AirForce .308 TexanSS Help ...

Hello, I am always on here but stay in background so to speak. I shoot almost everyday. I do have more guns than I should, but don't we all.

As the title indicates I would like some help or actually input from other Texan .308 owners.... I have tried about everything for accuracy. I have bought so many molds it is not funny. As most know a (good) mold is 100 bucks or so. Yes, I do know I have to get my skills of casting better, but I should get better results in accuracy than I am. I also have resized slugs , to 308 and 309, and even tried .310, just in case you were thinking this. I have measured undamaged slugs once shot, which measure 308.

About the only ammo that shoots and shoots well are JSB and Hatsan 30 caliber pellets. At 40 yards on a good day it is 5 shot groups of half inch.... on bad windy days it is under an inch... Have shot many squirrels with this thing at the average distance 40 yards or less. I can't fault the gun, just slugs don't shoot well.

I just can't seem to find anything in home cast ammo that shows promise.... some 113 and 120 grain Lee molds do show good results but not consistent. I do know some slugs shoot well very fast... but then again it gets to loud...That is why I got the SS. My neighbors don't mind me shooting but i am sure they don want to hear a loud crack...which we all know what that is and means.

So I guess I am asking other owners to advise me of their experiences with this gun. What molds work for you? What Pressure of tank works for you, and at what power settings. How many shots do you get on the average fill.


 
I have tried .48 grain, 59 grain pellet, but can change weight by different pins supplied with pellet mold from NOE, even 93 and 106 grain slug ... had no luck ... Yet... I am still not ruling out shooter casting ability...


I suggest you call hunters supply, yes they cast and sell their own but they are some very good people and I am sure they will give you some tips to get you on the right track, 

I shoot their brand at 1 inch groups 


 
I have a .257 Texan and my friend Kevin has a .308 Texan. They are the same gun with the exception of the barrel. Both of us have had terrible leading early on. Clean your barrel until all lead is gone. Then run some patches with J-B Non-Embedding Bore Cleaning Compound. Clean barrel again. Lubricate your barrel and bullets with 10 weight RC Shock oil. 


Check to see how clean your barrel is after 50 shots. The treatment I described should have helped. I would have horrible leading at 75 shots, but now can shoot double that with no loss in accuracy.

Now, the subject of bullets. I use soft lead home cast 257420 (Arsenal mold) bullets which drop out around 72.2 grains. They are accurate. I also have had awesome groups with the Noe boat tail (thanks Bob for the design!) version of the 257420 at about the same weight. 


For these bullets my power wheel is set way low, down to the second ring. I’ve painted that ring with white paint, as well as the corresponding dot. It’s my go to reference. At this setting I get a curve at five shots. But the air use is fairly conservative and I can squeak out 10-12 shots. I typically refill just before 2000 psi. For a long while I found that a 2800 psi fill to be more accurate.



I have increased power wheel setting and found that my groups scatter and I use up more air, and there comes a point where velocity stops increasing but air consumption increases dramatically. The sweet spot will change as do the variables. 


Kevin found that he got better groups with a Hunters Supply flat nose bullet (no longer available), that I think was about 85 grains. This bullet looks like the 257420, only at .308. He has also had great luck with some Nielsen bullets. Maybe he’ll chime in.



I would pick a flat nose bullet no heavier than 85 grains, and I’d start with power wheel in the middle and not maxed out. Then I’d set up a chrony and increase the power wheel setting where the velocity stops increasing. Mark that setting. Then I’d shoot groups and slightly decrease setting until you find that bullet’s sweet spot. Don’t stop until you find it. Tethering will help with consistency or filling after each shot until you know how the bullet performs. 


I think you really have to work on one bullet at a time to figure out what it likes. Then and only then do you introduce a new bullet. Keep notes.

Full tilt boogie is a fools errand. Not every bullet will tolerate max power or velocity as accuracy goes out the door.
 
The distance between the last barrel bushing and the tip of the barrel is to much since at least in my texan there are 2 screws up front in the frame I will use them to install one last solid bushing, that should help a lot because from there to the tip is only 10" I don't think those 10" will move significantly to change poi...I only have mine like 1 month ago and notice that airforce reamed the barrel deeper 150g long bullet go almost all the way in only 1/8 sticks out..