CaST BOOLITS lOADS FOR THE .223 bOLT aCTION

[terryt]

Hi:

I am looking for loads for a .223 bolt action. I am planing on using 50-60 grain boolits.

Thanks,

terryt

[bhn22]

Do you have the newest Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook? They have a lot of such loads listed.

[Larry Gibson]

What cast bullet in particular?

What is the twist of the rifles barrel?

What is the intended use?

Larry Gibson

[GabbyM]

With the little 22's it seams the design makes a great difference upon pressures and needed powder charge weights.

Good powders for a 223 would be AA 5744, SR 4759, Alliant 2400 and others in that range. I've been shooting 4198 in 223 under a Lyman #225646 with good luck. Because I had a couple pounds to burn.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I load the 50gr Bator lightly in 223 for a bolt gun.
4 gr. red dot gets me about 1600fps.

[blackpowder man]

I've had good luck with the lyman 225438 at 50 yards or less in faster twist barrels the groups open at 100 yards unless using 1 in 12 twist barrel. Unique and 4759 did well. The noe 55 grain fp does good in everything a I've used it in. Good being 2 1/2" or less at 100. The slower twist seems to be better at a longer distance. Imr 3031 and wc844 also have done well.

[terryt]

Hi ;

I am looking at the Ruger American rifle in .223 and I do not know what the barrel trwist rate IS. I PLAN ON USING BOLLITS THAT WEIGH BETWEN 50-60 GRAINS AND HAVE PICKED OUT WHAT BOOLIT MOLD TO USE.

I HAVE NEVE LOADED FOR A .22 CALIBEL CENTER FIRE BEFOR.

tHANKS,

tERRYT

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Hi ;

I am looking at the Ruger American rifle in .223 and I do not know what the barrel trwist rate IS. I PLAN ON USING BOLLITS THAT WEIGH BETWEN 50-60 GRAINS AND HAVE PICKED OUT WHAT BOOLIT MOLD TO USE.

I HAVE NEVE LOADED FOR A .22 CALIBEL CENTER FIRE BEFOR.

tHANKS,

tERRYT

Best thing you can do is get the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000159817004
Be sure to Read the first half of the book before you start

[GabbyM]

Ruger list the American 223 barrel twist as a 1:8. The Savage light rifles come with a 1:9 twist. There is word out that CZ plans to change to a 1:9” twist from the 12 twist they sell at the moment. That’s all due to popularity of heavy bullets and big box green tip M855 ammo. Plus a lot of reading on what works on the 600 yard line at NRA HP rifle matches. Where the long 22’s work very well.

You can still shoot cast in a 1:8” twist. Just not very fast. You can however best 22 RFM ballistics. Some guys want a low report and not much meet or hide damage anyway.

I own a 1:19” twist bull barrel AR that’s set up for coyote. It’s working bullet is the 65 grain Sierra GK.
I’ve shot my cast boolit load though it out of curiosity. Load is for my 12 twist bolt gun. Lyman #225646 that’s close to 60 grains over 14.5 grains of H4198. Clocks 2123fps from my 26” barrel bolt gun. That’s a little slow for that charge but my barrel is getting tired. AR with 9 twist would still keep them around 2 ½” IIRC. Maybe even under 2" at 100 yards. Best accuracy max velocity range is 1,800 to 1,900 fps. For a 1:9” twist 22 caliber gas checked boolit. So since the Ruger American has a 1:8” advertised twist rate. You’d be looking at under 1,800 fps. Upside to that is you just use a small charge of shotgun powder and call it good. My book for the Lyman #225646 for instance. List 6.2 grains of Unique for 1753 fps. That’s the start load and Unique would be all the slower of a powder you’d need. I plan to try some 2400 in my 22 loads as the 4198 is slower than needed in my bolt gun.

If you are looking for a mostly dedicated cast boolit shooter. I'd pass up on any 22 in a twist rate quicker than a 12. But you may not want a fast and loud cast boolit option. Case in point. Before I cast boolits. I used to load up some 223's with a 45 grain hornet bullet over something like 4.5 grains of Unique. You get a cracker instead of a boomer. It's 22 rim fire mag ballistics.

Best 22 center fire boolit shooter is a 222 Rem. At least I'm telling myself that as I ordered a new CZ 525 in 222 Rem a couple days ago. barrel twist is 1:14 so it should shoot boolits between 2200 and 2400 fps. No big leap over what a 12 twist 223 will do but it's something. They say it's easy to form 5.56mm NATO brass into 222. I'll be finding out soon. Just in case that's a flop I did order 100 new 222 cases.

[Buzz64]

I have the CZ 527 and it is a 1 in 9. Shooting heavy now, will try lighter soon. Here is a link to what it can do (so far) with a NOE 225-70 and ACCWW. I fat fingered the subject line - it is the 225-70 - just don't know how to edit the subject line :(

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?246159-NOE-125-65-Range-Report-SUCCESS!!

[longbow]

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/ByCaliber/Cast%20in%20the%20.223.pdf
http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/ByCaliber/Cast%20in%20the%20.223,%20Part%20II.pdf
http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/ByCaliber/Cast%20in%20the%20.223,%20Part%20III.pdf

[Buzz64]

Excellent reads - thanks longbow.

[JWFilips]

I'm love'n 11 grains Reloader 7 with a .55 grain CBE flat nose Boolit Light load very accurate! in my Sportsman 78 bolt