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Thread: Cast and suppressors.

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Cast and suppressors.

    I have a 300 BO that I have been casting the 230 lee and powder coating it to bring it up to proper size. Still not real happy with it but its the only boolit I can powder coat and get a good OAL that will function in the ar platform. THe problem is with the suppressor I am getting lead in the suppressor, none at all in the bore. I can take my can apart, (form 1 titanium can) and clean it but lead is stubborn. Has anyone fired cast using a can, subsonics, and not having any leading issues? What mold are you using, powder coating, lube, hitek, or not, etc etc.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Electric88's Avatar
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    Interesting. Everything I've read indicates that powdercoating is supposed to help prevent leading in the suppressor. Though, perhaps the people doing it are powdercoating the base as well, whereas maybe you are not? It's also odd you only get leading in the suppressor and not the bore. I wish I could help you, but I haven't taken the plunge as of yet. Soon though I will be.

  3. #3
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    Though not using a suppressor yet, I am also curious about this as I intend to use one on AR15 that I use with cast.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Been shooting plain base lead for some time thru a can with no leading issues. Friend has been doing the same with .22/.30/.44 cal lead w/o issue.

    Are you talking particles or smears? If the latter I'd suggest either the can is misaligned or the bullet is not stable.
    I have danced with the Devil. She had excellent attorneys.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    You can get barrel leading with PC or hitek. My guess,minor leading getting blown into the can(re-direction, it's real purpose). You didn't state alloy, I assume pistol gas. Check the BCG & tube for leading. Is it all Pb or some PC residue? When I had a F.H. on mine I thought I was getting Pb deposits, there was some but mostly (burnt) PC deposit. If that's the BT Lee, I haven't heard any good reports about it. IMHO, the BT & time-in-barrel leads to higher deposits.
    powder coating it to bring it up to proper size Could also be the problem.
    Whatever!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Electric88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by popper View Post
    You can get barrel leading with PC or hitek. My guess,minor leading getting blown into the can(re-direction, it's real purpose). You didn't state alloy, I assume pistol gas. Check the BCG & tube for leading. Is it all Pb or some PC residue? When I had a F.H. on mine I thought I was getting Pb deposits, there was some but mostly (burnt) PC deposit. If that's the BT Lee, I haven't heard any good reports about it. IMHO, the BT & time-in-barrel leads to higher deposits.
    powder coating it to bring it up to proper size Could also be the problem.
    Instead it should be brought to size, then powdercoated correct?

  7. #7
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    P/C still needs to follow the basic fitment rules of naked cast.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I do think it is the bullet itself. If lee had mad the body of the bullet larger and done away with the boat tail, it would be a good design. Those that have one know what I am talking about.

    So I would still like to hear from those that have shot the 300 BO suppressed in an AR with cast and what boolits they use with success, power coating or not powder coated.

    As far as fit, if you get a bullet to drop large enough to fit without P/C it does not work well in the ar. Already tried it with some other molds that were made for the AR in 300 BO and after powder coating had to seat them too deep to function and sizing was a *****. The boolit needs to drop undersized for PC to work in this situation.
    Last edited by mto7464; 01-30-2017 at 01:31 PM.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy

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    I'm shooting 220 grn subsonic cast and Hi-Tek coated through my can with no leading. Shot some 155 gc PC'd supersonic with no leading.
    "A Veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in their life, signed a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it. -- Author Unknown"

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    If there is residue in the can, step one is to figure out what it is. The ID of the can should be larger than the bore. PC coated boolits should be, after coating, sized to the same OD that works with conventional lead boolits. I note far LESS deposits with PC boolits than conventional. IF the boolit is hitting the can, accuracy should suck.

    Not really enough info to help figure it out. Measure bore, boolits, can .... photos, shoot into water trap to see the boolits etc..

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    What mold is the 220 grain?.

    To answer the other question, it is not striking the baffles, and yes there is lead stuck to the baffles. Design of the can is good to go. Supers are fine just the certain PC coated bullet is giving me problems.

    What I want to know from this thread is what other boolit molds are working. This Lee mold is okay, well really it sucks, but what I want and looking for other successful molds using a can and what ever lube, coating. PC would be my preferred coating.
    Last edited by mto7464; 01-30-2017 at 03:58 PM.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    My Blackout has only shot cast, the 230 Lee for sub's.An experiment that worked out great, Lyman 311041 at around 1750. My can doesn't come apart. The Lyman 173gn FP works wicked on prairie dogs and jack rabbits out to 100 yards, using a peep sight.
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  13. #13
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    "To answer the other question, it is not striking the baffles, and yes there is lead stuck to the baffles."

    IME lead boolits do not "shed" metal after leaving the bore and gums up cans.

    "Supers are fine just the certain PC coated bullet is giving me problems." Supersonic (?) bullets ? What bullets ?

    If you have not miked the boolt after coating and sizing, then you have to do that 1st.

    Lee molds are "okay" but certainly not as precise as NEI or NOE.

    Have you tried some high quality ready made cast boolits ? Like this one :

    http://www.midwayusa.com/product/204...nose-gas-check

    Specially made for 300 BO ?

    IMO time to try other boolits.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    That is why I am asking. I want to try another boolit. I don't know if maybe with the boatail I am getting some gas cutting?

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    I have been shooting a 300BO with suppressor using PC lead bullets with a Form 1 suppressor. I've not seen any issues with leading, either in barrel or suppressor. I've only shot a couple hundred rounds total thru suppressor of various cast bullets from 120 grain, 168 grain, and the 230 grain Lee. I've only shot a few of the Lee .309-230-5R. The BT design doesn't seem to work all that well unless it has a GC installed. Since GC is not required for subs I made a reamer to remove the BT and the lube grooves to make the mold drop about .310" which seems to be better. I powder coat, then size down to .310" again. This leaves the nose of bullet as original allowing it to seat just fine with a 2.26" OAL.

    Later

  16. #16
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    I started a thread on the Accurate 31-240A mold that I ordered after trying the Lee mold:

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-Accurate-mold

    The thread kind of got sidetracked to how I wired my shop but gets back to some results on the second page of the thread. I run a 10.5" barrel with pistol gas and carbine buffer. Dead Air Sandman Ti can. I don't know if my COAL is listed in that post but you can see in a picture on the second page that it is long. I can check my loading log or measure one if you want. I have to release the bolt slowly to chamber the first round but it feeds fine and locks the bolt open after the last shot. No sign of leading in the can, barrel or gas system.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by mto7464 View Post
    That is why I am asking. I want to try another boolit. I don't know if maybe with the boatail I am getting some gas cutting?
    A note on the Accurate mold: The drawing on their website shows a very slight bevel on the bullet base. I asked about this and I was told that I could specify a flat base, which I did. The bevel was for easier loading if used by a commercial operation. I load on a Dillon 550B and use a 30 carbine powder funnel to get a slight flare to start the bullet. The bullets are sized to .3095 after coating.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by mto7464 View Post
    What mold is the 220 grain?.

    To answer the other question, it is not striking the baffles, and yes there is lead stuck to the baffles. Design of the can is good to go. Supers are fine just the certain PC coated bullet is giving me problems.

    What I want to know from this thread is what other boolit molds are working. This Lee mold is okay, well really it sucks, but what I want and looking for other successful molds using a can and what ever lube, coating. PC would be my preferred coating.
    My 220's are from Leatherhead. I like the design, feeds well, no fouling. I'd like to find a mold like it. Their mold is custom made for them.
    "A Veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in their life, signed a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it. -- Author Unknown"

  19. #19
    Boolit Master Electric88's Avatar
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    A lot of people seem to like the NOE 311-247 mold and have great success with it. There is a group buy over on the NOE forums for a hollowpoint version going right now, if it was any interest to you.

    But it seems like the majority of people I have talked to seem to favor the NOE mold, especially over the Lee 309-230. I haven't cast with it yet, so unfortunately I can't give you firsthand experience

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    I was given some of the Lee 230 someone had cast, worst bullet ever. I have had zero issues shooting the NOE 247gr. I have fired them subsonic and supersonic out of my mosin, subsonic in a 30-30 with 1-8 barrel. And super sonic at 2500fps out of a 300 win mag.

    If OP is getting lead, and the Lee bullet sucks, time for a different mold.

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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