To Those Who Are Casting for 223

[308Jeff]

What is the max distance you shoot, or intend to shoot, your cast bullet 223 ammo at?

[mmaloy8]

50 to 150 yards


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[Minerat]

As far as they will go. Not intended to be flippant but I like to shoot across canyons if I know the backdrop just to see the splash so in excess of 500 yards just for fun. May be fun to try to hit a ground rat at long range too.

[Hick]

100 yards, give or take a little. If I get bold I might try 200

[MKN]

I think for me the 50 -150 is about right. I just started casting them and using gas checks with lube on a lyman 4500. Great set up. I would shoot further as the terrain permits, but long canyons are few and far between here in the east ! I think I was was at 1800 fsp, or so and had good accuracy, so much so that .08 cent jacketed bullets will be saved for special occasions. Using a lee, six banger mold and range scrap.

[Larry Gibson]

300 yards with 2 moa accuracy. But then I am using rifles with 12 and 14" twist barrels.

Larry Gibson

[quilbilly]

My new T/C venture 223 with a 1/12 twist seems to like my CB's hotter than my Hornet or 222 so with a 58 gr. CB at 2150 fps, I would have no problem with a 200 yard shot and maybe a bit farther given the limitations of my fixed 4x scope. At 100, my 223 is about 1-1/4 MOA.

[Bzcraig]

100-150 for me as well with 55gr gc'd boolits and 1:8 rifle working, on what I can get with plain based 70's now.

[flyingmonkey35]

50 - 100 for me. or 50 feet in a bolt action for a 22lr replacement. lee 55grn no/gc pc. over 8 grn of trailboss with small pistol primer. puts holes on top of each other.

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[308Jeff]

Thanks, y'all.

[Screwbolts]

300+ yards and Like Larry using 12" , 14, and 16" twist barrels.

[Jack Stanley]

Hundred yards plus or minus a bit for gas checked loads . Fifty or less with gallery loads .

Jack

[robg]

I'm trying to get near to a 22 mag load in my 223 ,so 100-150yards.

[Rickshaw]

Perfect timing! I'm casting Lee .225 55gr. PCing and gcing I'm looking to go 300 yards.
I would prefer to use H335 but, I'm asking for some guidance here......for my AR 16'' 1-7
Thanks, Rick

[dkonrai]

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[MaryB]

Out to 100 in my Savage Axis bolt gun. Reduced load for hunting small game(similar velocity as a 22lr).

[Dancing Bear]

50 to 100 yards for me. Got good accuracy but still can't cycle the AR with my loads so far.

[dverna]

Larry makes a good point. It will be easier to get accuracy if you slow down the twist rate of the bullet. Driving a cast bullet at close to 3000 fps with the typical 1-7 to 1-9 twist rates will be difficult.

With those twist rates, 2000 fps will be easier. If you have an AR, getting a 1-14 twist barrel is the way to go and easy to do...see link.

http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/gm-m14-m16-a1-5-56mm-1-14-twist-20-barrel/

I was going to do this, and decided that shooting cast bullets out of my AR's was not worth the effort. But I am lazy. I was able to get 6000 Hornady 55gr SP bullets for $425. Getting accuracy out of cast bullets will require gas checks, good casting skills, aggressive bullet inspection and maybe even weight sorting. A cast bullet will still cost about $.02-.04 ---- so about 1/3-1/2 of the cost of the Hornady's ---if I did not buy the new barrel. Add the 1-14 barrel, and it made little sense to me.

I may do like Mary B and use cast to mimic .22 Mag performance out of my .223 bolt gun.

[sw Idaho]

Out to 150 yards all day long with 1:12 twist Ruger rifle.

[Iowa Fox]

300 yards with 2 moa accuracy. But then I am using rifles with 12 and 14" twist barrels.

Larry Gibson


Larry,

Hope you don't mind if I ask what bullet your using?

Thanks

[Larry Gibson]

Mostly I use a Lyman 225462 cast of #2 alloy, WQ'd and sized "as cast" at .227. I've also used the Lyman 225438 cast the same but the 225462 holds up better at longer ranges. Both are used in 222s, 223s and 22-250s.

The 225107 and 225415s are used for hunting small vermin out to 150 yards in my 22 Hornets.

In faster twists I've worked a bit with a MP 227-65 in the 223 but have not developed anything past 100 yards with it.

So far I've found it hard to beat the 225462.

Larry Gibson

[armoredman]

I just want a paper punching/steel gong ringing bullet out to 200 yards absolute max. Anything past that and I will likely be using J-Word bullets in my 1-7 twist BREN 805.

[Thekid]

I shoot the lee 55grain fp out of my 1:7 twist carbine out to 200.

[Rickshaw]

Armor and Kid,
What load are you using?

[RogerDat]

Perfect timing! I'm casting Lee .225 55gr. PCing and gcing I'm looking to go 300 yards.
I would prefer to use H335 but, I'm asking for some guidance here......for my AR 16'' 1-7
Thanks, Rick

If that is saying 1 in 7 twist you might give a heavy bullet a try. I have a 1:7 Ruger Mini-14 I cast 70 grain for and it shoots a whole lot more accurate than it does with store bought 55 grain.

Gas check & PC'd 70 grain Lyman #2 in NOE mold good to entertain at 50 to 150 yards. Bear in mind at 150 yards a coke can is the fuzzy red blob one tries to keep the site picture centered on, at least after a certain point in life. 50 meters I can still see a bullseye using a peep site.

[Iowa Fox]

Mostly I use a Lyman 225462 cast of #2 alloy, WQ'd and sized "as cast" at .227. I've also used the Lyman 225438 cast the same but the 225462 holds up better at longer ranges. Both are used in 222s, 223s and 22-250s.

The 225107 and 225415s are used for hunting small vermin out to 150 yards in my 22 Hornets.

In faster twists I've worked a bit with a MP 227-65 in the 223 but have not developed anything past 100 yards with it.

So far I've found it hard to beat the 225462.

Larry Gibson

Thanks Larry, I've got a 225462 that casts nice and fat. I need to give it a try in the Rem 700 at distance.

[Charlie Horse]

Shot this today at 50 yards. Very happy with it. Lee 55 grain. Sized some upside down through the push die. Upside down was definitely better than right side up. No gas check. 700X powder. ~1" groups at 50 yards. My rifle is a Tikka with a 1 in 12 twist. It was very windy so I stayed next to that wall. Next time I hope to try some at 100. Don't plan on taking them further.

325012

[gunseller]

This is interesting to me. I have been shooting a 60 grain rn gc out of an old Ideal mold. Never tried beyond 100 yards. Out of one of a couple Interarms Mini MK10s head shots on squirrels at about 75 yards are so easy it is boring. Loaded with 2400 it is quiter than most suppressed rifles. Volisity is around 1600.