A guy I work with (a Lt, retiring next week) casts his own bullets for all of his WWII through Vietnam era rifles, with very suprising accuracy.

He says he loads them on the light side, because they are soft lead, but out to 300 yards (furthest I have witnessed him shoot) they hold very near to, or slightly better than MOA.

He uses them in a couple AKs, SKSs, several Nagants, and at least one Springfield.

if you can find them, or learn to cast them, lead bullets might be the way to go.

 

I have been exchanging some emails and conversations with the good Lt. asking for some help with this. Instead of trying to paraphrase, I will cut and paste his responses...

I do lots of reloading with cast lead bullets for rifles. I’ll make up a list for you later. I cast my own bullets and make my own gas checks. 2400 powder is one of the best powders, but there are others. For the .308, I’d start at 16 grains of 2400, and go up from there. I’ve had the best accuracy with most of those calibers around 16.5 to 17.0 grains, using 150-200 grain bullets.

When some of the guys meet me at the range for my going away, I’ll have a selection of those rifles and loads out there, so you can try them out yourself and see what you think. The velocities are around 1500-1800….good enough to kill a deer, but not so much that recoil bothers anyone, and the lighter loads don’t stretch the brass. The brass therefore lasts forever.

There’s lots of fun to shoot, and they’re safe for steel plates.

Frank,
Here is a good forum website devoted to cast bullet use. There's even a whole section devoted to cast bullets in military rifles. Does your friend live locally? If so, I could give you some cast rifle bullets that he could load for his rifle. that way he could see what he thinks before he invests in the molds, sizer, and all that.

Many powders will work, but the those in the burning rate range of Alliant 2400 seem to work best. 2400 is not position-sensitive, you don't have to mess with any dacron fillers in the case. Many people swear by the classic Harris "The Load" of 13 gr. of Red Dot. 700X gives similar results. Harris has since added that an even better combination is what I use, 2400 in the 16-19 gr. range for military calibers.

I'm attaching my list of reload formulas. You'll note that I used some other powders (such as 3031, 335 or 748) as well for some reduced rifle loads.....that's only because at the time I was working up loads for a particular caliber, I had lots of powder of those types on hand from when I used jacketed bullets, and wanted to figure out ways to use them up. When I get those stocks used up, I'll develop loads in those calibers with 2400. While I found combinations that did work with those powders, I now stick with 2400 when I do all of my cast bullet rifle loading. It works, its consistent, and it takes less powder to get the same results.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/

Here is a copy of the list he referred to...

Reload formulas

RIFLE

.223 Remington
55 gr. FMJ 26.5 gr. H335
“ “ 25.0 WW 748

55 gr. SP 26.0 gr. WW 748

6.5 X 55 MM Swedish Mauser
140 gr. Remington 35.5 gr. 3031

.308 Winchester
185 gr. Lead Lee bullet #C312-185-1R 28 gr. 748

7.5 X 55 MM Swiss
155 gr. Lead Lee spitzer bullet #C312-155-2R 17 gr. 2400

150 gr. Lead Lee flat-nosed bullet #C309-150-F 16.5 gr. 2400

7.62 X 39 MM
123 gr. FMJ 29.5 gr. H335

150 gr. Lead Lee flat-nosed bullet #C309-150-F 20.0 gr. 3031
“ “ 23.0 gr. 748
“ “ 24.0 gr. H335

155 gr. Lead Lee spitzer bullet #C312-155-2R 23.0 gr. 748

130 gr. Lead Lyman bullet #311410 23.5 gr. 748
“ “ with 4895, start at 25 gr.

.303 British
150 gr. Lead Lee flat-nosed bullet #C309-150F 16.0 gr. 2400

185 gr. Lead Lee bullet #C312-185-2R 26.0 gr. 3031
“ “ 17.0 gr. 2400
“ “ 13.0 gr. 700X

200 gr. Lyman bullet #314299 17.0 gr. 2400

7.62 X 54R Mosin Nagant
150 gr. Lead Lee flat-nosed bullet #C309-150F 28.0 gr. 3031

185 gr. Lead Lee bullet #C312-185-2R 25.0 gr. 3031
“ “ 28.0 gr. S&B
“ “ 17.0 gr. 2400

200 gr. Lyman bullet #314299 17.0 gr. 2400

8mm Mauser
175 gr. Lead Lee or 165 gr. Lyman 16.5 gr. 2400
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


.380 Auto for Makarovs
95 gr. FMJ 3.0 gr. Red Dot

125 gr. Lead Lee bullet #356-125-2R 2.5 gr. Unique
“ “ 2.1 gr. Red Dot
“ “ 2.3 gr. 700X
120 gr. Lead Lyman bullet #356402 1.9 gr. 700X


9MM Parabellum
125 gr. Lead Lee bullet #356-125-2R 3.3 gr. Bullseye
“ “ 3.6 gr. Red Dot
“ “ 3.6 gr. 230P

120 gr. Lead Lee bullet #356-120-TC 3.9 gr. 700X

120 gr. Lead Lyman bullet #356402 3.0 gr. 700X
“ “ 3.9 gr. Unique

.38 Special
Shotload, 4 gr. Unique, #12 shot with gas check above and below as wad and cap

.36 cal. Lead round ball 2.2 gr. Bullseye
“ “ 4.0 gr. Alcan AL8

125 gr. Lead Lee bullet #356-125-2R 3.5 gr. Bullseye

133 gr. Lead Lyman bullet #358480 3.2 gr. Bullseye
“ “ 6.0 gr. Unique
“ “ 7.0 gr. Alcan AL8
“ “ 3.9 gr. Red Dot
“ “ 4.2 gr. 5066

147 gr. Lead Lyman bullet #356637 Bevel Base 4.0 gr. 700X

148 gr. Lead wadcutter bullet 2.7 gr. Bullseye, 3.3 gr. 700X

150 gr. Lead Lyman bullet #358477 3.0 gr. Bullseye
“ “ 3.8 gr. Bullseye
“ “ 4.0 gr. 700X
“ “ 6.0 gr. Herco
“ “ 7.0 gr. Blue Dot

160 gr. Lead Lyman bullet #358311 5.0 gr. Unique
“ “ 4.0 gr. 700X



.357 Magnum
155 gr. Gas checked Lead Lyman bullet #358156 12.0 gr. 2400
“ ‘ 7.3 gr. Unique

.40 S&W 175 gr. Lead Lee bullet, 3.8 gr. Bullseye
.44 Magnum medium load
250 gr. Lead Lyman bullet #429421 SWC 8.0 gr. Unique


.45 auto
200 gr. Lead Lyman bullet #452460 or 225 gr. Lead Lyman 452374, 4.0 gr. Bullseye

.45 Colt
200 gr. Lead Lyman bullet #452460 7.3 gr. Red Dot
“ “ 9.0 gr. Unique

I don't know if there is anything in there that will help you, but if there is antone that can help, I figured him to be the guy. And the forums group is full of more info. I don't reload cast lead, but that's what those guys all specialize in.