225 Bator Boolit

[Old Goat Keeper]

Question. This boolit is a Lee..correct? If so why doesn't it show up on their web site or is it a group buy? Anybody got a pic and the specs for it?

Tom

[felix]

It is not a Lee boolit, but one designed by Wally Bator, a board member of some time ago, and consigned to Lee for manufacturing by him through MidSouth. Go to MIdSouth for specs. ... felix

[telebasher]

The 22 Bator is a Lee Bullet that is only available from Midsouth Shooters Supply AFAIK. Now available in 2 or 6 cavity. My mould drops ACWW @ 56-57 grs. Good bullet , My Handi Hornet 12 twist with 12 gr AA1680 will shoot in 11/4 -11/2 @ 100 yds. This should work great in the 222/223 class guns too.

[AZ-Stew]

Unfortunately, both size moulds are out of stock right now.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/department.asp?dept=%52%45%4C%4F%41%44%49%4E%47&dept2=%4C%45%41%44%20%42%55%4C%4C%45%54%20%43%41%5 3%54%49%4E%47&dept3=%53%50%45%43%49%41%4C%20%4F%52%44%45%52%20%4 D%4F%55%4C%44%53

I bought a two-banger a year or so ago and cast up about a hundred of them last weekend, but haven't shot any of them yet.

Regards,

Stew

[reloader28]

WOW, they sold out fast. I think they were only in stock again for a little over a week. A friend of mine just got his 2 days ago. We looked it over and cleaned it up and tried a few boolits.

Thru them out at .227 at 51gr with straight WW. Ugly as hell.

[Herb in Pa]

Mine go 49 grains with wheelweight/babbit mix and measure about .2265".

[Moonie]

I cast mine from straight ww, so far I've had a high reject rate but when right they look pretty good. I size them .225 for my AR.

[scrapcan]

Here is the link to the Midsouth lee special order mould page. The bator is only one of several designs that are produced on a special order basis by lee and sold by Midsouth.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/department.asp?dept=RELOADING&dept2=LEAD%20BULLET%20CASTING&dept3=SPECIAL%20ORDER%20MOULDS

RanchDog does a similar thing with his designs, only he sells them from his store. Here is a link to his store

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/

[Old Goat Keeper]

Thanks guys. Now I know what they are and where to get the mold. I know about Ranch Dog's mold. Has anyone done any comparison work on these two? And which would do best in a 218 Bee and a 219 Zipper?

Tom

[Gohon]

I've got the RD mold and it cast beautifully. I believe RD designed it to be used in the 218 Bee but I'm trying to work up a load using it for the 22 Hornet. So far not having very good luck but am just getting started.

[NHlever]

My best luck with 55, or so grain boolits in the hornet was with Unique for the light loads, and H-110, and AA-1680 for full power loads. I was shooting a Ruger 77/22H with a 14" twist. I have a lot of 218 Bee brass, and would like to find a nice rifle that was affordable to use it in. I sold the Ruger to a fellow club member who thought it was just way too much fun with the cast loads. :D I found a few Lyman 225438 RN boolits that were around 45 grains, and they shot very well with little work, but I never bought the mold. My molds were the Lyman 22596, and new (55gr) 225415. Since both are pretty long for a Hornet, they shot best when pushed a bit. Sweet spots that I found were 3.0 Unique/22596,
6.2/Alliant 2400/22596,
7.5 IMR4227/225415,
11.5 AA-1680/225415,
and 5 grains through 6.5 grains of H-110/22596.
I know these aren't the same boolits you are using, but might give you some help in finding the sweet spot with your boolit. The Hornet can sure be picky at time, but is also fun to work with.

[Tag]

I know this is a old thread but does anyone know if the Bator has lube grooves or tumble grooves

[Moonie]

lube grooves

[Possum]

Lube groove. Google the bator mould and look at the images.