Several years back I made a trade and got a ladies overnight suitcase of .308 reloads as boot on the trade. Now these overnight bags were good sized hardshell totes and this particular one held about 1500 rounds. They were all cast bullet loads, the Lee 120gn carbine bullet. They are suposed to have a gas check on them.
I think I shot a magazine full and realized they were very hot for cast bullet loads, and I set them back to deal with them at a latter time. That latter time turned out to be 20 years.
It rained me out on today's projects and I found the tote under the workbench while cleaning the shop. I got out the bullet puller and dismantled one and found it had no gas check on the bullet and an enormous amount of stick powder as the propellent.
This set off alarms right off. I have been loading cast bullet projectiles a long time and knew of no recomended load in the Lyman book for a 120gn cast bullet and ANY stick powder.
The scales were brought out and the powder measured. First charge was 46 grains, second was 49, third was 51. This went on for ten cases with each case varrying between 46 and 51 grains of whatever is in those cases. This is a max, or near max load of any stick powder I have listed in any of my books for a jacketed bullet and totally over the top for a cast bullet load.
It is also unacceptable variation from charge to charge. I never allow my rifle loads to varry more than 1/10 grain and I demand that my precision loads anywhere near max be dead on with zero variation.
This widely ranging charge of "whatever it is" should be pushing a jacketed bullet along at nearly 3000fps! A cast bullet with no gas check ????? I am sure five rounds would coat the barrel with lead from breech to muzzle!
Now I have 1500 rounds of .308 to break down, since there is no way these are going through any rifle I own!
I still remember the guy that I traded for these, and if he were not in federal prison (for stealing government ammo) I would go see him about this! I never did like him much. At least I know this was not part of the government stash he took.
So, how was your day?
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