I'm Here

[Greg]

I just got in from casting a mess of Ideal 225415 for my k-Hornet. Normally I cast until my back hurts so much I can't concentrate, or cast safely. Today I managed to about 125 bullets. Still not much of a pile, with 50 grain bullets.

God Bless ya'll
Greg

[45nut]

Those lil 22's are a PITA but classy. I have owned and sold two 22 molds now,,a RCBS and a Lyman. My smallest cal is a 6mm and so far I have no desire to submit to smaller cals. My fingers have a tough enough time with them !

[Greg]

45 Nut

Somewhat of a pain, most definitely a challenge.

I cast my 92-6-2 alloy from a Lee 4 pound pot, I don’t add ingots too often. I have to do the visual check under a strong lamp. And sit the gas checks on the loading bench to seat. Some of the gas checks don’t stay attached on the trip to the sizer, I figure those boolits should be in the cull pile due to undersize shanks.

[Ed Barrett]

One thing that nice about the .22's, you don't empty the pot fast like the 400 grain .45's. It seems like I'm always putting ingots in.

[C1PNR]

I don't think I have the patience to cast them really tiny .22's. I've got one of those old (cheap) Navy Arms "Baby Rolling Block" in .22 Hornet. Almost a "Boys" size, but that thing never seemed to want to put any 2 holes in close proximity with FLGC stuff. I don't know, maybe it needs to shoot some of the real stuff.

I do admit to having one 243 mould and will at least try using it, but I even have trouble with the .25 caliber size.

But I do have inspiration for those .25's and larger. Those are what I'll be working with at first.

[buck1]

I havent tryed anything smaller than a .270 but I am thinking on the .243 win. I bet it takes 4 ever to heat up the mold with the 22 cal. ...buck

[carpetman]

I cast both .22 cal(RCBS-58 grainer)and 6mm(RCBS-95 grainer). Within a very few rejects mold is warmed and I'm on my way. I do use a Lee bottom pour and hold the mold to the nozzle. This only gives a pin head size sprue and it often sticks. Sometimes I do hold it a little ways from the nozzle to build up a bigger sprue--which does come right off,but its debatable if thats easier or giving the pin head one a touch to remove. I dont recall that I ever tried these sizes with my laddle. I kept hearing you need to add tin to get good mold fill out. I bought some solder just for the tin. I couldnt tell any difference. That solder is the only casting material I have ever bought in 38 years of casting. I size both of these in my RCBS luber and usually use gas checks. I use FWFL. Have shot the .22's without gas checks and results were such I had to ask myself why bother with the gas check? I cant get the .22's to shoot in my .223 but in my .222's and 22-250 they do fine.

[Slowpoke]

I havent tryed anything smaller than a .270 but I am thinking on the .243 win. I bet it takes 4 ever to heat up the mold with the 22 cal. ...buck

I used to think the same way, I use the lyman 225438 and fill it with a Rowell ladle, I do nothing different from my larger molds and with a alloy temp of 650* it cast's easy with WW +1.5% tin. It's all in the wrist !

[crazy mark]

Try casting 225107 and 225415 HP's if you want some fun. They are even more of a pita to cast. Reject rate is real high if you don't keep the HP pins hot. I get 40-60 keepers an hour normally. Sometimes a little higher. Mark