Alloy for Rifles??

[Odie]

New here,great site...been casting for handguns awhile,lot of fun and inexpensive,no problems yet:)...Want to cast 308 and 7.62x39(and 54)boolits.I'm just going to buy 20lb from Roto.....which alloy blend would be best??Thx for help-this is a great site and after reading the LA links,I realized-I don't know nothing:)

[rintinglen]

I'd go for the Lyman No.2 mix, twere it I. Understanding that I am probably not going to reach 2500 fps, In fact, probably going to be aiming for 1800, that alloy will cast well, shoot well, and be closer to factory spec for most production molds.

[btroj]

Casting for rifles isn't much different from doing so for handguns.
I use same or very similar alloys for both.

The needs of the alloy are determined by velocity, pressure, powder burn rate, fit, is GC used of not, lube quality, and many other things.

You may well have alloy tha would be just fine. Don't fix what isn't broken.

[HARRYMPOPE]

in the 308 a 7.62 x 54 I use Linotype and it shoots and casts very well

George

[runfiverun]

i generally just waterdrop the same alloy i use for my revolvers air cooled.
i do use gas checks in my rifles.

[PS Paul]

Same weelweights, but often water-cooled. Usually use a gas-check.

Welcome to the forum, Odie. I find myself spendin' a lot of "free time" on the site and cannot begin to tell you how much I continue to learn from the good folks here.
Paul

[.22-10-45]

Welcome to castboolits Odie! I agree with btroj. For my BPCR using smokeless..anything from 20-1 up thru range scrap mixed with WW and enough 50-50 solder for nice fillout..in other words..Mongeral alloy! But then I am shooting for accuracy & not speed. Now in a 7X57 sporter..I go with mainly WW..this little rifle likes e'm fast.
For my .22 Hornet & .222 Rem., I use an alloy of Steriotype metal plus soft lead to dilute..about like Lyman #2.
I never needed anything real hard..and I don't have leading problems.

[JIMinPHX]

posting your intended uses for the rifle boolits (hunting, target, plinking, etc) & the speed that you want to reach, might help people to give you better recommendations.

Welcome aboard.

[williamwaco]

I agree with most of the above.

You do not need a different alloy.
If you want it harder, water drop it.

Try what you have before spending money on alloy you might not need.

I have tried Linotype. It makes gorgeous bullets. They shoot very well. Every bit as good as wheel weights. ( But not any better at up to about 1800 fps. )

[stubshaft]

I have cast many pounds of Lino over the years and the only thing I can tell you to watch out for is that it WILL cast a larger bullet than WW or other alloys.

It really depends too on the speed you are going to drive it at. I have cast rifle boolits from 20 to 1 on up to monotype.

[jonk]

Proper diameter, reasonable throat fit, and a good lube are a lot more important than the exact alloy. THe main thing is to be consistant.

[grouch]

I've found alloy to be important, to me at least. I use both 20:1 and wheelweights + 2% tin, have to try them in each rifle to find which is best. In rough and general terms, the harder alloy(ww+2%tin) is often best to achieve higher velocity. If you're looking for best accuracy, that is often not true, especially at 45 70 to 30 30 speeds.
Grouch

[Moonie]

WDWW here for all my rifle boolits.

[pdawg_shooter]

ACWW, but then I paper patch all my rifle bullets.