Cast Bullet speed.

[ejh69]

What is the top velocity range I could expect in a rifle using cast bullets? Is there a harding process to the cast for best results. I am new to casting for rifles? Thanks in advance.

[Bullshop]

Its going to depend on your experience level among many other factors. For a beginning caster keep your sights set well below 2000 fps then as you gain experience climb the velocity ladder.
Some experienced caster/loaders are shooting well beyond 3000 fps with reasonably acceptable results but trying to start your learning curve there will not be a rewarding experience.

[Moonie]

I'd suggest starting around 1,600-1,800fps until you find accuracy, then work up from there. The guys around here will be happy to help with the process.

[wmitty]

If you are interested in trying paper patching, you can shoot just about as fast as a similiar weight jacketed boolit.

[303Guy]

Might I ask what rifles you are wanting to shoot cast in? And I'll second the suggestion to look at paper patching. That's not a bad place to start if it's your thing. It is addictive though! It's slow but very satisfying and the results can be awesome. I'm going back to plain cast for the volume (in some of my rifles) and I plan on modest velocity.

[DrCaveman]

If you're asking this question, then the answer is probably about 1700 for accuracy.

Top speed? Hell, there are loads with the 30-06' in the lee book approaching or over 3000 fps with cast

Im still quite new at rifle casting, and my fastest rifle loads with accuracy were around 1900-2000 fps in the 30-06 and 30-30.

For hardening, you can water drop the boolits as they are cast. However this effects expansion, and others here have great ways of sidestepping that.

[Kraschenbirn]

There are several ways you can 'harden' your boolits: water-quenching, oven heat-treating, or by increasing the percentage of 'hardener'...usually antimony or arsenic...in your alloy. However, 'hard' boolits aren't an instant ticket to higher velocities. Excessively hard boolits tend to be brittle and lead badly when pushed hard. A much better way to go involves (usually) a moderately 'hard' boolit of a weight compatible with the twist rate of your barrel and properly matched to its throat and/or groove diameter.


My 'pet' CB load for my McGowan-barreled Rem. M700 uses the RCBS 30-165SIL cast from a 4 to 1 mix of Lyman #2 alloy and linotype, water-quenched for 20-22 Bhn and launched at 2100 fps. Load will almost equal 168 gr SMKs for accuracy (2 1/2" vs 1 3/4" 5-shot groups @ 200M) and I've fired as many as 100 rounds in an afternoon with no appreciable leading.


Bill

[dromia]

Boolit fit comes before hardness, I was shooting my 30-40 Krag yesterday at the 2000 fps mark with 12BHN range scrap boolits.

Consistent 100yrd 3" groups with no leading, groups would probaly shrink a bit if a scope was fitted but good enough for me with the issue iron sights.

NOE 311 175gn sized to 0.311" and seated to the lands over 22 gns Ramshot Enforcer.

Even when shooting faster I use a tough and malleable alloy rather than a hard one.

Loading for cast is different from jacketed and you cannot just extrapolate jacked loading to cast as you will never get a cast boolit that will behave like a jacketed one so just replacing a cast boolit into a jacketed load is usually a recipe for tears.