Cast the new alternative to .22LR

[bangerjim]

I use lite load 38spl, 45lc and Bator 223 for my normal 22lr replacement. Cheap to reload and fun to shoot! No need to "bastardize" any cases. Just pick them up and reload.

Really only cost is powder (have tons of it) and primers ( have tons of 'em).

And HMG slugs are fun to cast and shoot!!!!!!!!!!!

banger

[Iowa Fox]

Until things loosen up or if they ever do I'll be shooting the Hornet barrels on the Contender with the 225107 & 225415. To fill in for the fun of the 10/22 I'll be shooting the Marlin 357C with light 38 spec loads. I don't want to burn up my supply of 22LR until I see where prices bottom out at if it ever reappears. We all need to start building bullet traps so the only lead that gets away is the ones we shoot while hunting. Just like the battery companies.

[JSH]

Well on 1-1-14 I started on my way of down sizing my .22 rf stuff. Traded into a 22 hornet. It is new old stock rifle unfired. Savage model 40.
I also think making a wildcat for a replacement is out. I passed on a Remington pump in 25-20 this past summer. I have a big fat zero for it as far as sizers dies and molds and brass for it. That would have been almost like starting from scratch for me.
I see no need to reinvent the wheel in order to play.
If worse came to worse I would play with the .223. Seems like there has been a fair bit done with it and down loading. So half or more of the work is already done.
I myself am looking to replace. Not start a new project.
I will keep my bullseye guns in .22rf. My plinking and blasting guns are done. Already spoke to the son about this if he wants to keep any of it I will. But he can pay to feed it.
Jeff

[fecmech]

I personally think the .38 spl. is an excellent .22 replacement. Using a 120-130 gr. bullet, about 4.5 grs of Bullseye I get 1200 fps out of my lever .357's and excellent accuracy. Current price of Wolf primers to my door $27.90/k, recently purchased BE@ $14./lb in 4 lb kegs and ww's acquired locally at about $.15/lb. That makes my .38's a hair less than $.04/shot so I have no interest in .22 's at all. Brass for .38 spl. is everywhere and cheap. An excellent alternative I think.

[donald duck]

I am shooting .223 a lot lately as I cast a 52 grain bullet from a mold ending in 415. Fired 7 shots from my Browning A bolt .223 and could cover all seven rounds with a nickel at 25 yards. The load was 5.7 grains accurate # 5 behind the 52 grain cast bullet. I figure primer and gas check cost around six cents. so maybe total cost is certainly less than ten cents. I also have a Contender 10 inch barrel in .223. These are more fun to shoot than can be imagined. Accurate told me that they do not recommend using Accurate # 5 in .223. I load Accurate# 5, Unique, Tight Group. Green Dot in .223 and 7mmTCU. None of my loads are very hot and primers are not flattened. In light loads check them with a flashlight before loading bullet.

[Certaindeaf]

I almost got run out of town on a rail on another site when I said what I shot .38/.357/9mm for in a (one thousandth) "where's the .22lr ammo?" thread.
I've never really been a .22lr shooter in my 35 year plus career of reloading and casting.

[.22-10-45]

Not exactly "new". The British shooters of the 1870's thru WW1 had a poor opinion of the then available .22 rounds as regards to stopping power. The vast array of Rook rifles and their varied calibers..most over .22 attest to this.

[GabbyM]

Other day I ordered a new CZ 527 in 222 Rem.
Already have 223’s but they are all heavy guns or AR-15’s.

If I want to really put out the ammo in mass. I could set it up on my Dillon 550B. Run 223 and 243 ammo on it before. Using a Lee collet neck die that requires no lube. You can usually adjust Lee collet dies to fit an oversized bullet. If you need a little taper or suede flare you can use a Dremel tool with stone and slightly open the top of the collet so it leaves the mouth a little larger. Other option is about $100 for a bushing neck die set-up.

22 rimfire magnum duplication loads are very mild boolit loads for a 223 or 222. I only have a 225646 that drops 60 grain bullet. That’s more bullet than a rim fire will shoot. Lyman still makes 44 grain moulds for the Hornet shooters. Then about 5 grains of shotgun powder and you’re running 22 RFM power. I’ll be running something more like 12 grains of 2400 under the 60 grain boolits for 2,400 fps. In this 1:14” twist 222.

Back before I cast bullets. I used to load 4.5 grains of Unique under a 45 grain Hornet bullet in a 223 Rem. You can charge that up a bit with 2400 and duplicate 22 hornet ballistics easily. There is data out there for it. Reason I used to do it was so I could shoot off a round without alarming everyone within two miles. Use the Hornet bullets for two reasons. One they’ll expand at Hornet velocity. Other is they are thin jacket and far less likely to stick in a barrel. Cast boolits are the best choice. But not every shooter has the volume demand to set up to cast them.