What mold for AR 15?

[grubbylabs]

I just got my first AR and am currently developing jacket loads for it, but I also want to cast for it. So what molds do you all use.

I wish Tom at Accurate made one but I did not see one in his catalog

[xacex]

If you have a 5.56 or .223 wilde chamber you could still get a Mihec 5.56 NATO mold. PM him and he should be able to get one out to you. It just finished this last month.
Or you could order online...
http://www.mp-molds.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=28&=SID#MOREINFO

I picked up one myself, and it is a very nice mold for AR's in that caliber.

[Doc Highwall]

Another option is SAECO #221 60gr.SPGC. There is even load data in the Lyman manual for it.

[grubbylabs]

Does any one offer a 55 grain mold? Also what powders are you having good luck with?

[Doc Highwall]

RCBS makes a 55gr. mould.

[Nobade]

Back in the day when I used to shot a lot of boolits through an AR I used the RCBS 55gr. mould. Works great once you find the right combination of size, lube, powder, etc.

I did end up converting that rifle to a straight pull bolt gun with no gas system. It shot way better that way and I could run any load through it I felt like and it still worked right.

[grubbylabs]

What powder have you had good luck with? I picked up a pound of h335 and have yet to finish developing a load for it. But when I do I want to start on cast.

[Tracy]

Lyman makes the #225415 flatnose. These used to be 45 grains, but new ones are 55 grains. Mine is the 55 grain version. In an AR I used to have, I loaded it over a 1cc Lee dipper of WC820, which is about 16 grains IIRC. That cycled my previous AR and shot with reasonable accuracy, but it doesn't cycle the AR I have now. I'll probably try about 21-22 grains of IMR 4895 (pulldown) to see how that works.

[willy3]

Thanks for all the info for the AR.

[ErikO]

I'd think that 22.5-23 gr of TAC would get that pill moving just fine.

Now to get the cash together for that 4 cavity mould...

[madsenshooter]

you might consider NOE's offerings too. http://noebulletmolds.com/orders/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=182&osCsid=qae4dcvh2njrq7p6p31j7b8ft7 I'm using the 245 version of their MX3-30-EX in my 6x45 AR.

[grubbylabs]

Well I took the plunge and got the NOE 225-55 grain mold, 4 cavity. I will have to figure out pan lubing, has any one tried CFE223 or H335 with cast, I have yet to check my books as I just placed the order a couple minutes ago. I would really like to stick to a ball powder, but Unique meters well for me. Any thoughts or pit falls I need to be aware of?

[Screwbolts]

Grubbylabbs, I have loaded and shot over 7000 Cast boolit rounds out of Armalite rifles with both the NOE boolit 225-55 and the Mihec 65 gr Nato. I load 21.5 gr of WC 844 , with CCI 41s, supposed to be the same/similar as H335. 2300+ FPS out of 16" uppers and 2500 out of 20"s. I load 21.5 because it gives me 2500+ loads to the 8 pounder.

The biggest pit fall is trying to remove the smile from your face, barrel will be squeaky clean, with any of these Speed green, simple lube, Canuba red, Tac. with any thing from my ACWW to water dropped hardness.

Longest kill on coyote 225 yards, NOE boolit, longest kill on muskrat 335 yards. Nato boolit, both from my brothers 16" DPMS oracle upper.

Ken

[grubbylabs]

I hope to have some loaded up soon, I am waiting for some lube to show up and some gas checks and then I will report back and let every one know how it goes.

[La Dano]

Hey Grub, I just got NOE's .358 mold. Now you have me wanting the .224. Please tell me it's no good, hehehe. I'm waiting on the report, Thanx.

[grubbylabs]

So far it seems to cast really well. But I am having a heck of a time finding lubing and sizing stuff for it, I was going to use the Lee set up since it has worked really well for me so far, but they are back ordered for ever and away. So now I am looking for a regular lube and sizing press. I am about to buy a lyman 450 from a member here and I have a bid in on ebay for a star, but if it goes over 225 then I am out.

[La Dano]

I know how you feel. I'm waiting on back order also. Midway send me email alerts but I'm always too late. Out of stock with in minutes of the email.

[Vly]

For so many years, I put off shooting cast through my AR-15, because the jacketed bullets were so cheap. As that situation has changed over the last few months, I have decided to get started and find an alternative to increasingly expensive J-word bullets.

I had a RCBS 55gr mould on the shelf, and some boolits I had cast years ago for .222 Rem. As I remember they were cast from a 50/50 mix of WW and linotype. The gas checks are Hornady and lubed with FWFL. Sized in a .225 die.

http://fototime.com/03C609353CE56F2/standard.jpg

My rifle is a RRA with a heavy stainless barrel. I think it is a 1:8 twist.

http://fototime.com/BEF6EEE763F3484/standard.jpg

Started with two powders, IMR-4895 and SR-4759. Both have worked very well in the past with cast in other rifles.

Here are some targets shot at 50 yds. The SR-4759 load ( 12 gr ) did not function the action, but gave good accuracy. The IMR-4895 ( 19 grs plus Dacron tuft ) functioned the action just fine and dropped all the brass in a neat little pile.

http://fototime.com/B9C2E6A612BC84F/standard.jpg

http://fototime.com/2CE602016A8689D/standard.jpg

I need to cast some more boolits this weekend. The other interesting thing was I never adjusted the zero from my j-word load. Even the few I shot at 100 yds were very close to point of aim. A lot more work to do.

[La Dano]

Man I'll take that group all day long. If you cast too many, let me know.

[grubbylabs]

So I lost out on two sizers today, a Star and a Lyman. Just my luck. So now I am down to waiting to see if I get the one on Ebay. I am not holding my breath on that one as there are tons of morons who will want it no matter the cost. I can be impatient, but I am not going to pay more than 250 for something I can have brand new in 12-14 weeks for 300.

Looks like someone is not as patient as I am, they are going to pay more than 300 for a used one.

[grubbylabs]

So I finally got some loaded up and had time to blast of ten of them this morning before work and so far they look good. I only used 21.8 grains of H335 and I did not have paper to put it on so I probably still have some development to do. But so far no leading.

[Jal5]

I am using H335 too with my NOE 55g boolits in a DPMS AR15. Absolutely no leading using the Lee push through sizer and 2500 White Label lube. Not satisfied with accuracy yet but I am dialing it in. Not enough time to get to the range right now to do more testing though! Joe

[camotruck]

I hope this thread hasn't dried up,

[Keith429421]

My powder supply is still dried up. lol!
As soon as I can get powder, I'll be glad to share some of my results.
I have several hundred cast and gas checked, ready to go!

[grubbylabs]

I have the Lee die but I found out I don't like pan lubing, so I am waiting on my Lyman sizing die to show up and then I will be able to lube and size more bullets. But for know I still have about 600 or so jacketed bullets I can load.

[Jal5]

Where are you guys finding the load data on H335 with this boolit? I have been hesitant to go much over 20 grains since I extrapolated from another boolit, but several are mentioning going over 21 grains finding good accuracy. Wondering if I am being too conservative in the loads, but without any published data at least that I could find...
Joe

[farmbif]

I just got a lyman 4500 from from midsouth delivered monday for less than $170. lyman mold came today 55gr .225 number 225646 from buffalo arms along w a 9mm rn mold. notes say the top 2 grooves the lyman .225 need to lubed by hand. I was thinking of pan lubing in alox let them dry well and then size lubing w caranuba red when i am able to get .224 or .225 size die and top punch 646. does anyone have experience with this

[grubbylabs]

I finally got my sizing die. Lyman took for ever to send it. They said 2 weeks on their web site and when I talked to them, but 4 weeks later I finally have it. This is the first time I have used a sizing press since up until now I have been using the Lee dies for every thing. So I will size and lube what I have cast up and cast up a few more if I need to, but I think I have enough to get started. I started out using data for fmj 55 grain bullets, but mine are actually ending up around 62 grains. So far they cycle the gun and shoot to point of aim with peep sights. I will probably put a scope on and see what I can come up with one of these next few weekends.

[Doc Highwall]

grubbylabs, what size Lyman die did you order, and what size does it actually size the bullets? Did you order a .225" die and the bullets are actually sized .225"?

[jimb16]

I ordered a .225 RCBS sizing die from Midway. They actually had it in stock. Shipped yesterday. The .224 was just a tad too small for my Contender, so I got the larger die. (.224 is just right for the 700 BDL so I didn't wans to open that up.)

[grubbylabs]

Doc, it is a Lyman 225 sizing die, but they are coming out at 226.

[Doc Highwall]

Grubbylabs, thank you for the reply.

[Patrick L]

Man, you guys are doing well! I've not had the groups you have. I'm casting the 22 NATO and loading it over about 23-23.5 gr pull down 4895. I needed to go that high to get my 20 " Colt HBAR to cycle. Groups about 3 inches at 100 yds. I've been at this casually since last fall, but once I'm on summer vacation I'm going to hit this project in earnest. I suspect my alloy may be too soft.