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Mlt2
11-19-2012, 01:19 AM
Hello all, I have been casting my own 44 mag ( 240g swc ) now for a while and I love it! I have also been casting some 308 win bullets for my friends savage 308 bolt action gun, they are .309 dia 160g from a lee mold with a gas check installed, they shoot really well when loaded down with unique.
So this gets me thinking, would a setup like this work in the dpms 308? I am not sure if unique would be the powder maybe 2400 or Imr 4895? Or is this just a waste of time? Only reason I am asking is I am going to buy a ar15 just not sure if I want the 308 or the .223, I do like the larger cal. of guns hehe.... I hear some people talk about the gas system and lead killing it?
Or should I stay with 223 and shoot cheap jackted bullets lol
Thanks,
Mlt2

Oreo
11-19-2012, 10:09 AM
I've been looking into this as well recently. IMO, the way to go is to get a regular 223 AR15 and a swagging set to make jacketed bullets from 22lr brass. I say that because you can load real full power 223 ammo for the fast-twist rifling in most ARs. If you want to cast 223 or swage non-jacketed you'd be better finding a slow-twist (1/12 or 1/14) barrel. But then you'd never be able to shoot heavier bullets. With an AR its nice to be able to load up the 77gr bullets for longer range shooting once in a while. Those won't shoot in a 1/9 or slower twist barrel.

rockrat
11-19-2012, 10:34 AM
The lead and the gas system is just an old wives tale that won't die, kind of like "lead boolits will lead your bore," you can't shoot lead in a micro-groove barrel, ect" I have shot many thru my AR10, but I use a heavier boolit (200gr) over 4895 or varget. Works fine.

If you do get the 223, just buy your J-words in bulk. At around $8.25 a box/100 its the easiest ( blasphemy around here, I know). Now , the 160gr Lee should work fine if you get one of the 7.62 ruskie short uppers, or possibly the 300 blackout (better of the two), but you might have to size to .311" instead.

Moonie
11-20-2012, 03:00 PM
Lots of us shoot lead in our AR's, I do for 5.56, 6.8 and 300 Blackout, works great, no leading issues at all.

GabbyM
11-20-2012, 04:09 PM
Plenty of success stories here with the various auto loaders and cast bullets. 200 grain bullets like Lyman 311299 have great B.C. of .377 plus give you the required recoil impulse to work your action. 1:12 twist barrel over the 1:10 will help with achieving velocity. I have a Lyman 160 grain 311672 that has shown good results in 10 twist 30-06 barrels at 2400 fps but I’d hate to count on that. However I’d bet against ever getting that high a velocity from a long 200 grain 30 caliber bullet from a 10” twist barrel.

Short of it is out to 200 yards fired from positions other than benched sand bags or prone a cast boolit will turn in about the same score as a J bullets at uber velocity.

Blammer
11-20-2012, 04:56 PM
Get an AR10 that's the Armalie , IE the 308cal, I have one and have shot a LOT of cast boolits in it. I like it!

If you have to clean your gas tube once in a while, no big deal, it will likely be far and few between if you need to.

Lizard333
11-20-2012, 05:18 PM
2nd to the old wives tale about leading the gas tube. I have shot a lot of cast in my M1 garand and AR. No problems. Other than the fact that I'll never were the barrel out.

Mlt2
11-21-2012, 12:37 AM
Thanks for all the info, its good to find people who shoots cast bullets in a ar format. All my friends have told me it can't be done lol. Most think I am crazy for casting my own bullet, Its funny how bad of a name lead has. People seem to think it will kill u if your in the same room lol. I always use safety gear and good old common sense lol... Again thanks for all the help!

thehouseproduct
11-21-2012, 01:02 PM
The lead and the gas system is just an old wives tale that won't die, kind of like "lead boolits will lead your bore," you can't shoot lead in a micro-groove barrel, ect" I have shot many thru my AR10, but I use a heavier boolit (200gr) over 4895 or varget. Works fine.

If you do get the 223, just buy your J-words in bulk. At around $8.25 a box/100 its the easiest ( blasphemy around here, I know). Now , the 160gr Lee should work fine if you get one of the 7.62 ruskie short uppers, or possibly the 300 blackout (better of the two), but you might have to size to .311" instead.How much 4895 or Varget?

GMW
11-23-2012, 12:42 AM
I am not trying to hijack this thread, but I have a DPMS in 260rem and I already cast for my 6.5 swede, so I might give some lead a try in my semi auto. I have a 6.5 Lyman mold with three 6's in a row in it's name. I am just too lazy right now after a long day of eating to go down to my reloading room to check the mold. I use 18.5 of RX7 with 1" groups at 100 yds but I know that load will not cycle the action of my DPMS. I am sorry for jumping on your thread.......Happy Thanksgiving!

x101airborne
11-23-2012, 09:17 AM
Good morning.
I have done quite a bit of lead shooting with my DPMS 308 using everything from the old standby 311041 to the NOE group buy 313155. My DPMS just eats em up. RL-7, 4895, H-380, BLC-2 are all good powders. H-380 seems to give me the best accuracy and operates the action snappily.