Cast bullets in AR-15

[Tracy]

Sure does. I have been reading up on this one and it seems to be a good choice. My son is looking into his first ar type rifle and this version is on the short list.

Another option is the .300 Fireball. Same chamber (brass, dies etc.) as .300 BLK, but with 1:12" twist.

[Lloyd Smale]

that was my thought. He about decribed one perfectly

300 Blackout?

[Tackleberry41]

I could see where conventional lubed cast might be an issue in a 223 gas weapon. Trying to drive them hard enough to cycle the rifle might lead to issues. Powder coating seems to fix alot of that. I have driven a 55gr cast to 3000fps out of a hornet, no lead in the barrel. Came up with a good 80gr cast subsonic load for 223. Need to mess with a a full power load when my mountain of other projects is a little smaller. And I ran full power 308 200gr cast out of a CETME on full auto, worked fine. If anything worked better, still cycled but did not fling the empties to the next county.

[Moleman-]

Most I've ever gone at one time was about 500 9mm 124gr Lee tumble lubed and dusted with motor mica in a custom gas operated 9mm upper. They were extremely dirty, but it seems like the gunk only built up to a certain point and after that it would just get blown out. Leading wasn't an issue, but it was the dirtiest I've ever got one of my rifles. I also run heavy cast .360" and .430" gas checked out of a couple other AR15 uppers at 1800-2000fps. No issues there either.

[parkerhale1200]

Sorry Robert, I dont have the intention to insult, but, what the most people are telling here, is that they had success.
Some dont even have the money to obtain the lyman m die, but they have success also.

Start with proper alloy...like lino and you must use the rules of fit, i have great and good success with 16-18bhn that look like factory rounds.
Fps? i really dont know
For small groups i use 15,8 gr d060 with the rcbs mold and lithium/beeswax 50/50 with standard gascheck, still no lead in the gasport in my ar-15 .223!! 1 inch lower at 110 yards(100 meters)
The AR is functioning very good, and I didnt do a lot of harsh testing, just read here and simple logic!!

As far for jacket loads with cast boolits, i dont have any trouble or lead in the rifle bores, 8x57,30-06,308 or revolver bores 44mag,357mag/38spl, nor had any trouble in a 1911 45acp or 9mm pistol.
Yes I also pushed them to there limits, with alloy up to 30-35ish bhn.
My normal lead is range 16-18bhn, works like a charme, for full jackets I "spice" it up with fresh antimoon.

Rules are simple: boolit fit, proper alloy and grease
Second rule: barrel condition equals friction, bullet fit = pressure, friction equals speed.
Friction is ruled out by grease and not to big or to small diameter, results in good obturation ect

With best regards from Holland EU

[parkerhale1200]

@ tackelberry41

You are more right than you think!!!
"I could see where conventional lubed cast might be an issue in a 223 gas weapon".
A lot can be gained with proper lube, a lot.

Oke time for reload now.

[jcunruh]

I run cast in 5.56, 300BO and 7.62x40 WT, for 5.56 I run a 60g saeco GC on 7g of Unique in a 1-7 twist sportsman’s guide Chinese barrel for a MV of approx. 1800FPS and get 1.25 inch groups at 100yds. For 300 BO and the Wilson I us the lee 155 2r GC sweged down to .309 with Thompson’s Blue or white labs Red 2500+ at about 1600FPS for 1-1.5 inch groups at 100 yards. I get some **** on my bolt but th gas tube stays clean over 1500 rounds through each at this point and no issues. The 5.56 does not cycle but I use it for my kids as a straight pull bolt action. The BO and WT cycle with around 18g of 1680. I use cast for anything under 200 yds in all of my rifles. Have found there is no easy solution, you need to work up the loads find out what your rifle likes and you are good. Rifles are like women, they are all different and they like what they like. The rewards of figuring them out is worth the effort.

[Vettepilot]

Looking for an opinion here. Have at it guys.

I am a handloader and bullet caster. I am very seriously thinking of building an AR-15 in either 350 legend, or 300 Ham'r, to often shoot powder coated cast bullets out of for plinking. If I hunt with it, it would likely be for predators, as I have a lot of better guns for deer, hogs, etc. I am not worried about shooting cast out of an AR; many are doing it with no problems.

I've narrowed my list of possibilities down to these two interesting calibers for a good number of personal reasons, now I am seeking input between these two only.

So guys, (and gals?), if you were me, given what I want to do, which of those two calibers would you choose, and importantly, WHY??

Thanks in advance,
Vettepilot

[popper]

Hamr. Brass cost. Actually bo is fine for plinking. Just choose your twist. Hamr just has more powder space.

[Vettepilot]

Yeah, I was quite surprised to find out that you can't form 350 legend from 223/556 cases. Marketing mistake there...

That's one of the reasons I personally am leaning towards the Ham'r as well. That and apparently a small increase in power. Also, the fact that it's a bit more convenient to headspace a rimless cartridge on a shoulder.

Funny tho... our Walmart has been out of ammo for quite a while, except that they have scads of 350 Legend.

It's not a big deal, but with any new gun I usually buy a few boxes of factory ammo to break it in, test it, and sort it out. After that, it's all handloads!

Vettepilot

[Lloyd Smale]

ive done it with 556s but its a good lesson in patients trying to find the magic spot and that spot is different in every one of my ars. Now the 30 cals like the BO are easy to work with. I can shoot 130 cast bullets into 2moa out of all three of my bo ars. just got done with my 300 ham'r and took it out to rough site it using the same rcbs 130 spitzer and a full power jacketed load that should be pushing that bullet to 2400 fps and the first 3 shots i shot went into an inch at 75 yards. I guess even a 556 can work for casual shooting. I can load pc coated gas check cast for mine and easily hit 5 inch steel targets at 50 yards off hand. So in a pinch you can have cheap fun with them. But if you seriously want to shoot cast i an ar buy yourself a blackout or a blackout upper. Lot less chance of a stress induced heart attack.

[Hamish]

Yeah, I was quite surprised to find out that you can't form 350 legend from 223/556 cases. Marketing mistake there...

That's one of the reasons I personally am leaning towards the Ham'r as well. That and apparently a small increase in power. Also, the fact that it's a bit more convenient to headspace a rimless cartridge on a shoulder.

Funny tho... our Walmart has been out of ammo for quite a while, except that they have scads of 350 Legend.

It's not a big deal, but with any new gun I usually buy a few boxes of factory ammo to break it in, test it, and sort it out. After that, it's all handloads!

Vettepilot

The move to make 350 brass differentiated from 5.56/.223 brass was a very deliberate move on their part, primarily to slap in the face to the folks who had worked so hard to make the .360x45mm a desirable wildcat, much of that work done by one of our own on this and other forums that he is a regular on.

They don’t want you to be able to quickly and inexpensively make brass out of milsurp or range pick up,,,,,.

Some of us still remember Mole,,,,,

[Hamish]

I pointedly notice that the OP has not been back to substantiate any of his claims. I am hopeful that he knows better by now,,,,,

[madsenshooter]

I've had a lot of fun with a couple in 6x45. One was a heavy 1/8 5r Obermeyer barrel and the latest a lightweight 1/10 twist McGowen. I shot the Obermeyer in a couple CBA matches at Ypsilanti. You really have to know wind with little bullets at 200yds! Coyote head sized groups was the best I could do. I haven't got to shoot the McGowen much, but it was shooting some good groups right off the bat. I'm not having any function problems running slow burners at moderate pressure. I wound up with a gas tube length sorta intermediate due to a miscommunication with McGowen. He sprung for a gas tube I could cut to proper length and it's running good. No leading issues in the McGowen at fairly high cast bullet velocities. The stainless steel seems to get along well with a bullet alloy that's practically a lead based babbitt. Much more testing needed!

[AviatorTroy]

I built a 300BO not for short barrel or subsonic nonsense as most do, but specifically to shoot cast through an AR. That cartridge operates at very cast bullet friendly velocities. Although I sometimes wish I had gone with 300 Hamr instead. Slightly better velocities at lower to medium bullet weights. The blackout can throw very long heavy subsonic bullets which I have no interest in doing.

[armoredman]

I will try 5.56mm cast loading soon, and I noticed my Lymans only lists weights up to 54gr boolit and very little rifle data, only pistol powders. I have X-Terminator and a couple of baggies of testers in various configs laying about. Well, I also have the 700X and Unique too, but do those loads actually cycle the rifle? Rifle may be a standard AR or a piston gun.

[upnorthwis]

I will try 5.56mm cast loading soon, and I noticed my Lymans only lists weights up to 54gr boolit and very little rifle data, only pistol powders. I have X-Terminator and a couple of baggies of testers in various configs laying about. Well, I also have the 700X and Unique too, but do those loads actually cycle the rifle? Rifle may be a standard AR or a piston gun.

No, those loads will not cycle an AR-15. You're going to need something like 4895.

[BNE]

300 Blackout?

Exactly!

[armoredman]

No, those loads will not cycle an AR-15. You're going to need something like 4895.

Unfortunately, with the prices and availability today, (my best friend paid $40 a pound for me to have some X-Terminator today), I am kinda stuck with what I have. I guess I will try to make do.

[Hueyville]

Trick as said is proper fit, correct alloy, reasonable velocity and proper twist. I have great luck shooting heavier cast gas check projectiles through my 1:12 twist 5.56 barrels. I suggest if really want to shoot a lot of cast try a more friendly cartridge, I shoot cast almost exclusively through 458 SOCOM and similar. With 5.56 or most any rifle need to slug your bore so your sure to size bullets to properly fit. If do it correctly leading will not be an issue. If try to run a randomly sized cast bullet through a 1:7 to 1:9 twist barrel at high velocities then trouble will likely rear it's head. I use 22 BHN linotype with polymer coatings when drop to 6mm or smaller or shoot larger at high velocity.