THE BEGINNER'S RECIPE FOR CAST BULLET RIFLE ACCURACY
Shooting cast bullet five-shot five-group 100-yard averages between 1.5" and 2" is easy.
This isn't the best or the only or the least expensive recipe; it is a recipe that will produce groups < 2” if ANY recipe will.
The shooter must have one or more reloading manuals, the equipment needed and a modest amount of experience.
Notebook: Maybe the most important item
Rifle: Any recently manufactured Winchester, Remington, Savage or other rifle in 308 Win. (I'm partial to Savages; other rifles will work.)
Sight: Any good Adjustable Objective scope starting at 3-9 X set at 9X. Midway sells a Simmons Whitetail Classic 6.5-20 X scope for ~$110 that is about 90% as good as the best scope made.
Rest: Any stable home made or bought rest and sand bags.
Brass: 100 new commercial cases
Bullet: Lyman 314299, 311299, 311284 or 311041
Alloy: Any, soft to hard, that will cast good bullets
Lube: Any commercial or homemade lube
Primer: Any name brand Large Rifle
Powders: IMR 4227, 14 to 23 grains, or A#9, 12 to 15 grains. Many other powders will work.
Full length size and trim the cases to length, chamfer the case mouths in and out, bell the case mouths with a Lyman “M” die.
Inspect the cast bullets for obvious defects, re-cycle the defectives, put on gas checks, size to diameter between .312" and .309" and lubricate.
Find the maximum overall length for the cartridge.
Prime the case, throw the powder charge, inspect the powder level and seat the bullets.
Fire the cartridges
Measure the groups
WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN!
Vary the powder charge, bullet diameter, seating depth and? to improve accuracy.
Notes:
If good jacketed bullets, shot at cast bullet velocities, with the powder and charges listed above, will not shoot group averages ~ 1”; then the barrel will probably not shoot cast bullets accurately.
Some barrels are not accurate. If, after several tries, the rifle will not reliably shoot <3” cast bullet groups nine out of ten times, the barrel is probably not accurate.
