Gentlemen,
I am in need of a bulk purchase of FMJ bullets for my '03, and M-1. Where can I make a purchas?
-The Irish Mick
Arizona Territory
Check the thread on .308 bullets. I've had good luck loading for my 1903 and M1 with M80 Ball.
Try Widener's. Forget that, I checked, they're OUT.
http://patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm (http://patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm)
-Nickle,
Thank you sir! You have been a great help. Unfortunately there isn't any place within a day's march of here where I can by reloading supplies. Have to go all the way to Prescott to get pistol powder. BTW, I have been using IMR 4064 powder in my 03's for the past thirty (30) years. Can't even find it in 8 lb kegs anymore! I fear that something is up.
I hope that I can be ready by the 20th of October. Thanks again for your help.
-The Irish Mick
Arizona Territory
The wave of the future is to order it, and have it shipped.
And you are welcome.
Gang up with others in your area (relatively) and get as much as you can for one shipping fee. You can get up to 6 8 lb kegs shipped under one hazmat fee. See if you can work a deal on primers also. Some places sometimes offer 'no hazmat fees" if you buy over a certain dollar amount. Check for this kind of stuff. Generally, private parties have little luck shipping hazmat stuff, so keep your distribution down to driving.
If you can't find surplus bullets, some of the suppliers have what they call a "drop-ship program". If you buy 10 or more boxes of the same kind of bullets they will give you a price break AND ship directly to you from the factory, sometimes even for free.
I have not looked at a bullet catalog or sheet lately, but Hornady used to make a very good substitute for the M2 (and not bad for the M80 either) Ball bullet that was not as pricey as their fancier bullets.
Just a couple of things to look into to help save money.
Buckshot
-Ay Buckshot,
First of all, it's me my dog, and me guns! I am out here pretty much on my own. Although I believe that there is one member somewhere west of my location. Fortunately, when I sold my gun shop a few years ago, I requesioned lots of primers etc. But, powder goes pretty fast. Used to buy from Wall*Mart, but of late they seem not to be interested in keeping a good stock on hand. I will look into your suggestion regarding bullets.
It looks as if I will have to do some serious procureing of reloading supplies. Thanks.
-The Irish Mick
Arikzona Territory
Quote from: irishmick on September 19, 2007, 09:58:20 PM
-Ay Buckshot,
First of all, it's me my dog, and me guns! I am out here pretty much on my own. Although I believe that there is one member somewhere west of my location. Fortunately, when I sold my gun shop a few years ago, I requesioned lots of primers etc. But, powder goes pretty fast. Used to buy from Wall*Mart, but of late they seem not to be interested in keeping a good stock on hand. I will look into your suggestion regarding bullets.
It looks as if I will have to do some serious procureing of reloading supplies. Thanks.
-The Irish Mick
Arikzona Territory
You might get them to ship to you a mixed case of powder in one box. Some will and some won't. Generally they only want to ship full boxes (25 1 lb cans, 6 8 lb kegs and however the heck they ship the middle sizes) but they might fold over some of the dividers in an IMR box and put in some pistol powder for you. It should still qualify as original boxes (just don't look too close at whos!) for shipping. Find a good deal and talk to them about the amount of powder you want.
Buckshot
Quote from: irishmick on September 19, 2007, 07:25:00 PM
Gentlemen,
I am in need of a bulk purchase of FMJ bullets for my '03, and M-1. Where can I make a purchas?
-The Irish Mick
Arizona Territory
Mick,
Give these folks a call and see what they can do. http://azfirearms.com/RetailStore.html (http://azfirearms.com/RetailStore.html) I work around the corner from them and can haul bullets up the hill and meet you half-way if it works out. Whatever it takes that you can have enough boolits on hand for Oct 20-21 for my Appleseed.
Besides, I learned to load for my '03 in about 1965 and was taught that the proper powder for a 30-06 was 4895. I used 4064 for 30-30. If I could find my Speer #6 manual, I think I had a load for 30-06 with 225 gr round nosed, gas checked lead slugs that were given to me. I could shot the '03 in those days for less than it cost to shoot my .22.
Rumpshot
Best prices I have found on powder, primers, and even some rifle bullets
is Powdervalleyinc.com. They're centrally located; Kansas, I believe.
Counselor
You could also cast lead bullets for your M1903. The M1903 was designed to fire a lead bullet(the .30 '03), then in 1906 they switched to a spitzer-style bullet you see today(.30 '06) to match Germany's. The ballistics are only slightly different IIRC, mainly the velocity(correct me if I got that wrong Nickle).
I disagree on the 30-03.
It has a slightly longer case, pretty insignificant difference. The 30-03 loading was a 220 gr FMJ bullet. The 30-06 was IIRC originally 150 gr, then heavier (about 173 gr or so), then 150 gr again. Neither round was designed for cast bullets, nor was the 30-40 Krag.
Military use of cast bullets went out with black powder and big calibers.
I wouldn't hesitate to use cast bullets in a 1903. I'm going to do exactly that, and work a load up for them in my M1.
Thanks to everyone who posted with information. Now, I will have to sift through all the info, and come up with a supplier.
As for cast bullets, I have never tried them in the '03, but it seems like it would be a cheap way of shooting the my 'little darlin'. I shoot cast bullets with my BP rifles, but in the case of the '03, I believe that buying cast bullets with the gas checks would be the way to go. I understand that I would need a neck expander? OK lads, where can one get these bullets in 150 grain, and whot about loading data?
Things have a habit of getting complicated.
Thanks again.
-The Irish Mick
on 'is hill station
Arizona Territory
Quote from: Nickle on September 20, 2007, 10:28:08 PM
I disagree on the 30-03.
It has a slightly longer case, pretty insignificant difference. The 30-03 loading was a 220 gr FMJ bullet. The 30-06 was IIRC originally 150 gr, then heavier (about 173 gr or so), then 150 gr again. Neither round was designed for cast bullets, nor was the 30-40 Krag.
Military use of cast bullets went out with black powder and big calibers.
I wouldn't hesitate to use cast bullets in a 1903. I'm going to do exactly that, and work a load up for them in my M1.
Guess I was wrong. I was under the impression that all the old round nose bullets in the U.S. Military, up to 1906 were made of lead, but the ones I saw could have been reloads. This link has a photo, third pic down: http://m1903.com/odd1903/ (http://m1903.com/odd1903/)
I should have mentioned that the .30 '03 was longer, but as you probably won't find the brass anymore, and the loaded cartridge shouldn't headspace(without trying to whack it into locking) I guessed I didn't have to give that information. You probably won't find a rifle chambered for .30 '03, but if you do the .30 '06(which is shorter) can be fired in that chamber, but be warned! The case may not seal, leaking hot gasses, and you will have poor accuracy to boot.
Also if you load lead bullets for your M1, Nickle, how much of an alloy do you reccomend for the lead to be hard enough not to clog the gas port?
(and what are gas checks?)
Irishmick: I use the Lee C309-150-F mold:
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1190412023.1150=/html/catalog/bullmol2.html
About 2/3 of the way down the page.
Though I think I should have gotten the C309-170-F instead, would have been a little more versatile.
The Lee tumble lube is easy, cheap, and fast to apply. Does tend to make the bullets "tacky", but not a big deal to me. Cost savings on the sizing kit are significant.
Using wheelweights, my mold throws .311 bullets. I water quench them, supposed to make them harder but have no testing equipment...can't hurt in any event. Can use them for .303 or 7.62x54R as-cast. For .30 cal, the Lee sizing kit is about $16 and works on your press.
A thousand .308 gas checks cost me $28. Wheelweights free, tumble lube is about $3 per tube (enough for 1000+ bullets). 33.0 gr of H4895 over a CCI Mil primer gives just over 2000 fps with no leading and decent accuracy. (Though still have some bothersome flyers.) Total cost comes out to something like 10.3 pennies per shot. (If ya don't count yer time...)
Muddog: Gas checks are a little copper cup that goes on the base of the cast bullet to help it handle higher pressure. See:
http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?tabid=2&categoryid=8658&categorystring=685***
(Hmm. Looks like I need to start getting GC from there...)
SoM
Well, the 30-06 can be fired in any rifle chambered for 30-03. But, there were few rifles made in that caliber, EXCEPT 1903 Springfields, and 1903's of that vintage should NOT be fired. The heat treat of the reciever was off, and they were known to crack. There were some 1895 Winchesters out there in 30-03, but they are rare, and worth something.
I use Lyman moulds, myself. I've got a 308291 that I'm partial to. Yes, 308291, not 311291, same bullet, slightly smaller diameter. Water quenched wheel weights work, I've used them myself. I suggest a trip over to http://castboolits.gunloads.com/ (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/) and check things out. Gas checks are NOT for pressure, they are to keep the base from getting burnt by hot gases. If you're approaching 2000 fps velocity, you should be using them.
Muddogg, there's a wealth of data at that site, including some loads proven to work in the M1. Yes, I'm on there, but don't visit much.