Any if my powders decent for casting ?

[Wolfdog91]

Well I'm just about ready to start casting (got about all the dies I want ,gas checks power coat toaster oven sizing dies ect) but powder is being kind of a problem. A good many of the main casting powders I was recommended are kinda hard to find right now Unique being near about like a unicorn lol, so was wondering how well the current powders I have would do.
Currently on my shelf I have
Varget
8208xbr
H322
And I have two others I can't think of at the moment . Anyhow for shooting cast .223,7.62x39and 7.62x54r would these be half decent or are the pressures to much for boolits with around a 16-18bhn ? Doubt I'm going to try and push anything more than 2300 on the extreme extreme scale.
Thanks

[JDL]

What is your main purpose? Hunting? Target shooting? My hunting loads for the 7.62x39 use 4895 and WC-844 (H-335) so H-322 may do well in it or even Varget. Can't comment on the others.

[bedbugbilly]

The only one of your calibers that I reload is 223 - do you have a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook? (there are 4 editions of it). There is a downloadable version of the 3rd edition but I don't have the link to it - perhaps someone else could post that for you?

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook lists a number of powders for using cast in 223. I think you are like many of us - powders not available so you have to come up with data for what you have on hand. You should be able to go to the powder manufacturer's site and see what they have to offer for loading data with the powders they have - it might be there and it might not.

I bought my Ruger bolt action 223 just before the virus hit and then had to have some emergency surgery - so while I have rounds loaded to work up a load for it in Varget and H335, I haven't had a chance to even get out to shoot. Depends on what you are going to shoot it in but I now have about four different molds for the 223 to cast in and try in different weights. For the cast out of my 223 bolt rifle, I'm going to use Red Dot or Bulls Eye - I'll gas check them but I'm not going to push them hard. If I had Unique - I'd give it a try but I don't have any here and wasn't able to get any.

[Billwnr]

good powders for a .308 or similar.

[pjames32]

+1 on the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. I use a lot of Accurate #5 for cast pistol. IMR 4227 and Accurate #5744 comes in handy for rifle.

[cstrickland]

Well I'm just about ready to start casting (got about all the dies I want ,gas checks power coat toaster oven sizing dies ect) but powder is being kind of a problem. A good many of the main casting powders I was recommended are kinda hard to find right now Unique being near about like a unicorn lol, so was wondering how well the current powders I have would do.
Currently on my shelf I have
Varget
8208xbr
H322
And I have two others I can't think of at the moment . Anyhow for shooting cast .223,7.62x39and 7.62x54r would these be half decent or are the pressures to much for boolits with around a 16-18bhn ? Doubt I'm going to try and push anything more than 2300 on the extreme extreme scale.
Thanks

you can probably find recipes on line for those listed, but the other two may be much better. what are your other powders ?

[Conditor22]

go here and look

http://castpics.net/dpl/index.php/reloaders-reference/load-lookup-by-powder

or here

http://castpics.net/dpl/index.php/reloaders-reference/cast-bullet-data-lookup

of the 3 I only have/use varget

[Ozark mike]

I know varget isn't idea for low pressures it will leave unburnt flakes in the bbl h322 will do a little better in low pressures apps. But not by much. The lyman cast book list these powders for use with 223 rem
700x
Unique
true blue
N105
Acc9
2400
4759
4227
5744
Red dot
Green dot
Pb
7625
1680
4198
Rx7
4198
I highly recommend getting one of these books so ya dont kill yourself in the process of load development. I never use anyones load data without checking my books first or the hodgdon website.

[Drew P]

The thing with 223 though is the narrow mouth so that rules out a lot of the big stick powders and the like for my tastes. Bridging is not my fav way to spend the afternoon.
Are they ever going to bring back 4759?! I loved that one!

[tarbe]

Wolfdog

I just picked up 8 pounds of Buffalo Rifle from Powder Valley...it is very similar to 5744 (actually, I just got 8 more pounds of 5744 from Midsouth, too).

So there is some powder out there if you look around.

I had 20 pounds of Unique, but sold 5 pounds to a friend who was desperate. As you said, it has become a Unicorn!

Good luck figuring out what will work. I am still sitting on some powders I bought in 2008 when nothing was available...still trying to figure out where I am going to use that 8 pounds of Long Shot!

[45workhorse]

Cabela's in Augusta, GA, actually had powder and primers, today. NO, no small pistol primers. Last time I was there, it was bare!

Not trying to sell just posting my observations.

[Wolfdog91]

you can probably find recipes on line for those listed, but the other two may be much better. what are your other powders ?
Accurate 2230 and a little bit of H414

[Wolfdog91]

I know varget isn't idea for low pressures it will leave unburnt flakes in the bbl h322 will do a little better in low pressures apps. But not by much. The lyman cast book list these powders for use with 223 rem
700x
Unique
true blue
N105
Acc9
2400
4759
4227
5744
Red dot
Green dot
Pb
7625
1680
4198
Rx7
4198
I highly recommend getting one of these books so ya dont kill yourself in the process of load development. I never use anyones load data without checking my books first or the hodgdon website.
I have the Lyman 4th edition really wish someone would put out an updated one though

[Wolfdog91]

What is your main purpose? Hunting? Target shooting? My hunting loads for the 7.62x39 use 4895 and WC-844 (H-335) so H-322 may do well in it or even Varget. Can't comment on the others.
Right now just target shooting but hunting later in down the road

[Ozark mike]

I have the Lyman 4th edition really wish someone would put out an updated one though

Yep im with ya on that but i doubt the info would change much. Ya got to think how many out there own guns quiet a few then think how many reload maybe 10 or 15 percent then out of those how many shoot lead only not many and last are the ones that cast very few. Out of everyone i know around here that reloads only 1 or 2 actually melt lead and lube em

[fastdadio]

Wolfdog

I am still sitting on some powders I bought in 2008 when nothing was available...still trying to figure out where I am going to use that 8 pounds of Long Shot!

Take a stroll through here. 120 different loads. There should be something you can load with Longshot.
I know I'll be trying it out in .44, .357. and 45acp in the future, since I have a couple pounds in reserve.
http://castpics.net/dpl/index.php/reloaders-reference/load-lookup-by-powder