Need a 223 cast load

[bushka]

i would like to do this,but...
Is there a way to get those gascheks on there without having the extra press?
I could tumble lube alox and shoot as cast....

[medicstimpy]

i would like to do this,but...
Is there a way to get those gascheks on there without having the extra press?
I could tumble lube alox and shoot as cast....

GC's need to be crimped on. If you don't have a lubersizer, you can still crimp your GC's with the Lee Sizer. It mounts to a regular press and crimps the GC's and sizes your boolits as it gets pushed through the die. It's cheaper than a lubersizer. That will allow you to use LLA for a lube.

[bushka]

thanks,I`ll look into that...

[NHlever]

From what I have read, 2400 seems to be a very good powder for the .222, and I expect it would be for the .223 also. I would use 700x, or Red Dot for very light loads, Unique for loads to 1800 fps, or so, and 2400 for anything above that. The .223 loads in the new Lyman book top out on the light side, but the .222 loads run faster, and I would think they would be perfectly safe in the somewhat larger case.....

[Tracy]

I load the #225415 (55 gr.) over a 1cc dipper (~16 grains) WC820. I cast them of straight ww, no heat treatment. Size to .225, lube with homebrew, and seat a Gator check. I shoot them from a 16" AR, 1:9 with a chromed bore. No discernable leading, shoot to POA, and they cycle the action, albeit gently: they deposit the empties in a pile over my right shoulder instead of bouncing them off the case deflector and sending them forward, as full-power loads do.

2400 should work well, too. Also the 4198s and RL7. As much as I love fast powders like Red Dot and Bullseye for cast boolits, the AR needs the residual gas that slower powders produce. With powders much faster than 2400, by the time the boolit passes the gas port, there won't be enough gas volume left to cycle the bolt.

It would be interesting, though, to build a cast-boolit specific AR using a 1:12 twist barrel and tapping the gas at the pistol position.

[johnly]

I have a 1/7, 1/8. 1/9. and 1/12 ARs and three different 22 molds. I was loading cast bullets in my Hornets, Bees, and my 219 Zipper, but this might be a fun project to undertake. Just finished casting a batch of 22 Bators and 225462 out of linotype. Gawd that alloy casts nice bullets. I'll load un some 223 ammo for my 1/12 and see what I can do. I've spotted the old AR 1/12 "noodle" barrels on auction forums lately and that's the barrel I'd be looking for to shoot cast in ARs.

John

[Larry Gibson]

chunky monkey

results will be better if you redo the 4895 loads starting at 16 gr with a 1/2 gr dacron fillerover the powder. Start at 16 gr and work up in 1/2 gr increments untill you get reliable functioning.

Larry Gibson

[Chunky Monkey]

chunky monkey

results will be better if you redo the 4895 loads starting at 16 gr with a 1/2 gr dacron fillerover the powder. Start at 16 gr and work up in 1/2 gr increments untill you get reliable functioning.

Larry Gibson

Thanks Larry but what is dacron filler and where would one get it.

I took several mags out to a shoot last weekend and had a problem with some feeding. I think my OAL is a little short. It lengthend a few to see if they feed more reliably.

[Larry Gibson]

Chunky Monkey

Thanks Larry but what is dacron filler and where would one get it.

The below is from another post some time back. It should explain where and how to use the dacron. For the .223 use a 1/2 gr chunk and a short piece of coat hanger to push it into the case. Any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Larry Gibson

I don't use the dacron filler or a wad either with the fast to medium burning "fast" pistol /shotgun type powders. I find a fast burning powder that is fast enough to ignite and burn efficiently at the velocity I want.
For use in rifle cases with slow “fast” burning powders (4227, 4759, 5744, 4198, etc.) up through the slow burning powders that give around 80% or less loading density I use a dacron fillet between the powder and base of the bullet. The “Dacron” is polyester fill as commonly found in pillows and toys. It also comes in sheets called “batting” . It can be obtained very reasonably at most any fabric store.
The Dacron batting comes in various thicknesses. I prefer that which is about 5/8" thick. My wife recently bought me 10 yards which will give many, many thousands of cast bullets. With this current batch of batting I cut it initially across the width into strips about 3/4" wide. I then "eyeball" cut 1/2" wide chunks which is close to 3/4 gr. A smaller chunk is cut for 1/2 gr and larger for a larger amount. I've cut some chunks the weight 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 grs and have them in a "snack" baggie stuck on a poster board above my loading bench for quick reference when I need to cut new chunks. The batting will run thin and thick throughout the sheet so I again just "eyeball" it based on the thickness of the batting when cutting the chunks.

Pretty extensive tests have demonstrated that the weight of the filler does not have to be exact, only close. What is important is that there is enough so that it “fills" the space between powder and bullet. A little too much hurts nothing but too little poses problems. That's why I have the different size "chunks" so I can use the right size for the case capacity I am filling. For example; with most medium burning powders (3031, 4895, 4064) in and '06 to function an M1 a 3/4 gr dacron filler is about right. With slower powders that give a higher loading density like 4831 a 1/2 gr filler is about right.

I use a section of .22 cal cleaning rod in cartridges of .30 - .375 cal to push the Dacron chunk inside the case just so it is all in. Some chunks go all the way and some are up into the neck. It doesn’t matter. I do not push it down on the powder but let the bullet do that when the bullet is seated. A small length of coat hanger works for the .22-7mm cartridges and a pencil works well for .45 cals.

[leadburner]

I use a load of 16 grns. H-4198 for a 55 grn Lee Bator mold boolit.This load gives 1.5 ins.@ 100 yds. in a HB Handi-Rifle @ 2350 FPS.This load will cycle your AR.I also cast a Lyman 225646 that comes out for me at 64 grns. that shoots better in my Saiga .223 in front of 15 grns. H-4198. I like this powder for cast,especially in.223, as it fills the case pretty well and gives good velocity at fairly low pressures.My boolits are cast from ww with 1% tin added,lubed well with alox,and set as close to the lands in the barrel as possible.I've had the Bator boolit up to 2850 FPS. with no leading.You just need to keep your pressures under 30,000 PSI with that alloy and gas checks,Good shooting!!!!!

[Chunky Monkey]

Chunky Monkey

Thanks Larry but what is dacron filler and where would one get it.

The below is from another post some time back. It should explain where and how to use the dacron. For the .223 use a 1/2 gr chunk and a short piece of coat hanger to push it into the case. Any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Larry Gibson

I don't use the dacron filler or a wad either with the fast to medium burning "fast" pistol /shotgun type powders. I find a fast burning powder that is fast enough to ignite and burn efficiently at the velocity I want.
For use in rifle cases with slow “fast” burning powders (4227, 4759, 5744, 4198, etc.) up through the slow burning powders that give around 80% or less loading density I use a dacron fillet between the powder and base of the bullet. The “Dacron” is polyester fill as commonly found in pillows and toys. It also comes in sheets called “batting” . It can be obtained very reasonably at most any fabric store.
The Dacron batting comes in various thicknesses. I prefer that which is about 5/8" thick. My wife recently bought me 10 yards which will give many, many thousands of cast bullets. With this current batch of batting I cut it initially across the width into strips about 3/4" wide. I then "eyeball" cut 1/2" wide chunks which is close to 3/4 gr. A smaller chunk is cut for 1/2 gr and larger for a larger amount. I've cut some chunks the weight 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 grs and have them in a "snack" baggie stuck on a poster board above my loading bench for quick reference when I need to cut new chunks. The batting will run thin and thick throughout the sheet so I again just "eyeball" it based on the thickness of the batting when cutting the chunks.

Pretty extensive tests have demonstrated that the weight of the filler does not have to be exact, only close. What is important is that there is enough so that it “fills" the space between powder and bullet. A little too much hurts nothing but too little poses problems. That's why I have the different size "chunks" so I can use the right size for the case capacity I am filling. For example; with most medium burning powders (3031, 4895, 4064) in and '06 to function an M1 a 3/4 gr dacron filler is about right. With slower powders that give a higher loading density like 4831 a 1/2 gr filler is about right.

I use a section of .22 cal cleaning rod in cartridges of .30 - .375 cal to push the Dacron chunk inside the case just so it is all in. Some chunks go all the way and some are up into the neck. It doesn’t matter. I do not push it down on the powder but let the bullet do that when the bullet is seated. A small length of coat hanger works for the .22-7mm cartridges and a pencil works well for .45 cals.

Thanks Larry. I'll get some and give it a try!!

[donald duck]

One of the guys at the range was shooting a Contender with 10 inch .223 barrel and he was pleased with 12 grains of 4198. Haven't tried it but you might check it out. Good Luck!!

[fcvan]

Donald, which range? Frank

[BeeMan]

This thread is almost 4 years old, but I'll weigh in since it is back in play. The RCBS 55 in air cooled wheel weights, sized/checked at .225 with FWFL, pushed by Blue dot to 22 WMR velocity, is sub MOA at 50 yards in a 223 bolt gun. Can't help on a load that will cycle an AR though.

[Moonie]

I use 16gr H4895 with 55 or 62 gr boolits, cycles just fine in my sons 5.56 midlength upper.