Use of cast bullets OK in M1 carbine?

[Rick the Librarian]

A friend of mine who reloads has a chance to get some 110 grain cast bullets - Any problem with feeding or any other "trick" to reloading or using with the M1 carbine?

TIA!

RtL

[jim c 351]

A friend of mine who reloads has a chance to get some 110 grain cast bullets - Any problem with feeding or any other "trick" to reloading or using with the M1 carbine?

TIA!

RtL

Back in the 60's I loaded cast gas check bullets in my Inland carbine with no problems, but did very little shooting.
Years later I shot a bunch of these bullets in a Underwood and the gas piston totally froze up. I had to ream the gas hole with a drill .
I never used lead bullets after that.
Jim C

[USSR]

A friend of mine who reloads has a chance to get some 110 grain cast bullets - Any problem with feeding or any other "trick" to reloading or using with the M1 carbine?

Using a good, hard alloy, and properly sized (I like .310"), no problem. The guys on CastBoolits.com have been doing this for years. Below are the bullets I am currently casting.

Don

http://ussr.clarityconnect.com/30carbinebullet.jpg

[Steve M]

I have used properly sized air cooled w. weight lead, both plain base and gas checked for years. No problems. I lube & size at .309.

[Sunray]

Yep, but not at jacketed velocities. You have/need data?

[Littledog]

Bullet diameter is probably the most important factor for a successful load. I've been loading a Lyman 130 grain plain base sized to .310" with great results. I've shot over 600 rounds through my Standard Products without cleaning the gas cylinder and it still moves freely.

Without complete bullet obturation, you'll get gas blow-by, which will soon lead to severe leading and gas cylinder problems.

[jadcock]

Rick, I have always enjoyed reading your posts on the 1903 forums. I have been away from the forums here lately, but now and enjoying reading and learning again. A very good friend of mine is a retired principal and loads cast bullets just about every day. He is the most knowledgeable person I know. He taught me to load for my 1903 and M1. He loaded when I was in high school for a carbine that I had. I never had any problems. He is on the castboolit forum all of the time but his email is haysb@otelco.net. He would be glad to answer any questions you might have. Very good guy.

[Rick the Librarian]

Thanks for all the comments. I passed them along to my reloading friend.:1948:

[RoninPhoenix]

rick:
I have been casting and loading lead in the carbine for years, both gas checked and non gas checked. I have a running argument with a friend about this that does the same thing. I have constantly told him to clean the gas piston. You need to do this to keep it from seizing up from the suspect lead.
Also need a good lube, properly sized bullet, with the right hardness.
By the way there are people flying bullets up in the 2700fps range that are cast bullets.
All depends on what you cast them with, and the lube.

[Maj Dad]

I have shot a zillion 120 gr RCBS 309 gr gas checked slugs through my carbines with zero leading and no problems other than wishing I had an old GI half-drum solvent bath to dip them in after shooting. I did remove the gas piston nut and clean all that out & put it back together with Loctite rather than keep banging on the nut. I use 296 and some old 630 with superb accuracy and outstanding overall results; 2400 was a filthy mess. I also use WC820 with great results and is my main powder now. I have never loaded down too much - I think the 296 load was 14 or 15 gr (whatever Olin's load was in the book) and for this lot of 820 I use 12.5 g. I bought a pile of the pulldown GI slugs & don't have to cast as much, but it's still one of my fun guns with cheap plinking when I use them.
Cheers,
Maj Dad
:1948: