Cast 22 caliber bullets.

[Bfh_auto]

I bought 410 brass the other day and needed $15 to get the free shipping so I ordered a 225-55RF.
Anyone use cast in their 223? I'm going to put my mold back until I get a better handle on powder coating. I need to order some better quality powder coat.

 

[AJC1]

Loads of bacon has done a bunch of 22 rifle bullets. I buy rmr and just shoot those because a lot of people say small bullets are a ptia. Grab some Eastwood light blue and your pc issues will be gone.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Loads of bacon has done a bunch of 22 rifle bullets. I buy rmr and just shoot those because a lot of people say small bullets are a ptia. Grab some Eastwood light blue and your pc issues will be gone.

I had moved to 77 SMKs because I was shooting in the wind over open fields.
I still have a mountain of them and CC bullets. Now most of my shooting could be covered by a 22 mag. So cast would be fine.

 

[Barbaroja]

I’m a fan of what the user smoke sells over on the the castboooits forum. He sells sample packs so you can try 3 different colors of your choice for the same price as a pound of a single color. Good way to see what works best for you. He also sells the little air soft bbs that help build up static in your shaking/mixing bowl. I ordered a pack with clear, Carolina blue and orange. All work well but I get the best coverage ( in my situation) with clear and the Carolina blue. I use more clear than anything as I like the traditional look of a lead bullet. If I was going to cast for 223 I would certainly be powdercoating. If I had a bolt gun in 223 cast would definitely be casting. As it sits now my only .223 is an Ar that collects dust as it is.

 

[AJC1]

I’m a fan of what the user smoke sells over on the the castboooits forum. He sells sample packs so you can try 3 different colors of your choice for the same price as a pound of a single color. Good way to see what works best for you. He also sells the little air soft bbs that help build up static in your shaking/mixing bowl. I ordered a pack with clear, Carolina blue and orange. All work well but I get the best coverage ( in my situation) with clear and the Carolina blue. I use more clear than anything as I like the traditional look of a lead bullet. If I was going to cast for 223 I would certainly be powdercoating. If I had a bolt gun in 223 cast would definitely be casting. As it sits now my only .223 is an Ar that collects dust as it is.

I don't see many heavy molds or load data. 70-80 grain bullets and I'd probably do it, but currently tied up in other projects.

 

[BWS]

The Lee 225-55RF is "at one" with a particularly clean R700 ADL 223 here....

Topped with a Bushnell elite 3-12 it'll bughole 5 shots @100 using the old *222 full-house target loads of IMR4198..... right around 19g. Bullet seated to a soft/medium jam. Better than avg quality casting technique... that should see real tight control over weights.

Make a mould oven,and really buckle down on your timing. Yes,you need to visually check bullets but I swear,get'm cast well,and you're gonna be amazed at the weight QC. The things only weigh 55g... can't be having .3 or more weight difference and expect to not have other issues.

Not saying you get all wrapped weight segregation.... quite the opposite. You don't want any time wasted on sorting. Do what it takes and get them spot on,at the casting bench. Watch the nose dimensions,and at least try to use the body's,as cast. Crimp GC on by entering size die no more than required. This is one reason the leade in on the bullet sizer is so gauldang important. Study this,and it's the road map for when your cast has to negotiate the chambers leade. If you can't get perfection sizing a bullet straight..... what does that suggest slamming it into the barrel leade at launch? Sorry for the novel.

Good luck with your project.

*This isn't the only time I've seen this pop up. Using a slightly smaller cased,known accuracy load,to perform quite well with cast in a larger case. I don't get bogged down searching for "why's".... if the load meets safety criteria,and is obliterating X's....I'm calling it GTG.

 

[Offfhand]

Casting and loading .22 Cal. cast bullets can be frustrating but also very rewarding. Much of the frustrations are caused by the moulds and small size of the bullets. Casting and sizing flaws that have little or no effect on larger size cast bullets can be critical with .22's. The size and position of the sprue cut with Lyman moulds being one example. (I would much prefer a nose pour mould, casting bullets with flat and square bases.) I've always ordered and specified undersize moulds so bullets are .224" or only slightly over, and size only with a SAECO Lubra-sizer with alox based lube. Best accuracy has always been with hard linotype alloy with gas checks. I've never tried powder coating but plan to do it soon. So far I've loaded cast bullets only in .22 Hornet, .218 Bee and .222 Rem. all for bolt action rifles. If I were to load for .223 Rem I expect I'd use the same .222 Loads. I hear and read about .22 cast bullet loads being as accurate as jacketed bullets but this has not been my experience. So I can only call a load that puts five .22 cast bullets inside an inch, or close to it, at 100 yds very, very good. Attached pic are my Lyman #255438,225415 and 225462 bullets,with .225438 in .22 Hornet, a delight to shoot.