cast lead load in a 257

[greyling22]

So I came across some 25 caliber lead bullets and I was planning on using them to fire form some cases from 257 roberts to 257 ackley and if got me thinking about just using lead in the gun for fun-zies. I don't need to shoot full power loads to punch paper at 100yds and reduced recoil has appeal. My lyman books have loads for gas checked lead bullets but nothing for a plain base bullet.

My only experience with lead in rifles is 30 carbine (and pistol caliber lever rifles) and I know size is king, but beyond that This is new territory for me. I rad the sticky here http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=158805

but what might I actually expect out of a a 257? Is there a max velocity for a plain base pure WW bullet? I always tried to stay south of 1500fps with 30 carb and 357.

Is anybody doing cast lead without a gas check in a rifle? There is a section in my lee book about reduced pressure loads for some rifles, and it looks like you could drop velocity by about 30% and get pressure down into the mid 20K. and a plain base bullet might work there.

Can I get really lucky and find somebody who has load data for lead in a 257 bob/ackley?

[runfiverun]

1400 is about your cut off for plain base simple load stuff.
try 8 grs of unique/red dot area powders.
you'll have a really big 22 lr. something in the 25-30k area.

[bruce drake]

7.1 grains of Unique with a 100gr gas-checked bullet lubed with Liquid Alox gives me 1300fps. I use it for squirrels in my 257 Roberts chambered Mauser 98 rifle.

Bruce

[HangFireW8]

I have a 257RAI. I might be wrong, but I don't think 20K PSI is sufficient for a good fireform, even with a very steep pressure rise from pistol powder. Even if the cases have a sharp shoulder, check them for headspace. I gave up on the whole fast powder fireform thing due to sharp, good looking shoulders and massively underlength at the should datum point.

I got my best results with a stiff load of 4895, a jacketed 100 gr or heavier j-word, and oiled neck and shoulders.

What are you using to measure case headspace? I have the Stoney Point system, which is now sold by Hornady.

HF

[greyling22]

I don't. I bought the gun used and it came with a bunch of fire formed brass. I loaded them all once with the included rcbs dies, and when I've needed a couple more cases I've always just fired a 257 bob case in the gun to fire form it, then neck sized until it split. BUT, I haven't shot it all that much. It recoils more than is strictly comfortable for me.

I recently worked the trigger over and started shooting it more and grabbed a bunch more once fired bob brass. Thought I might try and save 30 bucks in jacketed bullets fire forming and use lead. even if I stripped them out shooting them at high pressures they should still fire form right? And then I just tossed the idea of shooting low power, low velocity lead on a more regular basis. I could even gas check them at @$25/k. Lyman shows a lot of loads of 80-110 grn bullets around 1400fps that might be downright pleasant.

[youngda9]

1400 is about your cut off for plain base simple load stuff.
try 8 grs of unique/red dot area powders.
you'll have a really big 22 lr. something in the 25-30k area.

I'm curious why you say 1400? I shoot 1650fps out of my 44mag leverguns with PB Ranch Dog 265 grain boolits, tumble lubed only in 45/45/10. I haven't tried pushing them harder so I don't know what the limit would be.

[runfiverun]

depending on who made the origional brass, i sometimes have to use 2 full power loads to get a good fireforming.
remington seems to be my favorite ackley brass,as it fire forms better and lasts longer for me.
i do anneal the necks every 4-5 firings,and neck size untill the cases get tight.
when using cast loads i either seat the boolit out in the rifling a little farther than normal.
or create a false shoulder donut in the neck making everything tight in the chamber for the first firing.

[runfiverun]

that's one thing i really can't explain.
i shoot plain base in many of my pistol cartridge leverguns past 1600 easy nuff also but rifle cartridges just don't seem to go past about 1400, before accuracy problems pop up.
especially gas check designs without gas checks, they seem to just fall off even sooner.