.308 Cast bullets 180 to 190 grainers

[Niederlander]

Actually, we shoot our targets at 35 yards all the time with Krags and Trapdoors, as long as you keep your rounds at 1500 fps or below.  As far as the closer targets for GAF, we'll in all liklihood have the close targets engaged only with pistols or shotguns.  I can't imagine setting up any rifle targets, even in pistol calibers, at ten yards.  They ARE rifles after all.  (When people from other clubs shoot with us, the complaint is always that our targets are set too far out.)

[cpt dan blodgett]

As I understand it for GAF we punch paper - Correct

[Niederlander]

I don't know about other Musters or cowboy matches, but at ours, the only time we shoot paper is at long range matches.  The one at last year's Department of the Missouri Muster was ten shots at four hundred yards.  Everything else was shot at steel, which will be the same thing this year.

[Niederlander]

In rereading this thread, I just realized I should have pointed out that in our long range match at the DoM Muster, you can use jacketed bullets for the long range paper match, but ONLY for that match.  I would suggest using jacketed bullets for the four hundred yard "paper" match if you're using a "small bore" rifle, such as the Krag, or a Mauser.  Shooting those bullets at the original velocity really helps over that four hundred yard distance.  Of course, all the stages that use steel targets require lead bullets, but you can use gas checks.  The rifle targets are generally set at a minimum of forty yards out, going out to one hundred fifty, so there's no danger of pieces coming back at the shooter.

[cpt dan blodgett]

Tried some 30/30 170 grain hard cast and moly koted bear creeks also 30/30  Kinda mid range 5744 and varget cast bullet loads.  Key holing and so erratic I could not reliably hit two SR1 targets side by side at 25 yards.  Have yet to order the Montana or Oregon Trail bullets.  May just get 100 each of 309 and 310 just to see what works.  Guess I have a lot to learn on cast bullet loads for rifles.    Will also work some jacketed loads.  Expect if I want to be hysterically korrect I should load 220 gr RN at 2100 fps

[Niederlander]

Tried some 30/30 170 grain hard cast and moly koted bear creeks also 30/30  Kinda mid range 5744 and varget cast bullet loads.  Key holing and so erratic I could not reliably hit two SR1 targets side by side at 25 yards.  Have yet to order the Montana or Oregon Trail bullets.  May just get 100 each of 309 and 310 just to see what works.  Guess I have a lot to learn on cast bullet loads for rifles.    Will also work some jacketed loads.  Expect if I want to be hysterically korrect I should load 220 gr RN at 2100 fps

Did the bullets you tried have gas checks?  Your results sound pretty much exactly like what I experienced before I went to a gas check heavy bullet in the Krag.  It sounds like your bullets may be undersized, too.  By the way, the 220 grain Hornady round nose at 2,000 fps usually shoots EXTREMELY well out of a Krag.  Good luck!

[cpt dan blodgett]

No gas checks, picked up a hundred of each at WR.  Long before this thread started.

Am going to order in some of the longer heavier GC from Montana and Possibly the oregon trails as well.  Thinking I will get both 309 and 310 to test, what the heck its only another $25

[Niederlander]

I'll bet your results will start improving right off.  I don't know why, but the small bore plain base bullets have never worked for me.  Others may have had good results, but I've never found the secret of making them work.