What is a 22 Bator??

Hi All,
Just wanted to ask what is a 22 Bator?? To help a member on this forum I traded for this Brand new 6 cav. 22 Bator mould. Could some one explain to me what I have traded for. I know it makes 6 -22 Bator bullets, but since all the rifle bullets I have ever moulded were Cowboy Rifles.
As allways, i would be much great full for the help!
Later
G

Designed by Wally Bator, it's a fn 55 gr boolit cut by Lee and marketed through Mid-South Shooters Supply.

hey the 22 bator cast a .224 at about 45 grns depending on the alloy
it is called a bator after the guy that designed it
also this is a gas check design
i have one and it works pretty good in my 10 inch tc barrel with loads around 1300 fps
mule

Every Bator I've seen has been closer to 55 grains. But it works well enough in my hornet.

That is what the guy told me but sometimes what hear and what I think I hear are 2 differnt thing. The reason I traded was that was what the guy had to trade and I thought this: My 223 rifle is a AR15 and at this time I hope I will never have to ever shoot any of the bullets i can make. But with our present Goverment I am not sure what will happen and if they would ever cut off the bullets I thought that might be a back up plan?
What are your thought.
G

It will fit your rifle. But it may not be able to be driven fast enough to cycle and auto loader and retain usable accuracy. OTH, it just might. Try it and see.

I am able to get my AR 15 to cycle with the bator using 18gr of H4895. Granted I have a midlength gas system on mine.

It isn't about speed it's about gas pressure.

moonie,
Do you have a bad leading problem with those loaded with 18gr of H4895?
Thanks
G

No leading at all using FWFL and sized to .225

It's basically a round nose, flat point, gas check, 55-grain, .22 cal boolit. It works well for me in a .223.

The 6-cav mold is something new. In the past it was 2-cav or nothing. Let us know how it works out for you. With a boolit that small, it may be hard to keep the 6-cav mold up to temperature.

If you decide that you don't like it, drop me a PM. Depending on my situation at the time, I'd probably take it off your hands.

I just bought a old lyman 225415 how is it different than the 22 bator and which one is better plan to shoot from my 22-250. I also have the lyman 225450 mold and plan on using it in my 22-250 . any opinions on either

I have both the Bator & the 225415(new version). They both work well in a .223 when properly loaded. The 225415 needs to be seated a lot further out to touch the lands & get good accuracy. The new 225415 molds drop a boolit with a longer gas check shank that weighs about 55 grains. The older 225415 molds drop a shorter boolit that weighs about 45 grains.

Mine is old I believe but before sizing it weight is 48.5

The .22 Bator looks an awful lot like a shrunken version of the Lyman 311440 (see mold lists in CastPics) and is very blunt in shape. It tends to lose velocity quickly due to the poor ballistic coefficient but works extremely well at moderate ranges. The 225415 has a higher ballistic coefficient and holds onto velocity better, which gives it an edge as ranges start to stretch. The 225450 is a very slippery critter and should hold velocity quite well, but terminal performance is less than optimal for any hunting applications. I have seen reports that it can be quite accurate under specific conditions but I haven't had a chance to play with it much yet (too cold and it's deer season).

I like the 225450 in my hornet. I hear that it won't stabilize in the 16 twist hornet. Please don't tell my gun that, 'cause it doesn't know.

I can't compare the 415, but the hornet likes the bator as well. It likes the 450 better, but I've got a 6 cavity and a 2 cavity bator, and only a 1 cav 450, so my guns see more of the bator.

i have a 2 cavity 22 bator casts a 55 gr bullet a very nice clean looking bullet using only clip on wheelweights and 1% tin added as small as the bullets are you would expect it would cool too quickly and be hard to keep up to temperature but using 2 bullet molds , say a smaller handgun mold you can effectively work 2 molds and cast perfect bullets in each ... i drop ( water quench ) them in a bucket of cold water to harden the bullets lube and shoot i dont size to help hold the hardness in the bullet i also dont gas check as i shoot under 1600 fps