Newbie-ish questions about cast boolits and rifle velocity?

[Russel Nash]

Howdie all,

I did do a search here first. Honest, I did. My question was:

How fast can a cast boolit be shot out of a rifle barrel?

I think my answer was found here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...rifle+velocity

One of the poster's there said that he has driven paper patched .30 cal bullets to 3,300 fps.

That's pretty cool.

Would you all give me an idea of how fast a NON paper patched cast boolit can be fired out of a rifle?

Does adding on a gas check let you up the velocity?

And/or does a gas check just help with NOT putting so much lead in the barrel?

Could one shoot lead pro-jo's out of a semi-automatic .308 rifle?

Thanks?

[Buckshot]

Howdie all,

I did do a search here first. Honest, I did. My question was:

How fast can a cast boolit be shot out of a rifle barrel?

I think my answer was found here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...rifle+velocity

One of the poster's there said that he has driven paper patched .30 cal bullets to 3,300 fps.

That's pretty cool.

Would you all give me an idea of how fast a NON paper patched cast boolit can be fired out of a rifle?

If everything was 'right' and you expected anykind of accuracy I'd say probably about 2800 fps.

Does adding on a gas check let you up the velocity?

Yes they will. And if you think about it, a jacketed bullet is merely a lead boolit with a Full Length Gas Check (in case you see FLGC, that's what they mean..... jacketed)

And/or does a gas check just help with NOT putting so much lead in the barrel?

A GC does more of a protecting the base type job, and so by extension yes, it helps to prevent leading.

Could one shoot lead pro-jo's out of a semi-automatic .308 rifle?

What you're really asking is can a cast lead boolit cycle a semi -auto rifle and do so with useable accuracy? The answer is yes.

Thanks?

........................ Buckshot

[Single Shot]

You won't get many replies to this. Buckshot said it all.

Video is a good Idea. And since my other hobby is RC planes, I'll get the fly cam. http://www.hobby-lobby.com/video-camera.htm

[Bass Ackward]

Depending on meplat size and humidty levels in the air, lead starts to melt in the air at 3200 fps. By 3500 fps it won't make a 100 yd target for me. I am no higher than 1000 ft here, higher up you may do better.

[Leftoverdj]

I ain't about to disagree with Buckshot or Bass Ackward, but we less advanced and dedicated cast bullet shooters can't come close. Takes years of work to do what they can do. As a practical matter, consider 2200 fps the limit for moderate experience and work up after you are satisfied with your results at and below that level.

[GrizzLeeBear]

No one has ever known we were among you......

until now.

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

I love that movie (Highlander), one of my favorites.

Anyway, ditto what the other guys said. There are some posts here about guys shooting cast in their M1A's.

[Russel Nash]

GrizLeeBear wrote:

No one has ever known we were among you......

until now.

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

I love that movie (Highlander), one of my favorites.

(thread drift on)

I was beginning to wonder when somebody was going to catch on.

LOL!

I have about 33 shooting forums in my "favorites". For a while there, I was using the same screen name for the ones I visisted on a regular basis.

Then one forum had as disclaimer that google was keeping track of who said what. From that point on, I decided to come up with a different screen name for each forum.

I also did a google search of my "main" screen name and was kinda shocked at how good a job google did in digging up my old posts on a variety of forums.

So I decided to pick screen names that would bring up lots of different hits should one do a google search.

Yeah, I like the first and third Highlander movies. Watching the blacksmithing involved in making a sword is cool too.

(drift off)

Shooting cast boolits in gas operated rifles was going to be my next question. Everything else I have read on casting and reloading forums says it CAN"T be done.

Supposedly, the lead will clog the gas port and turn your semi-auto into a manually operated repeater.

So I was beginning to think that a roller locked rifle or a straight blow back gun would be the way to go.

Hmmm.... decisions.... decisions...

[45 2.1]

Shooting cast boolits in gas operated rifles was going to be my next question. Everything else I have read on casting and reloading forums says it CAN"T be done.

Supposedly, the lead will clog the gas port and turn your semi-auto into a manually operated repeater.

So I was beginning to think that a roller locked rifle or a straight blow back gun would be the way to go.

Hmmm.... decisions.... decisions...

No problem at all with the right alloy and hardness. I shoot 308 Semi's in the 2200 to 2400 fps range with no leading and a sparkling bore in gas operated and roller locked rifles with no problems.

[Leftoverdj]

Shooting cast boolits in gas operated rifles was going to be my next question. Everything else I have read on casting and reloading forums says it CAN"T be done.

Supposedly, the lead will clog the gas port and turn your semi-auto into a manually operated repeater.

So I was beginning to think that a roller locked rifle or a straight blow back gun would be the way to go.

Hmmm.... decisions.... decisions...

A lot of nonsense gets posted on a lot of boards. Good reason to hang out here where very little nonsense get posted, and there are many experienced people to correct what does.

A simple guide is not to shoot cast bullets in a gun with a gas port unless you know how to clean the gas port. Clogging is a possibility, but not a certainty, and if you know how to deal with it if it happens, you are good to go. I have used cast in an M-1 carbine and a SKS without problems. Wouldn't bother me if I did run into a situation that required cleaning the gas port at reasonable intervals.

[Wayne Smith]

Casting in gas operated autos - never done it, don't own any. Question in theory - if you are getting a good lube star how are you not getting lube clogging in the gas port?? Or are the pressure/temperature values high enough to vaporize it?

[mroliver77]

There is a stickey I think in "Special Projects" Page of a long post by Bruce B on shooting cast in an M1A. A very good read
J