Bust my 22 cal bubble...

[birdadly]

I haven't bothered you all for awhile, so here's my new hounding... I've been saying for over a year now that I want to start casting/reloading for rifle, and I haven't yet. I have 3 molds, 22cal, 7mm and 30cal. I now want the 22cal to be my first I really get into (granted Snuffy helped me get started with 7mm but I didn't keep it going, sorry Snuffy!).

So what are the chances my NOE 225-55, 22cal mold will work in these 2 rifles. I am trying to kill 2 guns with 1 mold here. My buddy has a Remington 700, .223 and I now have a Savage 11, 22-250. I believe they're both 1-12" twist barrels. Umm, what else might you all want to know...

I cast some from COWW, air cooled. I weighed 8 of them and they're all real close to 60 grains. Speaking of which, even though it's a 55 grain mold, I assume I go with a 60 grain mold load data eh? I have some gas checks from Blammer (just came in the mail today!) I assume I will be getting a .225 lyman sizing die and a 22cal "M" die once they're available to finish up my shopping.

We mostly want to be accurate at the range, at 100 yards for starters, but then we also have gongs at 200 and 300 yards as well. (hmm, will I hear a 22cal hit a gong?)

So I have the Lyman 49th book and Lyman cast boolit book to look over, but I just want to see if anyone has any pointers for me, anything to look for, try out, etc. I've gotten great advice both direct from some of you and from all the reading I do here... for my 9mm and 45acp, so just checking in with you all.

Thanks so much! -Brad

[Atonic]

How hard is your alloy? Typical .223 load pushes 55gr at almost 3K, 22-250 closer to 3.5K.

With regular Handloads you'd be making one hole @100 yards. Cast, probably a little bigger. If you're talking an 8" gong you should be able to hit it at 300, if your skill is up to it.

Be interested in how it works out for you.

[Nobade]

You will be surprised at how light your loads are for the speed produced. I have never gotten good accuracy from cast 22's above about 2400 fps and that is in 1:14 twist barrels. Loaded in the neighborhood of a 22 mag it isn't hard to get them to shoot very well in a variety of guns.

-Nobade

[Mk42gunner]

Go to castpics and read the articles on cast in the .223.

Robert

[uscra112]

A good load for me with a 50 grain HP (j-wart) in the .223 has been 7.5 grains of Red Dot. Velocity about 2100 fps. That ought to treat you well with your 60 grain boolit. Red Dot is nice and bulky so does not need fillers to make it ignite reliably.

[badboyparamedic]

Been casting 55gr with GC, running 7gr of Red Dot or 700X in a Remington 700 and a Mossberg MVP, both are 223 bolt guns. Seems to be doing fine. Accurate enough that at 200 yards can hit a 4 inch square steel plate everytime.

[birdadly]

Thanks fellas. You know I never have visited the Castpics area, just read here. I'll head over there today, thanks "gunner".

I don't have a chrony so in the area of speed I'll be flying blind, aside from what the books tell me they should be going. I'm good with that for now. I like the hobby of trying this stuff out and as I acquire more equipment, the more fine tuning I hope to do. Up front I don't feel any need to go fast. I just want to find the speed that is accurate for our guns and I'm sure testing is the way to get that.

After some more reading, I'll take the plunge. I've only used COWW's for my pistol rounds (while casting those I made about 100 of these boolits as well last session), but I do have linotype to mix in for rifle bullets. I'm sure reading will give me ideas of some different mixes to try. I'll decide what to try, and do so before getting too far ahead of myself.

Thanks again for the replies. Keep 'em coming if you have any ideas, suggestions or comments. -Brad

[Jack Stanley]

I'm working with a pile of RCBS 22-55-SP bullets cast from Linotype diluted with range scrap to get twelve to fifteen brinell . I'd cast with any alloy that fills out well and be happy with it though .

The powder that worked real well for me is Hercules 2400 and I don't need more than eleven grains . For what it's worth , I use a Winchester small pistol magnum primer and haven't had any problems . I don't know the velocity but the loads accuracy seems better than mine and does well in all sorts of weather .

Jack

[NVScouter]

I have a 22 mold and about 600 gaschecks from the first 1,000. They are the worst to put on, a bevel base may change my mind but I'm not sure they are worth it.

[Nobade]

I just put the checks open side up on the bench and press the boolits on to them. Then run them through the sizer. Otherwise they're sure a pain to handle!

-Nobade

[grampa243]

anyone try a primer flip tray for the small gas checks?

just a thought.