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Thread: 5.56

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Oct 2019
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    5.56

    I had a buddy ask me about casting for his AR15 semi. I told him i wasnt actually sure if you could cast for a magazine fed rifle. So i put the question to you fine folks. Can you cast for an AR15?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

    mattw's Avatar
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    Oct 2014
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    Sure you can, if it is a fast twist 1:8 or 1:7 be ready to cast heavy bullets... maybe 69 to 77 grain. I have shot 60's in mine, they did not do bad, but the effort level is to high for the kids blasting ammo when the Wolf 1000 packs of 55's are so cheap. I also cast for my own 300 BO, have had decent success.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
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    I don't have/shoot an AR, but cast bullets work OK in my Garand and SKS...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Dapaki's Avatar
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    Yes! I shoot 55gr LEE boolits without a gas check that have been powder coated and sized out of my AR and Mini-14. The Mini-14 has a 1:12 twist and a larger gas port so the 55gr boolits do much better than the AR but as I wait upon a couple of heavier boolit molds, I find that the extra weight is needed with my 1:9 twist AR rifle.

  5. #5
    Moderator


    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jjmwandell View Post
    I told him i wasnt actually sure if you could cast for a magazine fed rifle.
    Sure.
    They don't know- or care, if they are in a 20 round box magazine,
    the 4-5 round mag. inside the stock of a bolt action, or even a lever gun's tube.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  6. #6
    Moderator Emeritus


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    Weight sort to within .4 grains, powder coat with gc and hardness is your friend. Even in today's component crisis, I still believe most of us are better finding deals on jacketed bullets in 5.56.
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    Jun 2018
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    Decatur county, TN
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    I shoot cast almost exclusively out of mine.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master dakotashooter2's Avatar
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    Nov 2006
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    Yes. But find out what your buddies expectations are. You will not be able to load them anywhere near as fast as jacketed bullets. That means his point of impact will be different and likely accuracy will not be as good. He will also probably have to clean his gun more often

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    Fargo ND
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    Mag fed rifle you bet you can.

    However, smaller is harder, bigger is easier.

    .223 is a bit of a pain, but a lot depends on how bad you need it to cycle the action.

    I've run a lot of low level red dot loads in my SKS with cast, but it does not cycle the action.
    So I turn the gas off (Yugo rifle grenade model) and treat it like a straight pull bolt. Works perfectly fine, and the brass is inches away instead of yards.

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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