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Tenbender
03-04-2015, 06:22 PM
Anyone casting for a 223 Rem. ? I shoot a lot of varmints, coyotes and others. In these mountains the shots are not all that long. I'm thinking of a cast boolit for my 223. What velocity can I expect with a GC 55gr'er ? ????????????????

1Shirt
03-04-2015, 06:44 PM
You can expect decent accuracy at between 2000-2200, and with tinkering up to the 2300-2400 bracket.
1Shirt.

bangerjim
03-04-2015, 07:03 PM
I shoot that in my Mossy VMT bold.

I use a Lee Bator 6 banger mold. Word of warning - - - those little pills are a PITA to mess with!

I powder coat them in bulk (BBDT) and do NOT GC them for velocities under 1400. Over that, I use Cu GC's. Loading them is stressfull at the best because of the teeny size. I use them for 22LR plinking shooting.

But for full factory-like loads, I still use FMJ BT's. Easy to handle and load. I acquired several thousand of them some time back for about 4 cents each. Can't cast & GC for that. And with a bunch of X-Terminator, I am set!

But casting and loading 223's is very do-able. Just don't get in a hurry. If I diid not PC, I would seriously consider using 45/45/10 to lube these little pills.

bangerjim

gloob
03-04-2015, 08:05 PM
those little pills are a PITA to mess with!
Yes, indeed. I think there must be a better way to gas check these little boogers. Maybe using a tube to hold them, or something. My hands start cramping on the first one.

Land Owner
03-05-2015, 03:36 PM
hmmmmm......I have huge hands, hands that will palm a basketball (for dunking and rejecting), and I find no issue with placing a GC on a 22 Bator then down the die of an RCBS LAM II for swage, size and lube. Patience my Brothers. Loading all 223's are for fun or we find a larger caliber that will make this hobby fun.

Boolseye
03-05-2015, 05:44 PM
I was amazed at how accurate the NOE 55 gr FP RCBS clone was at 2700 fps out of my AR carbine.
I notice he doesn't have any of those molds currently available–there's a reason for that.

altheating
03-05-2015, 10:29 PM
A Star sizer/luber makes it much easier. For 223's, 222's, 22-250's that NOE Boolit is fantastic! 2550ish out of my 223's and 222's.
Tenbender, load em to shoot accurately don't worry about the velocity.

sukivel
03-10-2015, 06:18 AM
I was amazed at how accurate the NOE 55 gr FP RCBS clone was at 2700 fps out of my AR carbine.
I notice he doesn't have any of those molds currently available–there's a reason for that.

What's the twist of your AR? Mine is 1:9 and I have been advised to go with 62 gr. or heavier, but I would love to use that exact mold.

GabbyM
03-10-2015, 12:20 PM
I was amazed at how accurate the NOE 55 gr FP RCBS clone was at 2700 fps out of my AR carbine.
I notice he doesn't have any of those molds currently available–there's a reason for that.

Can't speak for NOE but I think if you ordered one they'd make a run of them.

If you have a 5.56mm NATO chamber. It will have a .227" throat. NOE makes the fat bullets for those. I get 2 moa out of my NATO chambered 1:12" twist rifle and .225" cast bullets. But in the SAMI throats I get sub moa with the same rounds.

For cast shooting I bought a CZ 527 in 222 Rem with a standard 1:14" twist. With cast at 2,400 fps it is sub moa at 100 yards. Leaves a nickel sized exit wound on 15 pound critters and they just quiver a bit and bleed all out. That's under 100 yards. I think it would work out at two hundred. We ran 800 rounds through that 222 last season. 99% at paper and water filled cans.


You can make a good squirrel gun with an AR. Just buy some 22 Hornet bullets. Load over some shotgun powder. Good set up is to have a detachable carry handle sight. Set a handle up zeroed with the 22 RFM equivalent loads. Then just swap sights when changing to J bullet loads. I have data showing a Sierra 40 SP Hornet over 10.0 grains of 2400 for 1,981 fps for a 22 RFM equivalent. Then 4.0 grains of Unique for 1,355 fps. WARNING do not use high velocity .224" bullets over these loads. You will stick a bullet in the bore with heavier jacket bullets. Those loads would not work the action so you'd be running the AR as a straight pull repeater. Around here our coyote often run about 45 pounds. To much dog or wolf bread into them. Those 40 grain loads would be a little light. My cast boolits are 60 grains from a 3/6 alloy with a little Copper. They don't blow up and punch right through. Another way to go. Hornady bulk 55gr SP over enough H-4895 or similar powder to cycle action.

I used to shoot that 40 grain 4.0 gr Unique load from my 26" barrel Rem 700VLS. Very quiet and enough of a bump in power over a 22 RF to make it good for opossum and coons.

Now I like the cast bullets. Never found them any harder to make up than lager calibers. In fact you can cast very fast pace as the molds don't heat up as bad. 14.5gr of H-4198 under Lyman #225646 worked two of my AR's. Had enough fun I bought the CZ 222 as a dedicated cast shooter.

Boolseye
03-13-2015, 05:53 PM
What's the twist of your AR? Mine is 1:9 and I have been advised to go with 62 gr. or heavier, but I would love to use that exact mold.
1:9 twist, it's an ER Shaw barrel, 16" lightweight. The boolits weight about 62 grains lubed and gas-checked.

detox
03-13-2015, 07:31 PM
What type of rifle? Rem 700 VS 223? Boreride section of bullet must be snug slip fit when chambered (at least .221" diameter) and engrave rifling. You will usually have to Beagle or lap mould larger to fit factory bore. I get more consistant accuracy when slowing the bullet down to about 1400-1600fps. The RCBS 52 gr. or Lyman 225646 work good...the RCBS is easier to cast with. Bulky Tin Star (N32C) powder works best in my Rem 700 VS 223...very low velocity spread.

sukivel
03-14-2015, 08:43 AM
1:9 AR-15...i am mainly looking for a bullet that cycles everytime, with no ftf.

Boolseye
03-14-2015, 09:57 AM
1:9 AR-15...i am mainly looking for a bullet that cycles everytime, with no ftf.
The RCBS clone does.