Mini-14 With Cast Boolits

[9.3X62AL]

Has anyone tried cast boolits in a Mini-14 x 223?

The Mini is not a "military rifle" in the usual sense, but many have been sold to third world nations as military or national police weapons. Close enough for me--if someone objects, the thread can be moved.

Another poster about a week ago said something about the Mini-14's "gas piston". Having never had one of the gas blocks apart--and not wishing to do so--it was my impression that the Mini used bled-off gas that directly impinged on the operating rod via the gas jet/venturi over which the op rod's front end fits in that round socket.

Assuming that to be the case--it seems to me that the bleed hole in the barrel should be almost self-cleaning after each shot.

Has anyone given this a test-drive?

[DOUBLEJK]

Mornin' Deputy Al
It is not hard to get service rifle accurracy ie: 2-3" at 100 outa a Mini-14 with cast...however a few things help alot...

1. use linotype for the alloy....it casts these little pills much easier than WW-s and the hardness is also a plus....
2. use a gascheck design....#225415 is a good un'
3.also use a fairly hard lube....I used Lyman Orange Magic with good results...

I found the softer lubes contributed more to operating rod fouling than the lead did...
Cleaning this firearm is a breeze compared to some others and is a simple chore...

[9.3X62AL]

JK--

2"-3" at 100 yards would be fine with me. My example does a little better than that with 69 grain MK's, but scatters the M-193's into the 4" 100 yard patterns that the Mini-14 is noted for.

I have A LITTLE experience with 22 centerfire cast boolits. About 20 years ago I tried some #225415's in a Rem 700V I had at the time, and the results weren't real impressive. I didn't really know much about cast boolits at that time, but things like "lack of knowledge" haven't stopped me before--which might explain the downrange results. Both the rifle and mold went away during a divorce fire sale, I think.

After about a 15 year hiatus, Carpetman was good enough to send along some RCBS 55 grain SP samples for test drives in my present bolt 223 and a 22-250. These did better than my earlier attempts, but not to the standards you mentioned--more like 2"-2.5" at 50.

I would really like to get the 22 CF's cooking with castings. I appreciate your response, and will adhere to that advice about metallurgy and lube--GC design was a foregone conclusion. Since both the Mini and the bolter have 1-9" twist, I'll start at slower velocities and move upward to see how accuracy holds. I don't mind using the Mini in "bolt action mode", but if the action could function and still provide meaningful accuracy, that would be truly cool.

The 22-250 has a 1-14" pitch, but the throat is pretty much gone--I think that's why C-man's boolits didn't do so well in that rifle.

[DOUBLEJK]

Deputy Al
You can have functioning and decent accurracy both....decent as mentioned but never saw great ever....my best luck was with H322 and Reloder7 at about 1900 f.p.s.
ne more n accurracy went wide n with less functioning was erratic....

another thing that might help is how much yer crimp distorts the boolit.....just barely crimped mine.....nuff to hold it thru the loadin' cycle without shortening...
Let us know how it werks out.....
my cast results almost equalled jacketed fer accurracy but velocity is a bit down it is sure fun ta play with tho...

[HORNET]

Deputy Al,
FWIW, John Alexander (VP of the CBA) has been competing with those 9" twist barrels using 72 grainers from NEI molds. Last I heard he was also mulling over 7-1/2" twist barrels and contemplating a pointy 80 grainer to get better BC and sectional density.:twisted:

[9.3X62AL]

If accuracy held to 1900 FPS, I'd be a real happy camper. I have both powders.

I was perusing the NEI site, and saw the 62 and 72 grain designs. I know the 69's stabilize well when driven at 2800 FPS, but wonder what happens when a boolit that length is driven half that fast. I suspect it will need to be run faster, so I hope it doesn't start stripping out before it gets to stabilizing rotational velocity.

That NEI 62 grainer just calls to me.

[Scrounger]

If accuracy held to 1900 FPS, I'd be a real happy camper. I have both powders.

I was perusing the NEI site, and saw the 62 and 72 grain designs. I know the 69's stabilize well when driven at 2800 FPS, but wonder what happens when a boolit that length is driven half that fast. I suspect it will need to be run faster, so I hope it doesn't start stripping out before it gets to stabilizing rotational velocity.

That NEI 62 grainer just calls to me.

Al, Bullshop has that 72 grain NEI mould and you can probably get some from him. Several people have reported good results with those bullets. I imagine a 7-1/2 to 9 inch twibt might handle them pretty well.

[9.3X62AL]

He does, eh? Thanks much, Art!