What’s your favourite .22 caliber cast bullet?

Spindrift

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
I believe mine is the NOE 225-57-pb. I think this is a copy of a Don Eagan design. It just shoots so well in both my CZ .222 rem, and the Rössler .223 rem. I’ve only shot it with PC so far.

Recently, I’ve started fooling around with a new powder, Vectan Ba 7 1/2. This is a short-grained single base extruded powder that meters extremely well. Listed burn speed between Herco and 2400. Seems like a highly useful powder in my .222.

A little range trip today, 0˚F and I was freezing my fingers off. But I managed to shoot some groups before I gave up. Last time, the CZ 527 in .222 rem shot some very, very good groups with the 225-57, and 9,2grs of the Ba 7 1/2. Tried some more today, and it still shot well! 22mm c-c at 100m is sub- MOA.

8A57D107-088A-4CA8-9354-B25753A24EF0.jpeg
090A6075-0A17-4411-ACEC-F3739F9C8E91.jpeg
C7F229B7-BB7C-419A-BDCB-EE3B39E67017.jpeg

What’s your favourite .22 cal cast bullet?
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I have picked up 3-4 molds in the last few months. I had a couple Lymans and a Ranch Dog and LEE Bator.

Had the Bator the longest and its a fun versatile plinker bullet. Used in Hornets, Bees and a couple 222's.
Started playing with 223 and everything went ta pot.

Couple years ago I got a 50g Ranch Dog mold. This bugger shoots GREAT IN EVERYTHING!! But I dont push it hard.
Choosing now, I would have ta choose that one but have high hopes for a few I haven't shot yet.

CW
 
J

Jeff H

NW Ohio
RDO, 225-50 RF and LEE copy of the RCBS 55 grain.

I can't decide which shoots better. Differences in groups are about as much as I would induce myself, from one session to another, with the same bullet.

From the CZ 527, 222, at 1800+ fps: typically half to sub-half-inches for five shots. Have not tried it at a hundred. I only JUST recently swapped stocks, 'glass bedded and changed scopes (two years ago), so I've not shot it enough since then to really tell much more.

Clearly, I need to look into that NOE 225-57 bullet. I could potentially replace both the others with it if it shot better, but I've kept both because I can't find a clear advantage of one over the other yet.
 
JonB

JonB

Halcyon member
I ain't got no favorite!
But I do like the ugly short fat Bator in my slow twist 22 guns.
when I load for the AR, I like the HM² 225-62
I think I've shared this photo a hunerd times.
I really like JT's mold block design.
HM2 225 mold with boolits outside 1Kpx.jpg
 
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CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
My most-used cast 22 Bullet is the Lyman #225438. Most of that work has been in 22 Hornet, but it shows promise in both of my 22-250s as well.

My other 22 bullet is the RCBS 22-55-SP. It does OK in the bolter 223 (1/9" twist) and nice in the Savage bolter (1/12", I think).

I have yet to find a 22 centerfire rifle that shoots castings as well as they shoot J-words. This is disappointing, I can beat the redcoats with the 24s and the 25s. An uber-accurate 22 Centerfire with castings remains my Holy Grail--right along with a S&W Model 16 x 6".
 
JonB

JonB

Halcyon member

JW,
I had a TL-225-50 (RanchDog) plain base
I never got them to shoot good, so I flipped the mold.​


100_2067.JPG
 
J

Jeff H

NW Ohio
Found some pics to go with my previous post, re: RDO 50 grain RFN and LEE copy of the RCBS 55 grain.
Targets are typical of the CZ 527, but I have not gotten it to shoot quite like the 722, yet.
The bullets in the photo demonstrate the difference I was seeing in "seating" gas checks via LEE push-through, nose first (RCBS clone) or base first (RDO). I have not shot any of the RCBS clones with the concave bases, but it will not surprise me if they don't shoot well. When sized base-first, they shoot great.

That plain-base RDO looks cool! Not sure I'd have the guts to try it. I use GCs on 22s simply for the sake of getting the most consistent and perfect base I can without tedious sorting. I am not all that careful with mine - I cull passively, a little bit through each time I handle them, right up until I pick one up to seat it in a case. I toss very few in the process. Once I shoot them at a hundred yards, my sloppy standards may have to tighten up, but they do OK at fifty yards.

scan0008 (Copy).jpg22 GCs (Copy).jpg
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
the RCBS 22-055s, and the HM-2 Jon shows.

the HM-2 is a modified mash up of the rcbs and the saeco 60gr. bullet.
the big change was making sure the 'nose' was at least .219 right in front of the drive band.
[that is one of my actual as drawn designs]

i slightly modified my RCBS mold to try and have that diameter right there too with straight WW alloy, but could only get it closeish without messing with the other stuff right there.
that influenced the HM-2 design and it's measurements.
 
R

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
JonB said:
I ain't got no favorite!
But I do like the ugly short fat Bator in my slow twist 22 guns.
when I load for the AR, I like the HM² 225-62
I think I've shared this photo a hunerd times.
I really like JT's mold block design.
View attachment 32012
Click to expand...
That doesn't look like what they called the Bator when Midsouth was selling the six cavity molds. I got one of those, good bullet and short enough that even though it weighs 55 grains, it's shorter than the 225438. Shoots well in my old, slow twist Hornets.

I have two favorites. First is a NOE 45 grain WFN one, single lube groove, I ordered mine all plain based. I shoot them with two grains of Bullseye in my Savage 219. Savage 219 Squirrels.jpg

The other is the aformetioned Bator Midsouth used to sell. I use it in a STevens bolt action that doesn't want to feed the WFN design. I use it with six grains of 2400. I picked up a Ranchdog mold, but still haven't used it, need to try that in the .218 Bee.
 
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