6.5CM with cast

[PhilC]

Not an ideal caliber for shooting cast but when I decided to try cast shooting it was the only caliber I felt appropriate for cast. Shot a personal best 10 shot group at yesterday's CBA match which was also smallest 10 shot group among the 9 competitors - .882" @ 100yds. Boolits are deep seated Lyman 266469 using #2 alloy.

Rifle is bone stock 12FV in a Bobby Hart LRT topped with a vintage B&L 24x, was my 3rd or 4th match.

https://i.ibb.co/K084j8K/group.jpg (https://ibb.co/K084j8K)

[8mm RUM]

Very good!
We have been working up cast loads for most our chamberings "Just in case"
22 cal to 338. 45's already worked out.

[charlie b]

Nicely done. Looks like you aren't new to casting either. ;)

[PhilC]

Thanks guys. Am pretty new to casting, maybe 18mos or so, double checked my score records, it was my 3rd match.

[charlie b]

Try out the Cast Boolit forum. Lots of good folks over there too.

For a 'noob' you are doing extremely well!!!

Don't ya just hate fliers, :)

[PhilC]

Thank you for your kind remarks, and yes, fliers do give me fits.

Am a member on Cast Boolits, don't post much but read a lot. Shuz at Cast Boolits (also here) shot from the bench next to me Saturday. He got me into casting and I consider him my mentor.

[Shooter0302]

OUTSTANDING , are your boolits PC or conventionally lubed ? The only bit of advice I might offer is to try and NOT go down the slippery slope of casting and end up like me, an entire shelf in the safe for molds, two pots & two lubsizers, ect,ect.
Again, DAMN FINE SHOOTING

[PhilC]

Those -469s are gas checked and conventionally lubed with WLL Xlox 2500+.

The whole barrel 'seasoning' or 'conditioning' thing is a mystery to me, but think I'm figuring it out. Even though I shot some wide groups (my first 10 shot gp was over 2"), I also had two 5 shot groups that measured .955" & 1.055" so things are coming together. Going from 16x to a fixed 24x target scope certainly helped.

[RCE1]

What is your velocity? Are you using any case fillers? Orienting the powder once the cartridge is chambered?

[PhilC]

What is your velocity? Are you using any case fillers? Orienting the powder once the cartridge is chambered?
1600fps and no case fillers. Rounds are vertically stored in Berry's 50rd boxes, lifted one round at a time and feed direct to chamber.

[Iowa Fox]

Nice shooting. I might have missed it but what powder are you using? I really enjoy cast bullets.

[PhilC]

IMR4198. Made some minor changes to neck tension and hope to test next week prior to match on the 20th.

[charlie b]

Good luck at the shoot. I used 4198 with my .308 as well. Same loading technique.

[RCE1]

Which mould are you using? Lyman twin cavity? Alloy?

[PhilC]

Which mould are you using? Lyman twin cavity? Alloy?
Lyman 266469 2-cavity and #2.

[PhilC]

Shot decent Saturday, 5 shot agg - 1.55"; 10 shot agg - 1.56" (first target was 1.075" and tightest 10 shot group of the match); score 183 1-x. I find score the most difficult to master, those dots are tiny at 100yds.

1st in my class and I wasn't the lone shooter in heavy this time. :thumb:

[charlie b]

Nice work.

And, yeah, those dots are tiny :) I am glad if all my shots are within the 9 ring.

Shooting for 'score' is what I like to try to do. I just accomplish it in a different way since I am shooting for fun. I have a 6" round plate I place at 500yd. Soda cans at 300yd. This exercise really tests my ability to adjust for wind. Hit or miss. Personal best so far is 8 of 10 (at both ranges).

When shooting jacketed the soda cans are at 600yd. Milk jug at 1000yd. :) Personal best with the milk jug was a 3 out of 5 (.308Win, 155 Hornady ELD match). Last time out with the 6BR the wind was doing weird things, only 5 of 10 on the cans.

[PhilC]

One thing that has been frustrating me is the all purpose "bag" on my rest (Sinclair heavy varmint w/windage top). I can't squeeze the sides in tight enough to keep the bottom part of the bag from flattening out. I frequently have to reset windage, elevation, and/or level shot to shot in the same string on the same bull.

Made a point to check front bags other competitors were using, none are like mine, and for those shooting rounded 3" forearms, they had front bags with a matching countour. Time to source something similar.

[charlie b]

I have the same problem with my cheap rest (Caldwell Rock). Just have not gone to the trouble to do anything about it.

[charlie b]

You might find this interesting. I am exploring the upper velocity limits for cast in my rifle. Previously 2200fps was where things went bad. After some advice went to a slower powder and shot these at 500yd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHZxFLsDLlE

Short story, found the limit is right around 2400fps. Above that and the rotational speed throws the bullets off path. A couple of the higher speed shots you can see a bit of spiral motion in the bullet path (and some don't go anywhere near the aim point). I was shocked at the first three rounds at 2350fps, especially with the wind that day. Also found out that 210gn bullets at 2300 and 2400fps recoil a bit :) FWIW, 2400fps is near max for a 210gn jacketed bullet in the .308.