PDA

View Full Version : Starting out with a 223



KCSO
01-29-2007, 10:19 AM
I have a 223 Contender that I am thinking of shooting cast in. Now where do I start, what bullet will work best in the 1-12 twist Contender barrel? Will a 1-12 even shoot cast? Since Lee doesn't make a 22 bullet I will have to spend some bucks and i can't afford to buy 3 or 4 moulds looking for mr right.

sundog
01-29-2007, 10:30 AM
Au contraire, KCSO:

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000622BATOR

and it's a purdy good shooter in the right gun. It's not a Lee design. It was done by Wally Bator. And for 18 clams, you won't go wrong for trying it.

The other thing you can do is whine, cry, and beg, and some of the fellers might ship you a few for testing.

As far as I'm concerned a 12 twist 22 will shoot cast, but the question is, will it shoot in a contender bbl?

Scrounger
01-29-2007, 10:33 AM
I have a 223 Contender that I am thinking of shooting cast in. Now where do I start, what bullet will work best in the 1-12 twist Contender barrel? Will a 1-12 even shoot cast? Since Lee doesn't make a 22 bullet I will have to spend some bucks and i can't afford to buy 3 or 4 moulds looking for mr right.

There are some good choices on Ebay right now; there is a 60 grain Saeco that my friend in CA shoots. Works good for him and me too when I tried it. And there always seem to be at least one of the RCBS .22-55-SP available there. I have that one and it works for me.

beagle
01-29-2007, 11:00 AM
The TC shoots .223 cast really well. I shot a 16" barrel for a while and it was a great plinker at 100 yards. Slung a lot of lead through it. The 22-55-SP is a good choice.

Three suggestions. Be very critical in culling bullets. Use necksized cases only or missfires may result. Insure that you have a good GC fit and use anealed Hornady GCs. I attributed a lot of flyers to loose or shedding GCs.

They're darn fine little plinkers and 100 yard varmint guns with cast./beagle

felix
01-29-2007, 11:41 AM
John, what was your final load? Powder, amount, primer? ... felix

schutzen
01-29-2007, 12:30 PM
KCSO pardon me, but let me horn in on your thread. I am also looking for a "good" .223 cast bullet. I will be using 3 different Savage Model 12's with a 1-9 twist and a Contender with a 1-12 twist. I have been looking at the Saeco #221 mold (60 gr. SPGC) with a hard lube. Has anyone tried this bullet in a 1-9 or a 1-12 twist barrel?

Jon K
01-29-2007, 12:45 PM
OK, You guys have my attention now.

So lets hear the rest of it- what ever is needed to pour a good boolit

Alloy mix-
Boolit sized to-
GC base size- min od to hold GC tight
casting temp-

and Felix has already asked for load data

Jon
:coffee: :confused:

KCSO
01-29-2007, 12:49 PM
Thanks, I will order up one of the Mid South moulds. I have hesitated on this as i am not real anxious to try and put gas checks on 22 bullets. My fingers work best with 38 and up. But if I could duplicate a 22 mag in the 223 it might make a good plinker and rat gun.

Drifty4
02-03-2007, 11:38 AM
I just found this site today, lots of information here. I hope to learn a lot.

I have been shooting 44 grain RN GC bullets out of a Lyman mold #225438 with 7 grains of Unique powder. They seem to be alot like a 22 mag load. I make them with straight wheel weight lead. Barrel shoots clean.

I have been shooting them out of an Encore with a 15 inch barrel. I haven't done enough target shooting with them to give you a lot of accuracy data, but they seem to be ok.

Acording to the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook that load should be 1945 fps and 21000 CUP. Their data came from a 1/12 twist 24" barrel.

Jack Stanley
02-03-2007, 10:35 PM
I've been using a forty-five grain NEI bullet with LEE lube with a gas check and four point six grains of Universal clays . It works real well out of my 788 , probably could boost the charge by a little though I think . :Fire:

Jack

David R
02-04-2007, 08:45 AM
I have been using 225646? The bore rider of Lyman's latest design. It shoots great out of my 22-250. I tried a lot of loads and ended up with

Boolit cast of pure linotype, sized .225, LAR45's carnuba, with gas check.

Powder 18 grains of SR4759

Primer CCI Small Rifle Standard

AV 2684. Shoots 1" at 100 and 5" at 300. My BEST cast load to date of any gun. OAL is critical.

I also shoot the Lyan 45 grain round nose out of my savage model 24 in 222. Gas checks seated in the Lyman 450, UNsized lubed 2x with Lee Liquid ear wax ahead of 8 grains of unique. Shoots 1.5" at 50 yards, but goes all to hell at 100. These boolits drop .228 out of the mold.

beagle
02-04-2007, 11:48 AM
Felix...I don't remember now as I lost all the Contender data when I switched computers./beagle


John, what was your final load? Powder, amount, primer? ... felix

Larry Gibson
02-04-2007, 12:12 PM
My M700, M70 and 21" Contender (all basicly 1-12" twists) like the 225415 over 16 or 18 gr of H4895. Cases are military, fire formed and NS'd. Primers are WSRs. Alloy is WWs air cooled. GCs are Hornady, Bullets are sized .225 and lubed with Javelina. Bullets are seated so GC just extends below neck. It is a great small game thumper.

Larry Gibson

Bass Ackward
02-04-2007, 12:24 PM
My M700, M70 and 21" Contender (all basicly 1-12" twists) like the 225415 over 16 or 18 gr of H4895. Cases are military, fire formed and NS'd. Primers are WSRs. Alloy is WWs air cooled. GCs are Hornady, Bullets are sized .225 and lubed with Javelina. Bullets are seated so GC just extends below neck. It is a great small game thumper.

Larry Gibson


Absolutely. And if you drop to a small pistol primer, you can raise that powder range up to 20.5 grains if you want a little more .... umph!