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Glad it went well for you John.

As you were following the logical steps I would have been surprised if you hadn't had some success.

Now imagine the added buzz if you had cast those boolits yourself.

Chronoing will be very helpful in developing the load.

At the longer distances, over 300 yrds, shooting for accuracy, I would batch weigh my boolits as well.

Cast boolits make sense for any rifle.

Just a point on the M die, overall case length consistency is crucial to getting consistent expansion especially on the final step in the M die.

Thanks guys; I really am enjoying this new development to my loading - Unfortunately, I don't have time to cast my own (which I'm sure would become another hobby in itself)...maybe later...

About the setting of the M die - I thought I'd trimmed the cases properly, but I'll check the next lot...it could well have just been me being a numpty...

There's a facility not too far from me where I might be able to use a chrono - It's expensive (by the hour), but needs doing - I'll batch weigh the next lot too; and I can get plenty done in an hour.

I'm sure I can get some reasonable loads sorted by the Trafalgar; which'll be very interesting after always shooting it with jackets...

Quickie:

I'm going to try some cast loads for my Swedish Mauser as well this weekend - I've got some 150 gn 266673 boolits - The Lyman manual gives a load for IMR-4198 starting at 18 gn - According to the Viht manual it has the same burn-rate as N120...so can I assume that 18 gn would be the same start load for N120...?

Id start a little lower and work up.

Ditto.

Ok, guys; I'll start lower

Getting the Swedish Mauser to shoot well with cast is the PhD of cast booilt shooting, the main problem is a long, thin, boolit usually unsupported going into a fast twist rate bore. You can get the Swedes to shoot well at jacketed velocities but it needs a few quirks and processes which need to be applied meticulously along with a tough, not hard, alloy.

The good news is that the Swedes can shoot very well at velocities up to perhaps 1800 fps although 1600 is my velocity of choice which is good enough for out 300yrds.

Swedes respond particularly well to boolits that fit the throat rather than the groove/bore dimensions.

N120 should work OK and 18 gns should be around the sweet spot but I'd work through from 16-20 gns, the 18-19 gn load is what worked in my rifles but your velocities could be different.

Expect some un-burnt powder at the lower loadings which could explain any vertical stringing.

My Swedes and cast always did me well at the Trafalgar.

BTW I'd definitely batch weigh my boolits for this it will make for tighter groups and tell you the quality of you boolits and how well they have been cast.