Playing with the new NEI mold

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  • Last Post 15 March 2017
SierraHunter posted this 12 January 2017

Few weeks ago my dad found a custom order NEI mold on ebay. The mold was for a 235gn grooveless, round nose boat tail design. After some discussion, we decided to buy it. Finally got around to trying some today in my 300 blackout, which is a Ruger American bolt action, currently topped with a 6-24x50 Bushnell elite series. This was actually my first time attempting to work up a subsonic load for this rifle. I have had very good accuracy in this gun with lighter bullets, and even took my deer with it last year with a 193 yard head shot.

Anyway. After playing with primers and powders a bit I was able to get it to shoot about 1 MOA. When dad cast this batch up, he water quenched them after we powder coated them, and they came out almost 20 BHN, which I think is way too hard for suck low velocity. I'm hoping to make up another batch at about 12 BHN, which I think will be much better suited for subsonic velocity.

Oh, and out of curiosity, I tried snapping a gascheck onto the bottom of the boat tail, and it fit perfectly, so I may try them with gaschecks at somepoint.

This group was shot at 100 yards and about 12 grains on WC680.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 12 January 2017

please try again ... grooveless bullets won't work .  the fins formed on the base destroy accuracy ...

the earth shifts beneath me .....

ken

 

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SierraHunter posted this 12 January 2017

I've never actually heard of that before, and honestly can't tell if you are saying I'm full of it for shooting that group, or being sarcastic....

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rhbrink posted this 12 January 2017

Looks like it shot pretty good to me! But we've all had those wiggle-wobble groups where all the bullets happen to land close together so shoot some  ten shot groups and see what happens. I find it interesting anyway maybe the tapered base eliminates the fins?

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SierraHunter posted this 12 January 2017

I'll try some 10 shot groups next time I'm out shooting.

I'm still a young guy, and hadn't heard of the finding yet. What causes it and why only on smooth sided cast bullets?

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 12 January 2017

mr sierra ...

i was kinda funning ... mostly myself .... for years i have wanted to print up a little wallet card with 3 or 5 proven rules for cast bullet success we could give to new cba members with their new membership ....

so far my most solid rule is the ” bullet must fit or we must quit ” ... rule.   all the rest of my rules have so many exceptions that it would fill a booklet, not a wallet card ...

so ... should i be happy that there is only one consistent rule... or depressed because there is only one consistent rule ?

**********

and as to grooveless bullet ... i am very interested in these because groveless bullets could be easily swaged in $26 swaging dies .  straight, non-voids, square base, and squared gas checks .   so more grooveless targets please.

ken

 

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technojock posted this 15 March 2017

Would you mind posting the load data you used or at least where you got it?  I was given some powder coated bullets about the same wight but I'm not sure where to get a load for them for the Blackout...

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frnkeore posted this 15 March 2017

It looks good for a start. I have some questions, observations and suggestions.

1. What is the twist on your rifle? I note that all the bullets are tipping. Accuracy might improve by raising the powder charge 1/2 to 1 full grain.

2. At subsonic velocitys, extreme spreads in velocity can effect the accuracy a lot. A chronograph would help you with that. Trying differant primers might get the ES down also. I use Rem 7 1/2 & Fed 205M. It makes a notable difference in the accuracy of my 30 & 33 cal Max cases.

3. How clean is the powder burning? If it isn't burning clean, more or faster powder might help. #9, 296/H110 or 300MP might help and give better ES.

I think the bullet design is a good one for subsonic. I bought the NOE, HTC 310 174 SP BT, smooth sided, bullet to try subsonis in my wifes, 12 twist 32/20 and will start out with #7 & #9 powders.

I wish you luck in getting it going. 

Frank

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