Shot in my first match yesterday... the Cast Bullet Match at the Washtenaw Sportsman's Club in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  I used my 1898 Rifle with a 1902 rear sight.  Loads were 220 grain Hornady jacketed round nose bullets over 40 grains of IMR-4350 and cases were Remington (head stamp R-P 30-40 Krag).  Targets were 100 and 200 yards and my total score was 274!  Not too shabby considering I've never shot at 200 yards before - target looked like the point of a pin at that distance.  I think I could have done better if I had a more stable barrel rest, as I had my barrel rest sitting on my spotting scope case, and it was moving around some.

Here are some pictures:  The target is one of my 200 yard targets - ten rounds.  The targets shown at distance are at 200 yards.

Paul

I was shooting jacketed because at this match, it was open... actually, there were a few shooting jacketed at this match.  Course of fire was:

1. 100 yard warm up - 15 minutes to warm up and sight it.
2. Ten Rounds in 15 minutes at 100 yards.
3. Ten Rounds in 15 minutes at 100 yards.
Rest period while cast shooters completed their 5 round/10 minute 100 yard scoring courses.
4. 200 yard warm up - 15 minutes.
5. Ten Rounds in 20 minutes at 200 yards (shot in 5 round/10 minute groups to coincide with the cast shooters course of fire).
6. Ten Rounds in 20 minutes at 200 yards (5 round/10 minute groups).

The bench really helped as this old fart is not too stable shooting at different stances!  Overall, I had a blast, and I was thrilled with my results - especially at 200 yards!

Paul

I asked the same question on Jouster re: jacketed bullets.

Your bullets are tipping.  The bore could be oversized ... Krags are noted for that ... and if over .309 they won't stabilize a .308 jacketed bullet very well.  If the muzzle isn't messed up, you will probably do much better with cast bullets sized to fit the throat and bore.  That rifle should easily hold the 9-ring at 200 yards.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

Lyman/Ideal 311284 or 314299 cast of reasonably tough alloy and sized to fit your rifle will work fine with that same powder charge, or an equivalent load of 4831SC, and will "shoot to the sights"  to 600 yards.  Unless your bore is pitted or the muzzle is buggered, you should get 2 MOA groups with ten rounds, fired prone.  I have not been able to motviate myself to shoot off the bench, because that's not the way I compete.

I am 61, been myopic since age 10, now have presbyopia, cataracts, PVD in both eyes,  AND diabetic retinopathy, so I can sympathize about vision issues to a degree.  I was whining about eyesight problems about 30 years ago, and I did it within earshot of Gary Anderson, and he scolded me ... "if you can get a clear front sight, you can shoot a score!".   I can still get a clear front sight ... usually.   Sometimes I can't read the target numbers at 600 or 1000 yards, though.   It's moderately embarrassing to shoot a ten on your neighbors's target; totally embarrassing to shoot a 7 on someone elses target!   

Resp'y,
Bob S.