22 Hornet Mold?

[davidheart]

This is going to be a long shot I know but I'll give a little side story why I ask...

About 4 years ago my grandfather passed away at 83. He was an passionate outdoorsman, hunter, and trout fisherman and the closest thing I had to a father figure within my family bloodline. His life inspired me in many ways. He farmed, hunted or fished much of his food, and grandma canned veggies and meat. He also had several fruit trees on the property, dug himself out a pond to stock up with trout, and was a very hard worker right up until his last days. I still remember him at age 81 shoveling 3 feet of snow in a cold Pennsylvania storm. He was very poor, but lived a modest and content life.

After he passed the "caretakers" of my grandma started stealing items from the house. Among those items were several of my grandfather's firearms, reloading equipment, tools, and other belongings. One rifle was not stolen though and although him and grandma had 4 children, and 9 grandchildren according to grandma I was their favorite and like a son to them.

My grandfather's Savage 342 22 Hornet was passed on to me. He bought it new and put plenty of deer on the table with it. I started reloading because of his 22 Hornet and it shoots 45gr sierras in a dime. I'm now in the process of restoring the worn rifle and topping it with his old Weaver scope.

I'd like to be able to cast for the rifle so I have an "endless" supply of bullets to always shoot with his rifle but the molds I've found for anything less than 50 grain are $75+. I have a wife and three children now. Dropping that much money on a mold is difficult at the moment. The molds I have purchased for myself had been $20 Lee molds but since my 4 month old was born the funds have become more tight.

If any of y'all has a light 225 mold collecting dust I'd be able to use for my grandfather's rifle I would greatly appreciate it. I'm not sure what weight would be best. It's a 1:16 twist. I was suggested to buy a Lyman 225438 2 years ago by a member here, but I was never able to because of budgeting reasons.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

[kenyerian]

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.co...old-C225-55-RF Lee Double Cavity Mold produces a gas checked .225 diameter 55 grain round with flat bullet suitable for .22 cal cartridges. Handles included for 18.94. This is a great deal on a new mold.

[shoot-n-lead]

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.co...old-C225-55-RF Lee Double Cavity Mold produces a gas checked .225 diameter 55 grain round with flat bullet suitable for .22 cal cartridges. Handles included for 18.94. This is a great deal on a new mold.

There ya' go...one that will fit your budget.

[davidheart]

Will 55 shoot out of the Hornet?

[BrassMagnet]

Will 55 shoot out of the Hornet?

Yes, it will.

[davidheart]

I guess what I'm asking is, with a 1:16 twist will the 55 grain tumble?

[BrassMagnet]

I guess what I'm asking is, with a 1:16 twist will the 55 grain tumble?

I don't know the answer to that.
Experimentation is the best way to find answers.
I should be casting some Hornet weight boolits later in the week. Want to try some?

[kenyerian]

I'm not sure what twist my contender is but it works with H4227

[davidheart]

I don't know the answer to that.
Experimentation is the best way to find answers.
I should be casting some Hornet weight boolits later in the week. Want to try some?

Yes please, that would be wonderful! If you have a 55gr I could test out I'll know if the Lee mold will work for me. I always thought a 36-45gr mold is what I lit. needed.

I'm not sure what twist my contender is but it works with H4227

I googled the twist rate on the Contender. It looks like a 1:12 twist rate which would properly stabilize a 55gr boolit.

[richhodg66]

If you can get one, the Lee Bator bullet shoots very well through my Syevens 322, the same rifle as yours basically.

I really like the NOE 45 grain WFN for small game, but sadly, it doesn't want to feed in my bolt action.

The 1 in 16 seems to work fine for me with the Bator bullets.

[kenyerian]

It does a great job on coyotes.

[BUCKEYE BANDIT]

David,
I have some 225415 cast in the OLD Lyman mold that drop at 45gr. straight Lino .227 as cast.

[davidheart]

If you can get one, the Lee Bator bullet shoots very well through my Syevens 322, the same rifle as yours basically.

I really like the NOE 45 grain WFN for small game, but sadly, it doesn't want to feed in my bolt action.

The 1 in 16 seems to work fine for me with the Bator bullets.

If the 55gr Bator will work, it'll be the cost effective solution I could do in the next couple weeks. Buying a $75 mold I'm not sure will work in my rifle won't do for me unless work starts to pick up. I just sold a mold and we were able to successfully buy groceries the other day. I try to keep "gun money" as "gun money" but the timing was such.

[BrassMagnet]

David,
I have some 225415 cast in the OLD Lyman mold that drop at 45gr. straight Lino .227 as cast.

I say, "Try those out!"

[richhodg66]

I wondered about the bullet weight of the Bators, but despite being heavier, they were actually shorter than the 225438 and length is the real problem with twist, not weight.

The Bator is a good design. Big lube grooves, flat nose, but rounded enough to feed well. I like it a lot.

FWIW, my Savage 219 with the very light loads I shoot in it, shot well with gas check designs sans gas check.

You're gonna like that rifle, that series were better rifles than they are given credit for gnerally. The split receiver bridge presents some problems with scope mounting, but it can be overcome easily enough.

[richhodg66]

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.co...old-C225-55-RF Lee Double Cavity Mold produces a gas checked .225 diameter 55 grain round with flat bullet suitable for .22 cal cartridges. Handles included for 18.94. This is a great deal on a new mold.

By the way, that bullet pictured is not the Bator. Lee also has a .22 bullet mold out there which is a close copy of the RCBS bullet I'm told. It might work just as well, I have no experience with it.

Seems there was a thread that mentioned this was the actual Bator and Midsouth had the wrong design pictured. I can't remember where I saw it now.

[dancingbear41]

Here's mine. The Lyman 22596 a little 49 grain bullet. It is a single cavity mould so it is a slow process.

[davidheart]

Wow, those are fantastic looking bullets dancing bear. I don't have a lubrisizer yet so I need to tumble lube all of my boolits. They never come out as clean looking as some of y'alls boolits.

So your saying the bullet pictured is not the Bator bullet Rich? According to the serial numbers on Midsouth Shooters Supply the bullet pictured matches the 22 caliber boolit on Lee's website.

[davidheart]

David,
I have some 225415 cast in the OLD Lyman mold that drop at 45gr. straight Lino .227 as cast.

May I try those out? PM inbound!

[BUCKEYE BANDIT]

PM back at ya