TODAY'S GUN TIME

[hunt4570]

My very first high powered rifle was a long ago decision, and boiled down to a choice between 2 calibers. The 25-06 and the .243 were the choices and the thing that pushed me to the .243 was I walked into a local gun store and asked what they had for ammo. They had 2 choices of .243 and none for the 25-06, and that is why I own a .243 and not the slightly superior 25-06!
David from jax

My first "high powered rifle" was your basic Marlin lever 30/30, and still one of my favorite cartridges but now in a Thompson Contender.

 

[paulsharvey]

This afternoon I once again tried 160gr Lee cast lead PC and 200gr Lee cast lead PC bullets in 308, and was amazed by how bad this Ruger shoots any lead bullets I've tried. Anyways, came back in and noticed I have 3 very similar bullets; Hornady 168gr BTHP, Hornady 168gr Amax, and Speer 168gr BTHPs; and decided to load 10 of each at 40.0gr of IMR4895, at 2.800". Didn't get a chance to shoot them, but I figured it would be a fun test. Speer BTHPs are significantly cheaper, but in 223 and 6.5 Gre sel; I've always been just underwhelmed by Speer; not terrible; but just not equal to Hornady or Sierra; never tried them in 308. My 270 shoots soo bad, I can't tell the difference (it shoots factory Remington CoreLok 130grs the best of anything I've tried).

 

[IrishLoader]

This afternoon I once again tried 160gr Lee cast lead PC and 200gr Lee cast lead PC bullets in 308, and was amazed by how bad this Ruger shoots any lead bullets I've tried. Anyways, came back in and noticed I have 3 very similar bullets; Hornady 168gr BTHP, Hornady 168gr Amax, and Speer 168gr BTHPs; and decided to load 10 of each at 40.0gr of IMR4895, at 2.800". Didn't get a chance to shoot them, but I figured it would be a fun test. Speer BTHPs are significantly cheaper, but in 223 and 6.5 Gre sel; I've always been just underwhelmed by Speer; not terrible; but just not equal to Hornady or Sierra; never tried them in 308. My 270 shoots soo bad, I can't tell the difference (it shoots factory Remington CoreLok 130grs the best of anything I've tried).

That there is a pretty good recipie for your .308 with those 168 gr. offerings. No experiance with the Speer flavor but the Hornady offerings are both good projectiles. The A-max in paticular has been dropping deer around these parts for a bit out of an old BAR a neighbor owns in .30-06 and in my bolt gun, a Axis in .308. As for the BTHP that one is going to be the steady diet for my MSR in .308.

As for your PC cast bullets I can only guess but are you running gas checks with them? I know the PC coating works real well with my pistol loads but have not run a PC coat through my long guns yet. I would be worried about a gas cutting situation with the longer barrel and no GC. The one gun I do run cast through is a Model 94 in 30 WCF with a 150 gr Lee bullet and GC, tumble lube sized down to .309. Pretty good shooter on pie plates at 100 yards. My old peepers loose the plate behind the bead that far out but the holes equal the shots so I can't complain.

 

[paulsharvey]

The cast and PC bullets are not gad checked, and ran at very low velocity. They are all sized .309. I probably will try them again in the future, but for now, gonna stick with jacketed bullets.

 

[shooterdon]

The cast and PC bullets are not gad checked, and ran at very low velocity. They are all sized .309. I probably will try them again in the future, but for now, gonna stick with jacketed bullets.

You may be a bit small on sizing diameter. I would try .310. I know adding a GC ups the cost but most folks find a GC enhances accuracy. A flat square bullet base is needed to get accuracy.

BTW, I gave up on HV cast rifle bullets decades ago as I had no desire to turn my .308 into something less than a .30/30. I may revisit the challenge this year health and time permitting. Just seemed silly to waste primers and powder to duplicate .357 mag performance out of a .308 case. I have learned a bit more about cast bullets since then.

Good luck.

 

[PJSprog]

I've always been just underwhelmed by Speer; not terrible; but just not equal to Hornady or Sierra;

I've always felt the same about Speer. They're not bad. They just never seemed to perform as well for me as Hornady or Sierra.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

This afternoon I once again tried 160gr Lee cast lead PC and 200gr Lee cast lead PC bullets in 308, and was amazed by how bad this Ruger shoots any lead bullets I've tried. Anyways, came back in and noticed I have 3 very similar bullets; Hornady 168gr BTHP, Hornady 168gr Amax, and Speer 168gr BTHPs; and decided to load 10 of each at 40.0gr of IMR4895, at 2.800". Didn't get a chance to shoot them, but I figured it would be a fun test. Speer BTHPs are significantly cheaper, but in 223 and 6.5 Gre sel; I've always been just underwhelmed by Speer; not terrible; but just not equal to Hornady or Sierra; never tried them in 308. My 270 shoots soo bad, I can't tell the difference (it shoots factory Remington CoreLok 130grs the best of anything I've tried).

Slug the barrel. I have a .44 magnum revolver that has a slightly oversized bore. If cast bullets are swaged too small, they won't engage the rifling and fly all over the place.

 

[Sigarms]

Good deed for the day, and it's gun related.

Bought a Ruger American rifle yesterday in .243, it's the camo version in burnt bronze.

Donating it for what I sincerely believe is a good local cause for our youth. Going to be up at "auction" Sunday, and I told my friend he better set the minimum reserve at $580 LOL

Should make a fine first rifle for hunting deer for a boy's first year of hunting.

 

[Buppies]

Great thing to do sigarms

 

[Sigarms]

Great thing to do sigarms

Gun sold at action for what I paid for it. I'm more than happy.

I had to leave the auction early as my dad was by himself. I couldn't believe how much the cakes sold for. My wife informed me that if people know a woman is a good cook, cakes can go for big dollars at a auction in a church. The auctioneer was even telling people who made the cakes LOL They must of had about 10 cakes up for auction that took a lot of time on my end as I was hoping to see if the rifle got sold.