I needed to write this all down for a friend anyway, so figured I'd throw in the details here too. Not saying this is the way, the truth and the light, just how I use these bullets. I'm neither winning, or even shooting matches and my standards may seem low to others, so this is offered as information to add to the data-base on the topic at face value:
BULLETS:
Bullets cast of '70s through 90s wheel weights, air-cooled;
CASUAL, passive inspection at various points in the process, up to seating the bullet, and with a very low attrition rate;
"Aged" by virtue of the fact that it takes me a while to get things done;
Coated VERY lightly with 45/45/10* as soon as I get a chance after casting;
Sized in a LEE push-through die, base first to prevent flash, or "fins" forming on the base when going down .003" in one pass;
Coated VERY lightly, again, with 45/45/10* as soon as I get a chance after sizing;
Bagged or bottled for future use.
*Though lubes/coatings are a very personal-preference thing - for the record, MY 45/45/10 is the consistency of a medium-hard lube in the bottle, so I have to warm it to get it to drizzle from the spout. Further, I warm the bullets just enough that they won't melt their way through a heavy-duty quart-sized ziplock bag. I finally measured my rate of application on another bullet recently and determined that I used almost a teaspoon for 800+ 148 grain, 38 Cal WCs which was a bit "thick." You have to smell the bullets to determine if they've been lubed. NOT sticky. CHEAP. FAST. EFFECTIVE to 1800+fps.
LOAD:
Fired brass, lightly neck-sized in a LEE collet-type neck sizing die - just enough that the bullet cannot be rotated in the case or pushed back into the case by fingers;
Case-mouth flared JUST enough to not pervert the sharp, flat base;
Bullet seated to pretty much align the crimp groove with the mouth of the (trimmed) case - which will vary for others, so I didn't measure;
7.5 grains of Unique has been my go-to charge - have not tried anything else. If I had, it would have been 5.5 grains of HP38/W231, but if it don't shoot with Unique, I don't keep it, so Unique it is. I have not noticed any position-sensitivity using this charge, but have shot it mostly from a make-shift "bench."
I weigh each charge, because Unique has had a tendency to suddenly start climbing or dropping in charge weight as dispensed from the RCBS hopper with the small drum.
Cases are sitting nose-up in a loading block and loaded into the chamber of the Contender Carbine with no particular care or consistency other than that of casual efficiency.
CCI 200 Large Rifle Primer, although I would shamelessly substitute any large rifle primer in this load, for this rifle, even if they were mag primers;
Primers seated by hand, using my last old LEE hand-primer with the round dish.
GUN:
Nothing fancy - just a stainless, "easy-open" Contender action with a minute bit of trigger work, "plastic" TC stock set, non-tapered, stainless, 24" MGM 30/30 barrel with .308" groove diameter
and 1:10" twist. "Vintage" Redfield 2-7x32 with duplex cross-hairs, cheap/light/aggravating Weaver rings, cheap, aluminum Weaver base. Fore-end barrel channel relieved to not touch anywhere and brass washers were inserted between the fore-end lugs and fore-end contact points to "free-float" the barrel. Please, no rotten tomatoes on this - I KNOW that I DON'T know what I'm doing and it may just be "voodoo," but it's working and I'm leaving well enough alone. Anyone who knows better, feel free to warn others that I'm full of beans. Feeling won't be hurt here.
I probably could be a lot more picky about several of the steps listed above, but the difference in equipment cost and time would not net a discernible difference in groups shot by ME. Besides, if everything goes into one hole, no one will believe you anyway. However, being able to shoot groups like this bullet does, with so little extra fussing is a testament to the bullet - and of course the other components and the gun too, so it's all good.
EDITED to add twist rate - THANKS, @popper