Re-Sizing .311 Projectiles for .300 Whisper...

[Just Call Me...G]

Howdy Gents,

So, I am sitting at my loading bench today sizing a batch of lead boolits to .309 and putting gas checks on and I notice some .311 Speer jacketed projectiles I have. They are there as a reminder to load up some rounds for my SMLE.

I started wondering...can I run these through my sizing die and make them .309 projos that would work for my Whisper???

Anyway, I finished up the lead and thought I would post on here and see if any of you have done anything like this.

I have had a heck of a time finding regular .308-type jacketed projectiles since the "Great Panic of 2013", as I am sure some (or all) of you have had.

I dug out my SMLE because, well...it's a great gun to shoot!
Seriously, the one thing that I have noticed is that there are still p-l-e-n-t-y of .311 bullets to be had.

Just another 'what if?' kind of scenario.

I may just go ahead and re-size a handful and then check them to specs.
I have both a (true) Whisper rifle as well as a 300 BLK SBR.

Food for thought...


Keep The High Ground,


G

[Hoser]

You need to get a bullet resizing die to size them down. I have a CH4D die. Be warned, it actually takes a lot of oomph to push a jacketed .311 bullet through a .3085 die. I did a couple thousand ZMax bullets a while back and it was painfully boring. I would just do a little each day, they eventually got done.

[Just Call Me...G]

Thanks, Hoser.

I have a Lee 308 resizing die and might decide to do this...once I finish up all of the other reloading projects on my bench.

I also found a similar post on the 300BLK forum:
http://www.300blktalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=141&t=79076&hilit=.311#p740449


Keep The High Ground,


G

[sten668]

How does the Ruger Mini 30, with a .308 barrel handle .311 ammo without problems?

[Garrett]

I just ran a hundred85 gr. .312 XTPs through a Lee .308 sizing die to try in the Whisper. They sized down just fine - seem consistent. I'll try loading them over some Trailboss and see how they do. Hopefully I'll get to try them out in a day or two.

[MMA10mm]

Different bullets will react differently to this. I once sized down some .323" 8mm bullets to load in a .318"-barrelled Mauser. The core became loose from the jacket. Turns out the jacket will spring back a bit while the lead core stays smaller, creating looseness. The solution, IF this happens to you (doesn't always), is to size a couple thousandths smaller than your desired final diameter, and then run the bullet through a bump-die to re-expand the whole thing to final diameter. Then, the core and jacket stay firmly swaged together.

[sten668]

I bought 1000 .311sp 123 grain bullets years ago to load in my sks, then the price dropped to about $100 per 1000 delivered. It was cheeper to shoot the mil stuff than reload, so about 5 years ago with my new 300 fireball barrel I loaded up a bunch of the .311sp and fired them through the .308 barrel to break in my new action and get thing loosened up. No problems, just went to sub loads with a can and heavy bullets so haven't shot any for a while now.

[sha-ul]

I have a complete derail here, but please pardon my ignorance, what exactly do I need to do to load of cast boolets for my 300wtf? I know I need some sort of expander, but going through Midwayusa, I am not sure which one I should be looking for.:confused:

[TCCrewchief76]

OK, so 7.62x39 dies usually come with two expander balls. One for .308" and one for .310". Using the .310" expander works perfectly for .311" cast bullets in the WTF. Then, you'll slightly bell the case mouth, just as in loading pistol, lessening the chance of shaving the sides of your cast bullets. I use this once the next are expanded with the .311"expander to bell the case mouths:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/140461/lee-universal-neck-expanding-die

The only thing I would add to your procedure is one of these:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/548891/lee-factory-crimp-die-300-aac-blackout

Give it a light crimp, and you're good to go :-)

Kevin

[TCCrewchief76]

You can also use the expander in a 303 British die set as well...

Kevin

[Just Call Me...G]

Howdy Boys!

Been away from the forums for a bit and just checked today and saw that this thread got a little traction.

UPDATE...
I took the 125gr., 150gr. & 174gr. .312 projectiles and ran them through both my .309 & .308 sizers (used case lube, ran projectiles through once a piece).
Mic'ed them all and I then threw them in my tumbler for about an hour.

They came out lube free...I let them sit overnight on my bench and re-mic'ed them...all were around .3075-ish.

Loaded them all up and they worked just as is they were intended too.
No signs of overpressure even though I was using my data for my standard supersonics. The 174s were loaded sub- and shot fine through my SBR/can.

I also purchased a box of 123gr. Hornady V-Max .311 (for the 7.62x39) and did this same treatment...worked like a charm.

Now, I am not advocating doing this as a full-time kinda thing.
Just wanted to see how well it would work out if one needed to, in case there is another situation where .308 projos become scarce.

Things have started to calm down here in NV, regarding components and the shelves are looking a little better than when I first wrote this back in April.


Keep The High Ground,


G

[Just Call Me...G]

I have a complete derail here, but please pardon my ignorance, what exactly do I need to do to load of cast boolets for my 300wtf? I know I need some sort of expander, but going through Midwayusa, I am not sure which one I should be looking for.:confused:

Hi Sha-Ul,

Not a complete derailment, but a really good question.
I shoot cast so that I have options and can keep on shooting.

My preferred boolits at this time are the Lee 155gr., the RCBS 200gr. Silhouette and Lee 230gr.-TL. One of my casting pards just purchased the NOE 247gr. and I just finished a casting marathon to get these done and on their way to 'maturing'. Should be loading these up within the week and shooting for function/accuracy.

Once the boolits are ready to be processed:
1. I lube them with a proprietary lube that I have been using for almost 10 years now...I pan lube.
2. I size them to .309 using the Lee push-through sizer. I also affix the gas check if I will be shooting the boolits to 1400fps or greater.
3. I chamfer and de-burr my brass and have never had the need to use an expander die...YMMV, I do know many guys who deploy the expander.
As 'Crew Chief' mentioned the .310 expander from a 7.62x39 will work in a pinch.
4. Load accordingly and I do crimp all of my rounds.

Shoot, have fun, repeat process to keep on shootin'
:grin:


I hope this helps...


G

[sha-ul]

I do happen to have a hornady die set for 7.62X39 When I get home, I'll have to take my calipers to the expander.
I have several boxes of cast boolets, 150s, 170's& I think 190's. but was shaving the lead seating them. so set the expander long, and run the cases up till it just flares the mouth& since I don't normally crimp, add that step?

[Just Call Me...G]

Yes...

expand, seat and then crimp.

The expander should take care of any lead shaving issues you might have.


G

[sha-ul]

I got home last night& measured the expander on the 7.62x39& it is on the small side of .311, and I have 3 batches of cast boolets, 150fn, 170 fn& 193 rn. all measure .311. and the brass springs back a bit so I have .001-.002 interference fit. To tell the truth, I may not even need to size the neck after firing it may already be .311 if I don't size it back down.
Being this is a bolt gun, do I really need to worry about crimp?

[MMA10mm]

Sha-ul -

For a bolt gun with cast, the crimp is mostly just to take the flare off the mouth. The other function is to resist set-back if you are loading from the magazine. (Even hand-cycling from the mag in a bolt gun can cause set-back, because the lead bullets just do not hold as tight in the necks as jacketed.) If you are single-loading directly into the chamber, you are fine with just taking the flare off.

[Hoser]

Sometimes a touch of crimp will help ES and SD which helps accuracy past 75-100 yards. All your brass has to be the same OAL or you will get inconsistent crimps.