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Evening folks,

reality has struck home since I finished my No1 Mk3 35.303, at nearly $1 a projectile Jacketed bullets are too rich for me. I already shoot commercial cast bullets in my .357 and .44 mag and am very happy with how well my Lever Rifles shoot these. But I'm running out and they are not that cheap to buy either.

I've picked up about 30 pounds of pure lead and have approx 120 pounds of wheel weights that I've cast into ignots. I have a deal with a Tyre shop near work for an endless supply of Wheel Weights if I bring in a dozen cans of Bourbon and Cola every now and then.

Recently a very generous chap loaned me a RCBS Ignot mould, casting ladel and 4 cast bullet Moulds, Lyman 358315 which drops .359 dia gas check 208gr using wheel weights for the 35.303. 429421 .430 dia gas check 221 gr proj using wheel weights, .430 dia 429215 plain base 250 gr [ hollow points ] using wheel weights for my Marlin .426 bore / .429 groove .44 mag.

There's also a plain base 358198 brass 2 cavity mould I have not used yet as it does not quite fit my mould handles which is a bugger as it looks like it would drop great proj for my .357 mag M92 Rossi. I traded a 357446 for some custom leatherwork with a mate. It casts plain base .359 dia 161 gr SWC from wheel weights. They feed well through my Rossi

In a few weeks I'll buy the Lee Ignot mould as it's cheap and will work fine but I will buy a RCBS ladel, I like the way the one I loaned pours. I bought a Lee ladel but it only works well on the .359 161 gr projectiles.

I have not had a chance to shoot any of the projectiles I've cast so far as I'm waiting on gas checks and sizing dies. The .35 cal gas checks and a .358 sizing die will arrive late next week. The .430 resizing die and gas checks will need to wait another few weeks. I bought the .358 die as it's a simple matter to polish it out to a larger diameter if I need too but at least in my .357 mag it will size to the correct diameter. It has a .350 bore / .357 groove and shoots .358 proj well. If I need a .359 or .360 die for the .35.303 I'll buy one already machined but not until I see if the .358 die sized 358315 shoots.

I have heard and read the 358315 shoots well in the .358 Winchester at higher velocity's and as my 35.303 is very similar I am hoping they wil shoot in my Enfield. If they don't, no worries as I've started saving for a custom mould that I'll order after I've done a chamber casting and slugged my barrel to be sure I have the right mould made.

I'm not really interested in pushing the 35.303 especially with the 208 gr 358315, something over 2200 fps would be OK. I've been messing around with Mountain Moulds online programme and it appears a 235 gr projectile will give me a good balance of overall length and mass. If that projectile could be driven around 2100 fps I'd be a happy man. These loads are well under what the Rifle is capable of but I'm trying to tone my expectations down, perhaps I need to tone them down further - time will tell.

I have made up my own lube using ATF, Carnuba Wax, Parrafin wax and Bee's wax for the pistol calibres that I'll also try in the 35.303. If it works, great if not I have a couple of other similar formula's at hand that use Lithium grease and a few of the other ingredients that are said to be the go to 2500fps by a mate of mine that uses them

regards Jacko

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"To my deep mortification my father once said to me, 'You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family.' " -Charles Darwin

Edited by Perry (19/04/11 11:37 PM)

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