?? cast bullet for 223 remington in CZ-527 bolt action ?

[HikerLT]

I'd like to get set up to be able to do 223 remington cast bullet loads for my CZ-527 bolt action ( barrel 1:12 twist).

Questions :
1) does the cast bullet have to have a gas check, or can it be a plain base mold
2) what's a good mold to use ? I assume bullet weight should be between 55gr to 70 gr ?

Thanks !

[Grayone]

I'd like to get set up to be able to do 223 remington cast bullet loads for my CZ-527 bolt action ( barrel 1:12 twist).

Questions :
1) does the cast bullet have to have a gas check, or can it be a plain base mold
2) what's a good mold to use ? I assume bullet weight should be between 55gr to 70 gr ?

Thanks !

I suggest the lee copy of the RCBS 55 grain fp with Gas Check. You can lube old fashioned or powder coat. I powder coat and gas check. I have used this bullet at 1000 FPS and at ~2000 FPS and have had no issues with leading even in an AR. This bullet should do well with your 1-12 twist. I think you are on the right track.

[gloob]

If you powder coat your bullets, you might try to find a plain base mold to save a few cents, but you'll achieve higher velocities with a gas check on there, as well. And with the cost of primers, saving a few cents on a gas check isn't much. Most of the 22 molds will be overwhelmingly gas check shanked, last I checked.

I'm not sure on the weight. 70 might work if the bullet is blunt and short enough. I would guess 55 is a much safer bet for 1:12. I shoot the cheapo 55 grain Lee in my 1:12 and 1:8 without complaint. I use gas checks and tumble lube.

[racepres]

Does the Lee 55gr seat with gc in neck?? or below??
Anyway I use Checks, mostly because they cure some casting deficiencies.. Those little buggers are getting harder and harder for me to produce/handle...I suspect my Quality may be suffering...

[gloob]

It's in the neck, how I seat it. Case mouth just covering the middle (of 3) lube grooves, front lube groove exposed. It chambers in both my rifles at that length, and it feeds in my semiauto (but I haven't worked out a load that will cycle AND hit the target, yet).

Edit: I have a dedicated seater die for this bullet in 223 that I haven't touched in years. With a freshly trimmed case to min length, a sliver of the second lube groove is peeking out, so you could put a taper crimp or FCD on it, if you needed to, without swaging that bearing surface. The gas check is partly hanging below the neck, checking a sawn-through case, but that's the same situation with my 7mm-08 cast bullets. I've pulled these bullets, and the gas check is left in the neck, anyhow. I've never had one drop in with the powder after pulling, but getting the check out without pushing it through the neck is almost impossible. It'll still come out with tweezers, with some fiddling.

[Hick]

I suggest the lee copy of the RCBS 55 grain fp with Gas Check. You can lube old fashioned or powder coat. I powder coat and gas check. I have used this bullet at 1000 FPS and at ~2000 FPS and have had no issues with leading even in an AR. This bullet should do well with your 1-12 twist. I think you are on the right track.

This (above) is a very good one that I use in my CZ-527. Another good one is the Lyman 225-646, which has more of a pointy nose. In my CZ I use them with gas checks and Ben's tumble lube and they shoot very nicely.

[Shopdog]

Have quite a few 22 cast rigs here.... a CZ 527 Lux in 223 is amongst this hoard.

The "22's" seem, from all my time dinking with them,to be right durn picky in their.... tolerate(this mould) vs holy moly,what a mould.

In my particular 527(12T)... the Lee 225-55RF (RCBS clone) was the clear winner. Cast with old W/W,and some Rotometal "hardball"... getting VG accuracy is a cakewalk. In 223, IMR4198 with the Lee is gonna be tough to beat. Good luck with your project.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Need a GC?
no, but using one is a wise choice.
you could go lighter than 55gr with a 1:12
maybe the Lyman 225438 or a clone from NOE.
The Midsouth LEE 22 Bator is another good choice, they are typically 50gr.
That's my 2¢

[Larry Gibson]

The use of the GC for anything but 22LR equivalent loads is strongly suggested for best accuracy.

I've found the old tried and true Lovern design Lyman 225462 to be consistently the most accurate 22 cal cast bullet I've used, particularly in 12" twist barrels. I prefer to cast of linotype or #2 alloy WQ'd, GC'd with a Hornady GC, lubed with 2500+ and shot "as cast" (.226). I seat the GC and crimp it on in a .225 H&I then lube in a .227 H&I.

[quilbilly]

Every barrel has its own personality and mine is the T/C Venture bolt with a 1/12 twist. The Lee mold shoots very well but the NOE 225-57-FN is exrtraordinary. At an MV of 1900 fps, it has proven itself to be more accurate than any of the jacketed bullets at jacketed velocities except the Sierra match bullets. Sadly, it appears in the catalog to be sold out at the moment. Any 223 I have tried has been a challenge to get the load right. That takes time but hopefully is worth the challenge. I am sizing to 224, tumble lubing, and not using a very hard alloy. Surprisingly (or maybe not), the powder of choice for the CB's has been Red Dot in that rifle.

[MarkP]

The tiny Lyman 225107 are fun to put gas checks on but shoot well for me, Lyman 225415 and the 55 gr RCBS also shoot well. I have been casting most 22's from linotype.

[Mr Peabody]

Anybody here try either of the 4895's? With the rcbs 55gr

[Larry Gibson]

I've shot a lot of various 55 gr +/- cast bullets [mostly 225462s and 225415s] in my 12" twist Contender carbine, Winchester M70 XTR and Remington M700V loaded over 18 gr H4895 with a dacron filler. Velocity ran 2375 +/- depending on barrel. Accuracy was moa to 1 1/2 moa for 10 shots at 100 yards. Killed many a ground squirrel with that load.

[Mr Peabody]

Thanks Larry, I'm going to try my luck without the filler first. I've used a filler with RL-7 and had good results in the -06