My first go with 223 cast

[BC17A]

Assembled my first AR with PSA parts last month. It's a 16" with a carbine length gas system. After running several hundred rounds of FMJ factory and reloaded ammo through it I wanted to move on to cast boolits. Managed to catch Midway with some Lee 55gn molds in stock so I thought I'd give those a try before committing to a different mold and heavier boolit.

These were only out to 27 yards, it's a start, but I plan on mounting a scope and moving out to 50, 75 and 100 yards next time out. The 2230 loads cycled fine, but 4227 12.5gn load only cycled twice out of the five rounds. The orange target stickers are 3" by the way.


289008 289009 289010 289011 289012

[sukivel]

I’m curious why you’re using 4227? I don’t know anything about 2230.

Also, what do these weigh with gc and pc and your alloy?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TjB101]

It probably won’t cycle the gas system but try 4.2gr of bullseye. Right around 22 magnum velocity and pretty accurate.

[BC17A]

I’m curious why you’re using 4227? I don’t know anything about 2230.

Also, what do these weigh with gc and pc and your alloy?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I saw 4227 in the Lyman cast handbook and thought it may be about the fastest powder that would cycle the AR. Looks like it may do just that as 13gn is max. I've also got some IMR4198 and 2460 to try out next time. Boolits weigh right about 57 grains with PC and check.

[Jal5]

Don’t you love putting those GC on!
Looks like the same boolit I use from NOE.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Thumbcocker]

I had good results with 4895. I have read that reloaded 7 will cycle the action but ran out of boolits before I could try it.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

There will be a narrow margin of the gun cycling and accuracy...and some powders will have no line.

H4895 is what I tried first, upon recommendation from those who know more than me, and I was pleased with the results.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Don’t you love putting those GC on!
Looks like the same boolit I use from NOE.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have the NOE mold also, mine drops around 60 gr.

BTW, both Lee and NOE copied the RCBS 22-055-SP
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0004482007/double-cavity-rifle-bullet-mould-number-22-055-sp-22-caliber-point225-55-grain-semi-point

[BC17A]

Don’t you love putting those GC on!
Looks like the same boolit I use from NOE.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Between making the checks, and getting them on the boolits, I've dropped several on the floor of my shop. My wife even found one in the house and asked me what it was. That one must have gotten a ride in on one of my shoes.





There will be a narrow margin of the gun cycling and accuracy...and some powders will have no line.

H4895 is what I tried first, upon recommendation from those who know more than me, and I was pleased with the results.

I picked up a pound of IMR4895 last week. From what I've read, H4895 is better for cast as it can be safely reduced. I guess I'll use the IMR for the J words.

[sukivel]

There will be a narrow margin of the gun cycling and accuracy...and some powders will have no line.

H4895 is what I tried first, upon recommendation from those who know more than me, and I was pleased with the results.

That narrow line of accuracy vs cycling is no joke. I use 19.0 of H335, cycles great but accuracy is barely decent to the point I stopped casting for it. I think it’s just to fast. H4895 would be alot slower, what load are you happy with?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bad Ass Wallace]

My 223 Rem loads are a 55gn RCBS GC/PC with 21.5gn of 3031.

https://i.imgur.com/Gc8Va4u.jpg

[Bashby]

I have the NOE mold also, mine drops around 60 gr.

BTW, both Lee and NOE copied the RCBS 22-055-SP
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0004482007/double-cavity-rifle-bullet-mould-number-22-055-sp-22-caliber-point225-55-grain-semi-point


Wow!, is $115 the normal price for a 2 cavity RCBS mold? I’ve been wanting to cast for my 5.56 ARs but so far I’ve only loaded pistol rounds and 300 blackout, didn’t have much luck with the 300 yet.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Wow!, is $115 the normal price for a 2 cavity RCBS mold? I’ve been wanting to cast for my 5.56 ARs but so far I’ve only loaded pistol rounds and 300 blackout, didn’t have much luck with the 300 yet.

I just googled & grabbed a link for the photo...but it seems like it's the current range of new 2 cav Iron molds.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

That narrow line of accuracy vs cycling is no joke. I use 19.0 of H335, cycles great but accuracy is barely decent to the point I stopped casting for it. I think it’s just to fast. H4895 would be alot slower, what load are you happy with?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I ended up right near 21 gr.
I am not able to access my paper notes, but I found my post about this from 5 years ago.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?302707-223-AR-load-data-help&p=3714049&viewfull=1#post3714049

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

SNIP...

I picked up a pound of IMR4895 last week. From what I've read, H4895 is better for cast as it can be safely reduced. I guess I'll use the IMR for the J words.

According to Runfiverun,
He actually had better luck with IMR, but he used a powder positioner, which I assume is a puff of Dacron to hold the powder against the primer, which adds more work to reloading.
same thread as I posted above to sukivel, Runfiverun responded by my post about H4895
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?302707-223-AR-load-data-help&p=3714059&viewfull=1#post3714059

If you need some good instructions about Filler...
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?109280-The-proper-use-of-fillers

[BC17A]

More fun scheduled for tomorrow. This time all brass and boolits separated by headstamp and weight. COAL all within .002".

289086

[mehavey]

See also https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?368459-223-cast-bullets-w-ar15&p=4472544&viewfull=1#post4472544 and AA2495 (4895 1st cousin)

[Alferd Packer]

great thread!

[dverna]

https://www.armorally.com/shop/hornady-22-caliber-55gr-spire-point/

They have them in FMJ too.

At less than $9/100 it is not bad during "the panic", if you place any value on your time. I bought them at $7/100 before the panic. With gas checks currently selling for $3+/100 why bother?

If doing it for "fun" have at it.

[Beaverhunter2]

https://www.armorally.com/shop/hornady-22-caliber-55gr-spire-point/

They have them in FMJ too.

At less than $9/100 it is not bad during "the panic", if you place any value on your time. I bought them at $7/100 before the panic. With gas checks currently selling for $3+/100 why bother?

If doing it for "fun" have at it.

Thanks for the tip, Don!

I just picked up the same Lee 55 gr mould but the Hornady 55 SP has been my go-to bullet for .223. Almost out so I grabbed a K for the shelf. I also remember the $7/100. Should have bought more than the 4K I did BITD.

Be safe!

John

[waksupi]

I don't recall the load at the moment, but I was pushing to 2680 fps with my old .223, group ran 1 5/8" at 100 yards with cast bullets. Get up to that velocity range, should take care of your function problems.

[BC17A]

Well yesterday went both good and not so good. Sighted in the rifle at 25 yards, then moved the target to 100. First 15 cast boolits were high and only a few hit the top of their targets. Those targets were taped across the top of the stand so those groups were lost. Too bad as those were the best A2230 loads from the previous outing.

So, after that lesson I reset the elevation on the scope and pressed on with the oddball powder loads. The ugly (shotgun) cast groups on target 4 and 5 were IMR4227 bumped up to 12.6 and 12.7 grains. After that disappointing session, I moved on to the J-words to see what the rifle was capable of so I left the targets at 100 yards. Center group (1.9") on target #4 was 23.8 grains of IMR4895 behind a Hornady 68gn HPBT. Center group (1.1") on #5 was 22.2 grains of A2520 behind a Sierra 77gn MK.

Going to do more testing with the cast Lee 55s but I think I'll look for a different mold and heavier boolit.

289169