Having a little 22 Bator fun...

[Land Owner]

I bought the mold seven (7) years ago, in April of 2014. Has it been that long? In April of 2015 I got around to casting a few, which was early in my learning curve for casting. Those first "plinkers" were weight sorted, wrinkled a bit here and there, few were culled back into the pot, water dropped, gas checked, sized to 0.225", lubed, and shot on a 2" x 2" black with 1" diameter white target. The "best" powder load for boolit weight (50.5 gr.) and bull barrel combination at that time was:

50-yards [2015]
https://i.postimg.cc/RVG65JgX/223-Bator-50yds.jpg


Now, 2021, I have returned to the Bator, pouring them in multiple thousands from a 2-cav. mold with practically no rejects.
For fun, I loaded the last of the 2015 plinker rejects into some set aside cases with improperly "mashed" primers (the military crimp had not previously been removed - another learning curve), measured powder, similar c.o.a.l, and headed to the range to shoot 'em up. Why not put them on paper targets? If the primers go off, OK, if not, meh?

100-yards [2021]

https://i.postimg.cc/bJXHsL0L/2021-03-18-22-Bator-3.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/4dzvttBG/2021-03-18-22-Bator-2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/qq4sGR53/2021-03-18-22-Bator-1.jpg

I shot the lower 4" x 4" red with 2" diameter white target labeled "1" first, then "2", then "3" adjusting the scope as noted. Not impressive results, which I wasn't expecting, but fun none-the-less. I will follow these at the range this coming week with some very well made Bator rounds. I expect MUCH better results from the current batch of Bators through a Bull Barrel Handi-rifle, and if not with this IMR4227 powder, then I'll find another.

[DonHowe]

This encourages me to do something with Bators and mold I have on hand.

[cwlongshot]

Haha Richard!!! I just loaded some of the last batch ya sent me last night!!! I powder coated and GC'd them and seated them atop 5g Unique in a KHornet case. Im hoping ta shoot later today.

CW

[hoodat]

I must confess my ignorance. What is a Bator?? jd

[cwlongshot]

It is a LEE bullet mold in 22 cal with a blunt nose much like the 30cal "trash can" so many like.

Its weight like all cast is dependent upon alloy used mine are a bit over 50g.

CW

https://www.google.com/search?q=lee+bator.mold.pics&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#imgrc=kcE17Xxvo3F6MM

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Did I miss it, what caliber is the Handi-Rifle - .223?, 22 Hornet(too much powder?), 22-250? .218 Bee? something strange or unusual? I have the .22 Bator mold in 6-cavity, used in a Marlin 1894CL in .218 Bee.

[Land Owner]

223 caliber Handi-rifle and no you didn't miss it. Dooph - I missed it.

CW, I think a LOT about those first Bator boolits I made. The ones I shot above, the "less damaged" culls that I didn't return to the pot, were from that batch. My casting has improved significantly over the years. If yours work out, please give me a head's up. I am not into PC, though I thought about it as I lube-sized ~1K of 357 Mag/38 Spc WC and SWC's last night. The Spousal Unit is "exercising" her Charter Arms 38 Spc and we're having fun shooting together for a refreshing change. I have Unique and that's good for further testing the Bator another day. I think it would be good to PC lead boolits for increased pressure and velocity in cycling an AR-15. The Lyman #4 Cast Bullet Manual specifically warns the published loads there WILL NOT cycle an AR.

PC needs its own NEW manuals as more testing in that direction comes to light.

[cwlongshot]

Happy to coat bullets for ya my friend!

Ill make up a care package for ya! I just shot a few more bators yesterday in my 1:9 handi K Hornet. 5g Unique was 2" @ 50. Nothing grand... 13.5 1680 & a50 V-Max was a 40 cal hole same distance... So lil rifle shoots fine!!

CW

[farmerjim]

I have about 3K of them, powder coated and about half gas checked. They do well in the Handi 22 hornet and the 223 handi. The gas checked ones do better. They will work in the AR 15 but it takes pushing the limit for cast to get them to cycle.