MidSouth Shooters SupplyRotoMetals2WidenersTitan Reloading
Reloading EverythingInline FabricationLoad DataLee Precision
Repackbox
Results 1 to 16 of 16

Thread: PC questions in an AR 15

  1. #1
    Banned bigted's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Sweet Home Oregon
    Posts
    4,456

    PC questions in an AR 15

    Anybody running powder coated boolits in an AR 15?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    7br's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Bolivar, MO
    Posts
    927
    Writing from my experience only. Your mileage may vary. I did not find joy with PC with a .22 hornet. I don't think I have the talent, patience, or luck to produce a consistent coating on that small of bullet. I tried PC with a 6.8 spc. The mould was cut by Mountain Molds. It is a pretty tight fit. The added thickness on the ogive meant I had to seat deeper to get reliable feeding.

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
    7br aka Mark B.

    On the internet, I am 6ft tall, good looking and can dance.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    AL
    Posts
    330
    I use them in 300 blk out and they work great! 130gr rcbs 7.62 mold.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy Wild Bill 7's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    S.W. Florida
    Posts
    315
    I have the Lee 6 cavity 55 grain 22 cal mold. I am just getting started with the testing for my ar. Will try to get some testing done and put the results here. Our range is somewhat under water now but still able to shoot. I have all boolits powder coated with some checked and some plain. Will be using the Lyman cast book(third edition).

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
    bangerjim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    out of here, wandering somewhere in the SW.
    Posts
    10,163
    Those little cast pills are a PITA to handle and coat. I gave up on PC'ing them several years ago. I can find good quality FMJ 223 slugs at gun shows for only a few cents a round. Why waste time trying to coat those little things????????????????

    And then there is hassle of gas-checking them!!!! OMG!!!

    I say go FMJ all the way on those little teeny 223 things. Stick with PC on normal size slugs (30-50cal). At least with those bigger boys you can get things easily done.

    banger

  6. #6
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Ellijay, Ga
    Posts
    24
    I tried using PC in my AR as a single shot worked fine. Getting it to cycle was another story. I tried numerous powders and loads each wouldn't cycle. If anyone has a magic potion I would like to try it again.
    USN (ret)

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Decatur county, TN
    Posts
    429
    Yep. Used the Lee 55gn for awhile. I do better with the 61gn Elvis from arsenal. Barrel is 1:7.


    Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Decatur county, TN
    Posts
    429
    Quote Originally Posted by OS1880 View Post
    I tried using PC in my AR as a single shot worked fine. Getting it to cycle was another story. I tried numerous powders and loads each wouldn't cycle. If anyone has a magic potion I would like to try it again.
    I've used imr4895, h335, and wc844 with great success.

    Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    Boolit Master


    Finster101's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    SW Fla
    Posts
    2,631
    I'm doing it for .300 Blackout. Works great on both super and sub sonic. Zero issues with the suppressor using it as well.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Wilmington NC
    Posts
    1,441
    In 30 caliber and up, PC coated boolits can perform nearly as good a J Words in the AR-15 platform (if you gun likes cast boolits).

    I have tried cast (150s & 170s) in a couple of 300 BOs and found one does OK, the other does not.

    My 357AR does 2 MOA out to 200 yards with a PC coated NLG 200 and does 2 MOA at 100 yards with a PC coated NLG 180.

    Few have found joy in the 223.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

    Sig556r's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    West of H-Town
    Posts
    1,055
    200g-230g subs on .300BLK SBR
    ...Speak softly & carry a big stick...

  12. #12
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    3,409
    I've pushed 55grn ASBBDT boolits over 3,300 fps. there are some PC's that you can DT sift out the BB's and excess PC, dump on a screen/basket and they don't stick together giving you perfect coverage.

  13. #13
    Banned








    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    munising Michigan
    Posts
    17,725
    same here, same bullet in 3 different 300bo ars. Made the efford in my 556 guns. Bought a mold a couple thousand gas checks and casted a couple thousand gas checked them and pc'd them. Gave up after about a week of shoot minute of paper groups. Lots of tedious work and im not saying it cant be done because so get it to work. I just don't have the time of paitents for it. You want to shoot cast? Pick yourself up a bo upper and slap it on your lower for about a 175 bucks and go to town. I had more then that into a mold and gas checks and never got anywhere with it. Just after a small amount of load development I was getting 2 inch or better groups at a 100 yards with the bo and if again I had time or patients id bet I could about cut that in half. But 2 in for plinking is good enough for this guy
    Quote Originally Posted by shortlegs View Post
    I use them in 300 blk out and they work great! 130gr rcbs 7.62 mold.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    StratsMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    St. Charles, MO
    Posts
    575
    Quote Originally Posted by Lloyd Smale View Post
    same bullet in 3 different 300bo ars..... Pick yourself up a bo upper and slap it on your lower for about a 175 bucks and go to town. I had more then that into a mold and gas checks and never got anywhere with it.
    My experience casting 224 is much the same as voiced by Lloyd and others... 224 projectiles are cheap right now; 5-7 cents each for plinkers... not worth the hassle to cast them. Yes, it's a hobby and a challenge. That has some allure too. But if you really enjoy shooting AR's, cast/load some 300 BlackOut and go shooting with a friend who has a suppressor on his BO. You'll be hooked!! Casting for sub-sonic loads is a definite money saver...
    Last edited by StratsMan; 08-24-2019 at 09:12 AM.

  15. #15
    Banned bigted's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Sweet Home Oregon
    Posts
    4,456
    Rite on ... just curious as I have an AR and also Encore chambered for 223. The Encore shoots amazing with jacketed and puff trail boss loads around 1200 FPS. Have some of the Lee's cast and PC'd but have not gotten out to shoot any yet ... so the question.

    Thanks for the reply's. May go try em in my 1 in 9 twist AR upper just to see. Appreciate everybodys experience AND may need to get a BO upper to try em out ... sounds like fun

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Posts
    390
    I tried powder coated and gas checked cast bullets in a 1:9 twist 223 wylde AR a couple years ago and couldn't get them to group at all.
    300 blackout is a whole different story. Much easier caliber to load for, and you can load it for a lot cheaper. I'm loading 300 blackout for around 8 cents a round.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
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