Alloy for full power cartridges

[ScubaSteve99]

Hey y'all, I ordered my first cast bullet mold yesterday. I will be casting for my Steyr M95 in 8x56r. I like to load my rounds to full power driving a 205gr bullet at around 2400 fps. Do I need to cast Linotype alloys for this kind of use? Or is there something softer that would also work? I plan on this just being range ammo, I have some JSPs for hunting rounds.

 

[mdi]

A very good place to find a very good answer; http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Is it a gas checked bullet?
If it's not gas checked, then BHN becomes more important.

The proper hardness is good, but fit to your bore and proper lube are also critical.

 

[ScubaSteve99]

Is it a gas checked bullet?
If it's not gas checked, then BHN becomes more important.

The proper hardness is good, but fit to your bore and proper lube are also critical.

It is gas checked

 

[Project355]

Gas check, sort of hardish alloy too at 2400fps. Might want to look into a hardness tester. Gas check won't stop stripping if the alloy is too soft.

 

[DocRock]

That's very fast for cast. GC and linotype are right. BHN 18-22. At that speed, bullet fit is absolutely critical. You need to slug bore and throat and make sure you have a bullet that will fit the throat really well. The hardness is really to avoid slump or nose deformation at lift off. And making sure the bullet is well aligned and snug in the throat will help a lot.

 

[mdi]

FWIW; I have fired 180 gr cast and gas checked bullets to over 2,400 fps, and I cast them from 12 BHN alloy. But my bullets fit the barrel and I used a decent lube. Very little leading, and as accurate as I can shoot. A few in my Garand, and a lot in my Mosin Nagant...

 

[ScubaSteve99]

That's very fast for cast. GC and linotype are right. BHN 18-22. At that speed, bullet fit is absolutely critical. You need to slug bore and throat and make sure you have a bullet that will fit the throat really well. The hardness is really to avoid slump or nose deformation at lift off. And making sure the bullet is well aligned and snug in the throat will help a lot.

I have slugged bores before, but never the throat. What would I do differently for that?

 

[DocRock]

I have slugged bores before, but never the throat. What would I do differently for that?

chamber cast is best.