.22 Savage (5.6 X 52R) Cast Boolits?

[ohiochuck]

Anyone loading this cartridge for a German Drilling/Combination Firearm?
Several questions:
1. Can a cast boolit weighing less than 70 gr be used with accuracy sized .228?
2. Will a .224 diameter cast boolit or jacket bullet shoot with accuracy?
Thanks for any information!
Jim

[gnoahhh]

Depends on your rate of twist. My experience is with the Savage lever guns exclusively. Their ROT dictates a bullet of a length of no longer than .750", and .700" is better. That translates into most if not all the (semi) commonly found mold designs of 60 grains and less, as well as jacketed. Lyman/Ideal #228367 is my all-time favorite, cast relatively soft (9-12 bhn), and driven with 6 grains Unique.

Obviously if your ROT is faster than the old Savage standard of 1-12" you can go with a longer bullet length.

Throat diameter will determine its ideal diameter. I never had nearly as good luck with .224 bullets in any of my Savages as I do with .228 bullets (speaking in terms of jacketed use). I've had throats run almost as large as .230 and for them, obviously, bullets of as-cast diameter of .229 shot best. Thank goodness my old 228367 mold throws fat ones.

Hope this helps a bit.