308 bullets

[tim56]

How far down can you size hard lead bullets.? I cast bullets for my 303 and size down a couple of thou to .311. Am looking at getting a .308, just wondering
if a .313 bullet would size down to .308.?? saving the cost of another mold. ??

[DedIdick]

With enough force it will.

[loiner1965]

How far down can you size hard lead bullets.? I cast bullets for my 303 and size down a couple of thou to .311. Am looking at getting a .308, just wondering
if a .313 bullet would size down to .308.?? saving the cost of another mold. ??

strange thing is cast bullets....my verguiro shoots nicely with fmj but i had a real fight to make it shoot cast bullets.
it shoots .323 in fmj so i ordered a batch of gas checked .323 bullets and loaded them up with 26gns of reloder 7.......zilch
altered sights to 600 yds......zilch
brought target to 50 yds .....zilch
speed was around 2000 fps but this monster didnt like .323 cast bullets.
ordered more bullets at .325 (as cast and not sized etc) he also gas checked them too....bear in mind lee only do .323 bullet sizing die as thats what you use to gas check them.
same powder and with bigger bullets it hit point of aim and more or less as it would do with full metal jacket
i ordered a special .325 lyman sizing die from the states for future use

[amc577]

Down to 311 or 310 should be fine in the 308...normally want 2 thou over bore size for cast.

amc577

[andrew375]

Don't bother, 3 thou' wont make much difference and you will probably find the ,308 bore up to a thou' oversize anyway. I've tried the Lee .312-185 in both my 7.5 Swiss (.3091") and my 7.62 (.3078") and the problem in both cases was the nose was too large and at any practical seating depth they still wouldn't chamber. The Lee 200 gr. shoots superb in both rifles by the way.

[Black Beard]

Normally the nose of the bullet casts about 8 thou less than the body. So your .313 bullet will size down to .309 or whatever on the main body but still be .305 on the nose. So it depends on the lead-in to the rifling. If the nose engages with the .300 lands on the bore when the cartridge is chambered, it won't go in easily. Might do weird things with pressures- someone here will know.

If it chambers easily, with no rifling marks, I can't see there being a problem.

[tim56]

Many Thanks gents. Iv got some cast bullets i made a while ago for my 303 that haven't been sized yet so will get a die for 308
and give it a go. A shooting mate has a 7.62x54R and i know he's after trying down loaded lead at 50m so may be able to check
if they chamber. Tim