Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Ammunition-Gunsmithing > Reloading
o

Notices

Reloading All Reloading Topics Go Here


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-23-2009, 09:17 PM
Strike Eagle Strike Eagle is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default .30 Carbine and cast lead bullets

The M-1 Carbine is one of my all time favorite "working"utility guns--lightweight, easy to handle and with CorBon DPX ammo a formidable self defense piece. Lately I can't find any reasonably priced surplus or commercial new ammo so I'm reloading for it. I've come across some Penn Bullet cast 115 grain RN bullets, some Remington Small Rifle Primers and some once fired Lake City cases. I've been advised that the slow burning magnum handgun powders such as H110 and W296 are to be avoided when using cast lead because there is a possibility that the base of the bullet would get deformed with leading problems and poor accuracy. Anybody have experience shooting cast lead through an M1 Carbine and share your experience/suggestions?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-23-2009, 09:32 PM
wsl1971's Avatar
wsl1971 wsl1971 is offline
Member
.30 Carbine and cast lead bullets .30 Carbine and cast lead bullets  
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: The North Coast
Posts: 189
Likes: 4
Liked 4 Times in 2 Posts
Default

I have a boat-load of cast lead ammo for my carbine. It shoots fine, just a bit more time is needed when cleaning. I usually shoot the lead a bit slower than jacketed ammo to prevent the bbl from getting hot, it seems to cut down on the fowling from the lead a bit. If you dont mind a bit more effort cleaning shoot away!

Bill
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-23-2009, 09:33 PM
mkk41 mkk41 is offline
Banned
.30 Carbine and cast lead bullets .30 Carbine and cast lead bullets .30 Carbine and cast lead bullets .30 Carbine and cast lead bullets .30 Carbine and cast lead bullets  
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: South East , PA . USA
Posts: 5,027
Likes: 485
Liked 1,610 Times in 884 Posts
Default

I'd be sure to use a good hard alloy. Something like straight linotype.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-23-2009, 10:25 PM
model10 model10 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: lafayette, ind , usa
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Great little rifle good for small game an middle size game , Just keep it cleaned , some powers work better than outhers , read up on it an find all the information on it you can , all kinds of Mags for it from 5 to 15 up to 30 rounders for it , My dau. loves nine now she ask for it years ago ,
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-23-2009, 11:37 PM
ricks1 ricks1 is offline
Member
.30 Carbine and cast lead bullets  
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: lesage WV
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Default

watch your choice of powder the H 110 is ok but dont drive them fast. . Play with a few loads and try to start low and increase .05 gr at a time get the load to where it will drop the brass at about 3ft away and stay there. and as said cast you will have to clean it
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-24-2009, 12:47 AM
jbbatok jbbatok is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
Default

Allways stuck with jacketed 110 myself, but at one time had a friend who shot nothing but cast in his dozen or so carbines. Never asked him for his load but he had no problem rolling jackrabbits out to 100 yds or a bit farther.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-24-2009, 01:18 AM
john traveler john traveler is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: west coast
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 0
Liked 55 Times in 34 Posts
Default

My shooting friends and I have loaded and fired many tens of thousands of rounds of .30 M1 Carbine using H110, WW 296, and Hercules 2400 powder behind 120 grain RNGC Lee bullets and various Lyman RNGC bullets up to about 125 grains. No leading problems and no functioning problems either. If you don't use gas checked (GC) bullets the gas port may tend to clog up with extensive shooting and cause short recoil malfunctions. No problem. Just get a gas piston removal tool and clean the port using a hand-tuned drill bit that fits the port.

Using 110 grain RN jacketed and Hornady 100 grain half jacketed bullets, we have had no problems at all.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-25-2009, 11:58 AM
LoboGunLeather's Avatar
LoboGunLeather LoboGunLeather is offline
US Veteran
.30 Carbine and cast lead bullets .30 Carbine and cast lead bullets .30 Carbine and cast lead bullets .30 Carbine and cast lead bullets .30 Carbine and cast lead bullets  
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Colorado
Posts: 7,518
Likes: 19,273
Liked 32,340 Times in 5,474 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by john traveler View Post
My shooting friends and I have loaded and fired many tens of thousands of rounds of .30 M1 Carbine using H110, WW 296, and Hercules 2400 powder behind 120 grain RNGC Lee bullets and various Lyman RNGC bullets up to about 125 grains. No leading problems and no functioning problems either. If you don't use gas checked (GC) bullets the gas port may tend to clog up with extensive shooting and cause short recoil malfunctions. No problem. Just get a gas piston removal tool and clean the port using a hand-tuned drill bit that fits the port.

Using 110 grain RN jacketed and Hornady 100 grain half jacketed bullets, we have had no problems at all.
This mirrors my own experience. Gas check bullets, OK (the gilding metal cup on the base provides a scraping action, clearing lead from the bore and preventing excessive deposits through the gas port). No gas checks, no use in my carbines.

Repeated removal of the gas piston results in unnecessary wear. While it is not an overwhelming job to accomplish, it should be done sparingly, if at all.
__________________
Life of the party until 8:00PM
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-25-2009, 02:43 PM
Spotteddog Spotteddog is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Left Coast
Posts: 3,952
Likes: 0
Liked 30 Times in 24 Posts
Default

What J/T and LGL said, so make it three.
My way around it was "Plinkers".
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
carbine, commercial, hornady, remington

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Hi-Point Carbine in 9MM, great cast lead shooter! (pics)..... canoeguy The Lounge 10 11-11-2013 06:51 AM
WTS cast lead bullets, FL gotin Accessories/Misc - For Sale or Trade 61 01-16-2013 07:12 AM
POI cast lead vs jacketed bullets palgeno S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 3 05-01-2012 03:04 PM
Ishapore .308 carbine a great cast lead shooter! (pic) canoeguy Reloading 4 09-03-2010 04:11 PM
Lead/Cast Bullets 5_Shooter Reloading 22 03-16-2009 02:07 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:05 PM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)