Casting 30 cal bullets

[lbdrummer3]

I was given an old Lyman 308 caliber 185 grain bullet mold and would like to entertain the idea of casting my own rifle bullets. The shape is very much like M2 ball which would be perfect to run through my hungry 1919. My goal it to make cheap plinking ammo for the desert.
Would it be a bad idea to use cast rifle bullets in a semi auto? My concern is leading up the barrel. I would also like information on sizing and how to use gas checks.

Fred

[Army GI]

I don't much about machine guns. But cast bullets are okay to use in rifles where the gas port is easily accessible such as the M1 and AK. Guns not good to use cast in are M1 Carbine and AR15.

[lbdrummer3]

There are no gas ports on a 1919, the action is cycled by recoil

I don't much about machine guns. But cast bullets are okay to use in rifles where the gas port is easily accessible such as the M1 and AK. Guns not good to use cast in are M1 Carbine and AR15.

[AC Gould]

The mould is the cheap part of the deal!! You will need a good lead pot and a lubrisizer. Hardness tester would be an asset. Bullets need to be cast very HARD for use in a rifle and loaded down in velocity for leading to not become a problem. If you are serious, start looking for some linotype metal and /or wheelweights as they tend to be pretty hard. Loads need to start below 1800 fps generally for 30-06 / 308 to keep leading to a minimum even with gas checks. Also, you will find that faster burning type powders tend to work better with lead than the common powders used with jacketed bullets ( obviously with a lower pressure charge too )

[Army GI]

There are no gas ports on a 1919, the action is cycled by recoil

You should have no problem then

[bohoki]

You should have no problem then

if you are not familiar with lead alloys then you shoudl just stick to pistol

lead and copper are complely different animals in a bottleneck rifle

[gunboat]

Try the Cast boolit forum for some factual information about the casting of bullets and their use in auto weapons -- I have used cast bullets in the same carbine for the last 45+ years --

[markw]

There's a whole section on casting bullets and reduced loads in Modern Reloading. It covers calculating the pressure a bullet can withstand, covers reduced loads for cast bullets, etc. I know my neighbor was playing with mixing in some tin solder when he was smelting wheel weights, that and heat treating in a little toaster oven. Not sure if he was going to cast some .308's to use in his savage or not.