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Thread: Lee C225-55 Mould. Anyone used one yet?

  1. #1
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    Lee C225-55 Mould. Anyone used one yet?

    .............Buckshot, just noticed that Lee makes a 6 cavity 22 cal rifle boolit mould So I ordered one. Nice looking slug. Does anyone have any experience with it?

    I have a Savage M112 single shot in 223, 26" heavy bbl (12" twist) I bought new in the early 80's for $285. This thing is a cast lead shooting sunuvagun. Having said that, I also have to add that I haven't shot lead out of it in probably 10 years or so. However, perusing Midway one evening I stumbled across said Lee 6 banger, so I ordered one. Should be able to just about produce a half a lifetimes supply of 55gr boolits from a 25lb pot

    ...........Buckshot
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    Preheat is essential with these, since pouring tiny amounts of lead is not going to get it up to temp any time soon.
    I give loading advice based on my actual results in factory rifles with standard chambers, twist rates and basic accurizing.
    My goals for using cast boolits are lots of good, cheap, and reasonably accurate shooting, while avoiding overly tedious loading processes.
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    Boolit Master RKJ's Avatar
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    I’ve got one and once I got used to it’s idiosyncrasies it made a pretty nice bullet.

  4. #4
    Boolit Man
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    I have one and am using it for PC boolits. I’m still working up loads for several of my bolt action 223 as well as a 22 Hornet. But it’s been too cold to head to the range these days. Like very cold.

    But I’m having good success casting with it.

  5. #5
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    +1 on preheating and keeping the mold warm, they cast and coat nicely.

    "Should be able to just about produce a half a lifetimes supply of 55gr boolits from a 25lb pot "
    that's one reason I like single shots more enjoyment and you go through less ammo per outing.

    I loaded up a bunch for ladder testing, the preliminary results were good unfortunately I haven't got back to it.


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    I have used that mold before and had bad results in my groupings.
    I used aluminum gas checks that I made and also used LLA for lube.

    I posted about it and was told I was shooting them too fast (2500-2600 fps).
    I played around with the loads and found where the AR15 would not cycle after shooting (1500-1600 fps)so I raised the loads so that it would cycle reliably.
    The groupings got smaller but not to my satisfaction.
    I then weighed my cast bullets to gather some that weighed the same and shot them.
    Groupings got better but not to my satisfaction.

    After doing all my testing I gave up on the project.
    In my mind I was used to shooting jacketed bullets at normal fps (2500-2800 fps) with good groupings and did not want to settle for less accurate and slower loadings.

    It was a fun project but also frustrating.
    I came away from it all with a better understanding why commercial bullets are jacketed.

  7. #7
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    Shoots pretty well in my Remington 78 Sportsman (.223 Rem) But I'm shooting light loads about 1200 fps
    " Associate with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation: for it is better to be alone than in bad company. " George Washington

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    I had one.. messed around with it for quite a while... I also was not able to get it to group very well. I gave it up and got one of the lee bator molds a while back. Now that puppy prints in my bolt. It’s all I use now for my 223, also prints well in my 22-250 axis and my 22 Jet..
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  9. #9
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    Interesting: The lee bators do not shoot well for me at all
    " Associate with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation: for it is better to be alone than in bad company. " George Washington

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    Yea, it just solidifies the fact about guns having a personality..
    Any technology not understood, can seem like Magic!!!

    I will love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind.

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    .............I appreciate the replies As mentioned, my M112 Savage handles cast very well. Here are some groups:



    Lyman 55gr 225646 at 50 yards. These were 3 shot groups except the last, which was only 2. What is interesting too, is that the point of impact over the velocity range was almost the same. Of the 20 rounds fired, if combined into one group, they would be just barely over 1". Sorry about the image of the target as the contrast is very poor.



    Lyman 55 gr 225646 at 100 yards Red Dot powder. Load #3 should be 2100 something FPS. All 5 shot groups.

    I had a lot of fun with cast in the 223, and especially with the 43gr Lyman and Bullseye. At the time I was doing this shooting this shooting it was about as much per shot as 22RF ammo. Without getting my load info, it was interesting working with Bullseye. I think it was at about 4.0 grs or so where if you loaded a round into the chamber with the rifle on the bags and fired a shot, the slug wouldn't exit the 26" barrel. The first time it happened after I pulled the trigger I heard this hissing sound. I sat up and just looked at it for a few seconds before I twigged to what was happening

    I lifted the bolt handle with one finger under the bolt knob, and it went 'POP'! The bolt went backward and the empty case was lying there in the trough. So I tried another of the same load, but this time I elevated the muzzle after chambering the round, then laid the rifle gently down onto the bag. IIRC this time the slug went over the chronograph at about 600 fps. Quite a difference having the charge up against the primer.

    Didn't take too many more grains of BE before elevating the muzzle was no longer required. However viewing through the scope, at each shot you could see the boolit rise up, and then down, and 'BING!' there on your target a new hole appeared! GREAT fun! I ruined many a group simply shooting and watching the slug appear, then drop down and generate another hole. Simple things for simple minds I suspect.

    I never tried this with cast in my 223, but did with 22RF. You'll need to be shooting over a chronograph to see it. After firing a shot and ejecting the empty 22 case, simple lean over and blow into the action of the rifle so that your breath will enter the barrel. You simply want to direct your breath at the breech. First fire 5 shots normally and record the velocity. Then fire 5 rounds blowing through the barrel after each shot and look at the difference in the velocity. Just interesting, and I guess the smoke remaining in the barrel after each shot makes a difference?

    .................Buckshot
    Father Grand Caster watches over you my brother. Go now and pour yourself a hot one. May the Sacred Silver Stream be with you always

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    "The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."

    Shrink the State End the Fed Balance the budget Make a profit Leave an inheritance

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Got the Lee mold casts nice boolits .still trying to find a load that my tikka t3 likes but I'm too busy playing with my slb 45-70 at the moment. Now that seems shoot any load well.

  13. #13
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    Rick, consider that Lee a close copy of the RCBS 55 when comparing data and bearing surface.
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  14. #14
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    For what it’s worth; I tried both the bator and the RCBS clone in my 788 .222 and found they both did fairly well on paper. I was using 12 gr of 2400 and I believe 14 gr of 4198 and was getting 1.5 moa at 100 yds. I was loading them for prairie dogs and neither boolit was as deadly on the dogs as I was hoping they would be.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rizzo View Post
    I have used that mold before and had bad results in my groupings.
    I used aluminum gas checks that I made and also used LLA for lube.

    I posted about it and was told I was shooting them too fast (2500-2600 fps).
    I played around with the loads and found where the AR15 would not cycle after shooting (1500-1600 fps)so I raised the loads so that it would cycle reliably.
    The groupings got smaller but not to my satisfaction.
    I then weighed my cast bullets to gather some that weighed the same and shot them.
    Groupings got better but not to my satisfaction.

    After doing all my testing I gave up on the project.
    In my mind I was used to shooting jacketed bullets at normal fps (2500-2800 fps) with good groupings and did not want to settle for less accurate and slower loadings.

    It was a fun project but also frustrating.
    I came away from it all with a better understanding why commercial bullets are jacketed.
    ..............I know for a fact that if you had a bolt action you're results would have been a tad bit more satisfactory. A semi Auto is an entirely different kettle of fish!
    Father Grand Caster watches over you my brother. Go now and pour yourself a hot one. May the Sacred Silver Stream be with you always

    Proud former Shooters.Com Cast Bullet alumnus and plank owner.

    "The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."

    Shrink the State End the Fed Balance the budget Make a profit Leave an inheritance

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buckshot View Post
    ..............I know for a fact that if you had a bolt action you're results would have been a tad bit more satisfactory. A semi Auto is an entirely different kettle of fish!
    Hmmm,...that's interesting.
    Why would that be?
    In both cases the cartridge is sitting there chambered, then the firing pin strikes the primer and then the bullet goes down the barrel.
    I can't see any difference.
    What's the difference other than maybe twist rate or barrel length?

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Jack Stanley's Avatar
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    Perhaps it's got something to do with lock time or gas ports .

    Jack
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  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buckshot View Post
    ..............I know for a fact that if you had a bolt action you're results would have been a tad bit more satisfactory. A semi Auto is an entirely different kettle of fish!
    Still interested in knowing why that is Buckshot.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check