit 1000fps
Greasy Lube, Powder coat or HiTek it? Beeswax and Valvoline, anybody?
And that ain't eeeeven started on that witch's brew in the pot. Hehehe.
Yer bullets are "frosted". Add antimony. Add tin. Too "shiny". Too soft. Wrong mix for the mould. Oy vey!
....

overwhelming oh my, I won't be shy, all the more reason why I buy

[220]

I simplified my casting and have settled on 3 alloys
2:6:92 (hardball) for any heavy pistol or rifle plinking loads
2:2:96 my hunting bullet alloy, I have driven these to 1900fps gas checked and 1600fps as a plain base with Hi Tek. Accuracy is as good as jacketed leading has been a non issue for me.
1:3:96 Light pistol loads in the 650-900fps range I only use this alloy when I don't have a stash of wheel weights and scrap lead that is my normal choice for these. Lube is either Hi-Tek or LLA depending on if I want pretty looking bullets. I do get some leading more so with the LLA but even after 500rds I don't see a noticeable drop in accuracy.

Hi-Tek makes for a pretty bullet and you don't have to worry about sticky lube when handling or building up in dies but It doesn't make up for poor bullet fit or alloy selection.

[Schneeky]

I may start a separate thread on this as I don't wanna be rude to the OP. I'd love to figure out something using lead for the '94 30-30, but I'm a l'il antsy about havin to rassle leading in something where I only have access to the bore thru the muzzle. I also red sommers that ya had ta get all the copper fouling out of the bore before ya shot lead due to lead really sticking to copper or some such. Dunno if there's really anything to that or not, either. d:^)

I simplified my casting and have settled on 3 alloys....

[Mistered]

FWIW - I am not getting very good results with the 165 gr cast LFP bullets I tried in my 30-30s (two of them anyway)
I thought I was getting good accuracy, and was with a few shots but i am seeing some inconsistency with them.
I started by shooting them in my 26" 1966 Winchester commemorative which is essentially 'new' with a great barrel and a couple shots were tight and then the next few were incredibly wild. I switched to my 1899 26" Klondike and got basically the same results.
I am going to drop the powder charge of Unique to 8 grains and see if anything changes but that is about minimum for this bullet.