Cast for .223/ almost ready!

[DeanWinchester]

Okay, this has taken a good bit of time but I'm almost ready. I have my sizer and Mdie, I cast a hundred or so this morning from a Lyman 225415. After they've cooled for a while I'm going to get really picky and sort them. I've read you should be extremely selective on these little boogers. ....man they are tiny!
My plan is to cull any with even the slightest defect or rounded edge. Then I'll weigh them and usually I separate +/- .5g but I think these ill go further and separate +/- .1g.
I have 50 cases prepped. RP brass. I weighed them and found fifty within 2g of each other.
Should I weigh the gas checks just to continue with the anal retentive OCD?

These will be fired from a 1/9 twist CZ527 that I have given a super thorough enema to. I spent a good fifty patches with Montana Extreme .50bmg copper solvent. I don't care for bore brushes but I even ran one down a few times. Soaked patches finally came out white and I ran dry patches down till all was spotless.

I've been shooting this rifle with filthy copper condoms for years and I KNOW it will clover leaf five shots at a hundred all day long, so I really want to do this right. So, I have a few questions.
The only powder I have that's listed in my Lyman cast bullet manual is Unique. BUT, I have to go to town today so I can pick up something else if its available. I never use this rifle for anything but making me smile at the gun range so velocity means squat as long as its accurate. I have a max of hundred yards so I won't need a barn burner.

I have been using Bens Red exclusively for awhile now with flawless results. Any reason to change that? I have several sticks of LBT blue soft I could use.

Any hints or tips for pan lubing these dinky little things? I think that's gonna be the fly in the ointment. I have eight thumbs and two pinkys, and these are so tiny!

Like I said, I really want to get this right. My reputation is on the line. There are some know it all D-bags at my range that say cast boolits in .22 centerfire is a waste of time. They said that too about all centerfire rifles until I shot a quarter size group from my Blackout.
Thanks as always guys.

[DeanWinchester]

Ohh, on powder. I have; AA2015, RX7 and SEVERAL different pistol powders. I thought about trying to pick up some red dot or green dot while I'm out today.

[tbierley]

I love Red Dot in my Savage Alixs. I also use 2400 but Red Dot is better for me.

[DeanWinchester]

I've read where Jim has tried that too. I think I will grab a pound of Red Dot. Probably $20 well spent.

[DeanWinchester]

I pressure cast these with a ladle so I would get a good fill out. I just looked through a few and they DID fill out perfect. They even weigh very consistent. Better than most of my other molds. The first 15 I looked through weighed with .8 grains total or +/-.4g. That's great! But I'm a little bummed with the final weight. They're weighing in an average of 49 grains. Well shoot! This is supposed to be a 55g mold! 6g's is a lot when you're this little. I suppose as long as they are consistent I shouldn't give it another thought.
I would have thought pressure casting them hot with clip on wheel weights would have been heavier though. I did run them a bit warm, there is a hint frosting but not bad. If you rub one with a rag,it shines like a new dime.

I'm using some old Hornady gas checks ( they ain't used these boxes in a few years!) and one good thing, the gas check goes on real easy. Then I murdered one trying to get the check off. I tore a chunk of my thumb nail out and didn't get the check to come off. I did dig it off with a screw driver. That's what I like! I ordered a .224 Lee sizer. It's sizing right on .2245 so that should be great. The boolits are falling .225-.2255 so there's good clean up to make a perfectly round boolit.

Now I gotta make me a new 'little' pan to pan lube with.

[DeanWinchester]

Well, the local shop was out of red dot so I came home with a pound of green dot.
I think I'll do 25 in unique and 25 in green dot. Crossing my fingers.

[otter5555]

Well, the local shop was out of red dot so I came home with a pound of green dot.
I think I'll do 25 in unique and 25 in green dot. Crossing my fingers.


i dont allow ANY imperfections on my 22 boolits. i use the noe 60 gr mold, straight ww, no gc. they fall in groups of 59gr, 60gr and 61gr. i only load the 60 and 61 gr groups. the 59gr's dont group well even when well sorted. i sort by weight and only keep the groups of boolits that are within .1 gr of each other. i tried 11 powders and for me, greendot gives best accuracy. 2.9 gr chronos 1389 avg. 5 shot groups avg 1 min @ 100 yds. i shoot this same load in 1:9, 1:12 and 1:14 with zero diference in accuracy. i can load with no gc to near 2000 with zero leading but groups open to 2 min and i will not shoot a 2 minute load :) casting for the 223 has been a chore compared to any other caliber that i have casted for in the last 40+ years.

[JeffinNZ]

Is the mould new or 2nd hand? The original 225415 was spec'd at 48gr. The new one is heavier. See below. Far left is the new 55gr version. Second from left is the old 48gr.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Shooting%20stuff/224variations.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Shooting%20stuff/224variations.jpg.html)

[**oneshot**]

I have been using Red dot and loving it. I just wish it metered better.