.339 gas check Rimrock 200 gr cast lead for 33WCF?|Winchester Hunting, Shooting & Reloading|Forum|Winchester Collector

Zeb,  Should you succeed in being inducted into the world of bullet casting, you will keep learning for the rest of your natural days!  First rule–don’t sniff the pot to see if it is done cooking!   Tim

I need to commit and try these. That 170GC looks to be just what I need! Starting back 2019, I questioned an old cast man on another forum, got info on everything to start casting my own, then just forgot about it, again!

But I’m wanting to try some, if I thought they’d be accurate, and get enough velocity. Might try em hunting deer in future if they up to par! I love 30-30, shoot n hunting em more than anything else. But would like some reduced loads with cast, I do lotta just woods roaming with a 30-30 also.

Any recommendations on a good expander die? I have all Lee equipment?

Thanks Zebulon, I really need to do this, I’d benefit from it as well as enjoy it! Im so slow to try these things, when I do, I’m should’ve started this long time ago! Was same to reloading, put it off for years!

Since all 33 WCF barrels are Nickle Steel, why not shoot the Hawk 200 grain bullet? I just got 100–Bill

Bill–got 100 in July direct from Hawk 109.00 shipped. 338 200 grain and they took pay-pal, quicker than sending a check..Bill Stratton

Bill:

Speaking from experience, you will be glad  that you did it. Seals the bore, stops gas erosion, and really thumps critters. More accurate than the older discontinued Hornadys -that I still have.

What’s not to like? Your Factory Crimp Die  will like them also. From experience, really work on Alaskan bull moose.

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Grizzlies-Nature’s way of telling you to find another camp site.   Bear spray- Living proof that everything modern isn’t perfect, especially with wind direction.

TXGunNut said
Bill-
In my experience the bullet choice is best determined by the bore condition. I have yet to dip my toes into the .33WCF waters but there’s a good reason 450 Fuller and 426crown like the J-word bullets. Contrary to “conventional wisdom” the jacketed bullets with proper jackets and soft lead cores generally obturate to fill less-than-optimal bores much better than cast lead bullets (even GC designs) because bullets cast for this cartridge must be of a fairly hard alloy to withstand the velocities desired for this cartridge. A hard lead bullet does not obturate well and will often deposit bullet alloy on the lands and grooves of a bore with a bit of, shall we say, “character”. Cast bullet lubes and coatings are also a factor but I’ll step over that rabbit hole for now. I’m a lead bullet aficionado and will someday own and hopefully shoot an 1886 in 33WCF but it will need to have an exceptional bore. 
 
Mike
  

Mike, you NEED a 33. Tied for first place on my list favorite cartridges. 

Reconsideration? Ive enjoyed very much this thread, and the 33wcf threads here and on another forum! And I’ve changed my plans to better suit my uses and preferences? Already posted how again for several years, I thought i wanted to get into Cast bullets for my my Mod 94 Carbine 30-30, but knowing my year round use of this rifle, I’m going back to primarily Hawk Bullets I believe! Considered the cost of buying RR bullets with GC’s already on them, and 450Fullers endorsement of Hawk bullets, and a benefit he stated, which was 2nd time I’ve heard this, and I believe it. Their Copper construction being almost as easy on barrels as Cast! And I’ll be shooting my 94 Carbine a lot for rest my days, along with my M64.

I ordered a good supply of Hawks in 2020, during the components supply shortage. Up till then all I’d used in couple 30-30 was Win PP’s and Rem CL’s, both factory but mostly my reloads, didn’t need or want anything else. So then, i got on phone and talked to ?his name at Hawk?, and had a good talk, really nice guy, and had 200 bullets in just few days, 150 & 170gr. I seriously Considered trying the 190gr, but at that time I hadn’t experimented with reloading 190g in a 30-30 yet, so he didn’t try steer me to them, so I didn’t try em. 

But since then, I’ve come up with IMO, a great load using Barnes Original 190gr FN & LVR Powder. Have got good accuracy, in both my M94 Carbine, 2,130fps and in my Mod 64 2,190fps. Was ready in plenty time for the 2024 deer season with these, and I got excited about a new to me Rem 700 270Win, so I hunted it instead. But my interest and goal, is only WT Deer, but where I hunt, a long tracking & find can be a nightmare to my old 66 year body, steep rugged mountains, and deer can wind up in an near impossible recovery spot, so I want guns & loads that equal DRT! Ive done this in past with mostly 30-30, except one deer which turned into what could’ve been a nightmare, but i never found it, but about killed myself in searching 2 days!

I believe my 190gr load at that velocity is about neck to neck with the 33wcf and dead equal with the old famous 303 Savage. Not yet tested on game yet? I know shot placement is the key, and I’m lifelong comfortable there, have taken game all my life with iron sighted rifles, so I almost always make good shots!

But I roam these mountains pretty much year around since I retired and I’m pleased to think, from now on with my 94 in hand usually. And I have several good loads for it, all accurate, from a mild 130gr Speer HC, the 160ftx that is very accurate for even longer shots than I’d try on game, and hoping to prove these 190gr maybe this year? But I believe when I order bullets again they’ll be the Hawk! Glad to give him my business for sure! Really the 170gr at near 2200fps is plenty adequate as ive done proved over and over. But I got to try the Hawk 190gr now, it’s chewing on me! If not accurate enough, I’ll stick with the 170gr. Just not pleased with the 150gr accurate wise!

One thing I found out for sure? The Hawk owner told me to load light to start, they seal the barrel easily? Glad he did, and i found out how right he was. I get approximately the same velocity with his 170gr when using 2-2.5 grs less powder vs the 170gr Nosler or Hornadys! And no ive not taken game with a Hawk yet, but I believe 450F to be right in that you don’t want to push a Hawk bullet to fast, pertaining to accuracy and performance on game penetrattion & expansion!

Sorry to ramble on just decided how best spend my money on what will work for me? The 170gr Nosler Partitions and Hornadys IL are good bullets i know, but I’m betting from here on for the Hawks! Done seen plenty endorsement from Scoville in past too. Im in a bucks only and one buck only state, so I want the best! Plenty Blackbear here also but ive never even bought a tag before. Maybe this year? Ive got several located in the 4-500lb range constantly, I see em often! And if hunting open hardwoods, I’ll use the 270Win in case of long shots, but most my hunting is thick, 30-50 yards max.

Thanks for this thread, and the 33wcf threads!