mold for 223 ?

[statb]

I make 40, 45, 9 but was thing about 223, do they make that mold and are they hard to do?

[JeffinNZ]

Lyman 225415 is hard to beat and easy to cast.

[Mk42gunner]

In the past, there were a lot of .22 caliber molds; now, there aren't a lot of options if you want a new mold. Most will be for a gaschecked boolit.

What rifle are you planning to shoot these from? .223's have been made with twists from 1 in 7" to 1 in 14", this can make a big difference in what boolit will work for you.

Robert

[JIMinPHX]

The 225415 that Jeff recommended is the one that I started with in that caliber. I had accuracy problems until I seated my boolits out far enough to contact the rifling, then she started to play ball with me. It's a really nice looking boolit & works well once you get it set up properly for your gun. Post #10 in this thread shows what mine look like now, with hollow points drilled in them - http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=68853

In the mean time, I had also tried the Bator. This boolit was easier for me to get good accuracy from, but I had to wait a reeeeaaalllyy long time to get it, since it is a special order item from Midsouth. http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/department.asp?dept=RELOADING&dept2=LEAD%20BULLET%20CASTING&dept3=SPECIAL%20ORDER%20MOULDS It is also known as the Lee C225-55-RF.
@ less than $20, this is probably the least expensive gas checked .22 mold that you will find anywhere.


Beagle posted a series of great write ups on cast in the .223 over on castpics. Be prepared to sit down & read for a while. That man left very few stones unturned & was kind enough to document his lengthy efforts for our benefit.

http://www.castpics.net/memberarticles/Cast%20in%20the%20.223.htm

http://www.castpics.net/memberarticles/Cast%20in%20the%20.223,%20Part%20II.htm

http://www.castpics.net/memberarticles/Cast%20in%20the%20.223,%20Part%20III.htm

The little .22's can require a slightly different casting technique than the larger boolits do, but once you get the hang of it, they are not that bad. Mostly, I find that I need to cast on the hot side (like 700-750f for WW) & move quickly to keep the mold from cooling down. Those little boolits don't carry much heat to the mold with them when you pour. Pouring a lot of extra lead over the sprue plate & letting it just run off sometimes helps too. I have to agree with Jeff that the Lyman is probably the easier mold to cast with.

[Moonie]

What mold would one suggest for a 1 in 9" AR?

[Moonie]

I ordered the bator mold back in April, due sometime in November...

[JIMinPHX]

I ordered the bator mold back in April, due sometime in November...

When I was in that situation, I then ordered another one to help Midsouth meet the minimum order quantity so that they would actually place their order with Lee. Not too long after the molds finally did arrive, I had people contacting me to ask what I was going to do with the extra. Extra Bator molds are not hard to get rid of. There always seems to be somebody that wants one, but doesn't want to wait 6+ months to get it. If Midsouth would just stock reasonable quantities of the darn things, they could probably mark them up quite a bit more & still sell them.

[stephen perry]

I have had 225 415 since 1963 single cavity would always recommend it. I also have 225 438, 225 462, and 225 642. RCBS makes a nice looking 55 grn bullet. Days past 22 bullets were the standby for the target shooters. Today I would say 6mm and .30 cal fill that role. But with all those .223 rifles out there 22's have made a good comeback.

Most every mold maker has a 22 offering, there all good. Like any mold bullet look for good bases, cull out the rounded bases and set your temp to stay away from them. Sizing .225 goes good with a 22 cast bullet. Lube is no big deal just get some on the bullets. Unique powder is highly recommended by most, most shotgun powders do a good job also. Primers whatever you got small rifle or small pistol.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR

[NHlever]

Another vote for the 225415 here. I've used it in a .22 hornet, a CZ223, and now in a Remington 700 .223. I would also expect that it would be a good choice to try with a faster twist barrel like 1-9". I had the most trouble in the Hornet with a 14" twist. Unique, IMR 4227, and AA1680 have been my top performers. I did get some good results with H-110 in the Hornet, but it varied too much with the weather.

[JIMinPHX]

One little sidebar about the 225415 - It's changed a little over the years. The older molds drop a boolit that weighs around 45 grains. The newer molds drop a boolit with a longer gas check shank that weighs in closer to 55 grains.

[JeffinNZ]

One little sidebar about the 225415 - It's changed a little over the years. The older molds drop a boolit that weighs around 45 grains. The newer molds drop a boolit with a longer gas check shank that weighs in closer to 55 grains.

Yes, mine is the older verison that drops at 48gr in WW. Great game bullet.

[Ben]

Another vote for the 225415. Mine has been HP'd:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/225415%20HP/PICT0009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/225415%20HP/PICT0014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/225415%20HP/PICT0006.jpg

[9.3X62AL]

I just started Version 3.0 of "The Saga Of Cast Boolits in 223 Caliber", this time using the RCBS 55 SP in Linotype alloy.

V.1.0--many moons ago, #225415 from Remington 700V, "not impressed" to "unmitigated clusterfark" outcomes. Best forgotten, and several months of group therapy with j-words healed the wounds nicely.

V.2.0--Ruger 77RC, 1-9" twist rate, and two different cavities in an older NEI mould--one a 55 grain Loverin look-alike, the other a 72 grain RN. The 55 Loverin shot QUITE WELL at 50 and 100 yards, the 72 grainer did cartwheels--but did hit the berm with about a .320 batting average. Group size was about that of a Class-AAA strike zone.

V.3.0--Same Ruger, RCBS boolit, and 8.0/8.5/9.0 grains of IMR-4198 for a first attempt. The bore is de-coppered, just gotta get off my aspirations and post some targets/squeeze the trigger. 22 shopping days until Dove Season Opener, should be able to wedge in a couple range days among the doctor visits and treatment crapola this month.

[JIMinPHX]

Those are some pretty little boolits you have there Ben. I've got to imagine that casting a hollow point in something that small must take some extra care & finesse. Those look much better than I would have expected possible. Nice job.

Do you have any secrets to success that you would care to share?

[JIMinPHX]

9.3x62al, you need to go to work writing lines for stand up comedians. Your choice of descriptive phrases just about had me rolling on the floor, laughing.

Option #2, you could teach a self help course for people with frustration management issues. ...seriously.

[Larry Gibson]

I make 40, 45, 9 but was thing about 223, do they make that mold and are they hard to do?

Usual question for the .223 but as always missing important information. What is the twist of the barrel? What is the action type (bolt/single shot or gas gun)?

Lot's of positive comments on 225415. I've had a single cavity mould since '69 and have been using it in bolt action/single shots with good results up to a certain limit. It is a very useful bullet for vermin with velocities of 1600 upwards of 2200 fps with twists of 9 - 14". It does take attention to details on casting and loading such in the upper end though. In gas guns, ARs, Mini 14s and AKs, the Lovern design 225462 has proven to be the best for me over the years. It has the weight so with medium/slower burning powders functioning can be reliable while keeping velocity low enough for some semblence of accuracy. Quite frankly when a 7" twist is used accuracy and reliable functioning are not generally found concurrently. Sometimes some accuracy equal to milsurp can be had out to 100 yards. I know some have claimed extra ordinary accuracy with cast and 7" twist barrels at 2500+ fps but I have not seen it and I have tried very diligently. Reasonable accuracy and reliable functioning can be had at 1800 - 2000 fps with the 225462 or a heavier bullet when used in a 9 -10" twist barrel. The older 12" twist M16/M16A1 barrels are the most forgiving. With mine and 225462 over H4895 with a dacron filler I get reliable functioning and 2-3 moa accuracy out to 200 yards.

So, as I said, what works best in a .223 depends a lot on what you have and what your expectations of accuracy are.

Let me add that if you want to push velocities into the mid or high 2000 fps range with a bolt or single action then the Lovern design is also probably your best bet, at least in my experience it is.

Larry Gibson

[9.3X62AL]

Jim, thank you for the kind words. I have a somewhat off-beat view of life and the world, and some of that finds its way here. Patience and a sense of humor go a long way in making poured boolits behave and perform, and assist greatly in the acceptance of their sometimes humbling lesson plans.

I hear ya on Ben's photography craftsmanship that he presents here. His boolit pics could go in "Sunset" magazine or "Arizona Highways". But you should see his woodworking skills.

[HORNET]

Al, 8.0-9.0 grains of H-4198??? I don't think that you're running them anywhere near fast enough for them to group well. 7 grains Unique, 8 grains of AL-7, 8-9 grains Blue Dot, 12.8 SR-4759, 13.4 either flavor of 4227, 14.5 IMR-4198, 15.5 IMR-3031 are more appropriate charges for starting points. Please note that I got erratic results using 4198 or 3031 with small rifle primers (WSR, R-P 6-1/2 & 7-1/2) without Dacron filler and got hangfires trying them with pistol primers and no filler. That was in a 12" twist Rem 788 in .223. The same loads are close in a 14" twist Rem 700VS. I think the twist rate difference compensates for the velocity change due to the case capacity difference.

[Moonie]

FYI, midsouth has the Bator in stock right now, got the order in yesterday. I now have one on its way to me :) Now to get a sizer, checks, boy SWMBO isn't going to be happy muhahahaha

[roundabout]

Moonie what have your results been with the Bator?

[Moonie]

Horrible, my bator was not dimentioned correctly, the nose was .225 and would stick in the barrel when chambered. I've since moved to a NOE 221 clone.