Articles for casting .22cal bullets?......
- Thread starter waco
- Start date
A bit of a thread drift but it was asked here sooo.
I just went to the old Lyman cast bullet manual.
SR 7625 is what I recall I only shot out to about 25-30 yards initially. Out of my savage rifle using 225415 and a 60 grain bullet both shot under 1", closer to 1/2-3/4" average. The 60 held batter at 100 than the 225415, but still both no more than 1 1/2".
I did find these to be as sensitive to forward pressure on the butt, just as I did with 22rf.
I would like a 22 hornet that weighed about 22 pounds.
I just went to the old Lyman cast bullet manual.
SR 7625 is what I recall I only shot out to about 25-30 yards initially. Out of my savage rifle using 225415 and a 60 grain bullet both shot under 1", closer to 1/2-3/4" average. The 60 held batter at 100 than the 225415, but still both no more than 1 1/2".
I did find these to be as sensitive to forward pressure on the butt, just as I did with 22rf.
I would like a 22 hornet that weighed about 22 pounds.
RBHarter
West Central AR
Practice up with long heavy bullets . The same flow, technique and means applies at least with the NOE moulds .
I pour a fat sprue and rest on the pot during the pour and set cycle . I probably pour 2-3x the sprue to bullets . I guess about 6-7 pours per min in the 5C .
I've had good success with these in a 223/556 AR and a Savage 222 . Both at surprisingly high velocity and good consistency besting the ARs cheap ammo groups and loosing only .25" or so in the 222 . Which for me is no big deal in the 222 as it's still under an inch and possibly the fault of the nut behind the trigger .
I've found that to my lax standards of QC there is still a 10-15% cull rate and probably 25+ for best of the best .
I pour a fat sprue and rest on the pot during the pour and set cycle . I probably pour 2-3x the sprue to bullets . I guess about 6-7 pours per min in the 5C .
I've had good success with these in a 223/556 AR and a Savage 222 . Both at surprisingly high velocity and good consistency besting the ARs cheap ammo groups and loosing only .25" or so in the 222 . Which for me is no big deal in the 222 as it's still under an inch and possibly the fault of the nut behind the trigger .
I've found that to my lax standards of QC there is still a 10-15% cull rate and probably 25+ for best of the best .
KHornet
Well-Known Member
As somebody stated, it is hard to beat John Goin's articles on shooting cast 22's. John forgot more about shooting cast 22's than the rest of us put together will probably ever know. I agree with Ian on the Lee molds for the 55 grainer. I have the 6 cav that shoots well and casts ok. Just like Al's recommendations for NOE molds, wash them good, with cleanser and a good brush. Heat and cool them 2-3 times
before casting. It is my experience that cast 22 GC's shoot best in all probabilities at vols in excess of 2200, and want to be cast hard (22BH minimum, higher is better), and in all probability most of them will shoot best between .225-226. Shoot and test them to find out what your rifles like best. Don't expect any thing other than marginal accuracy unless you weigh each bullet to EXACT weight segregation. A slow process but well worth the time if you have the time. I shoot Hornet, KHornet, 222, 223, and 22-250. All shoot well and are pleasant to shoot. If you have or can get HP 22 molds, from an accuracy potential they are well worth the money and will enhance accuracy. I have NOE's 37gr. in both GC and PB, and both are very enjoyable at mouse fart vols, and the GC will whip out there at vols up to about
2500 or so with suprising accuracy. I have gone to strictly Ben's red lube, one very lite coat of BLL for lub. I consider all 22's shooting cast to be temperamental and require much care in loading in all phases to insure top accuracy. Cast, hot, fast and in a rhythm. Let us know how you progress.
Paul
before casting. It is my experience that cast 22 GC's shoot best in all probabilities at vols in excess of 2200, and want to be cast hard (22BH minimum, higher is better), and in all probability most of them will shoot best between .225-226. Shoot and test them to find out what your rifles like best. Don't expect any thing other than marginal accuracy unless you weigh each bullet to EXACT weight segregation. A slow process but well worth the time if you have the time. I shoot Hornet, KHornet, 222, 223, and 22-250. All shoot well and are pleasant to shoot. If you have or can get HP 22 molds, from an accuracy potential they are well worth the money and will enhance accuracy. I have NOE's 37gr. in both GC and PB, and both are very enjoyable at mouse fart vols, and the GC will whip out there at vols up to about
2500 or so with suprising accuracy. I have gone to strictly Ben's red lube, one very lite coat of BLL for lub. I consider all 22's shooting cast to be temperamental and require much care in loading in all phases to insure top accuracy. Cast, hot, fast and in a rhythm. Let us know how you progress.
Paul
waco
Springfield, Oregon
Thanks Paul. I just wasn't feeling it last night. I'm sure I'll revisit it someday. My patience get tested enough trying to make good .30cal loads.
I also have a Lee Bator 6 cavity that casts really well. I just never stumbled across and accurate load for it in my Fireball.
I won't give up, just putting it on hold for now. Thanks again for your input.
I also have a Lee Bator 6 cavity that casts really well. I just never stumbled across and accurate load for it in my Fireball.
I won't give up, just putting it on hold for now. Thanks again for your input.
waco
Springfield, Oregon
It's odd looking for sure. This mold casts very nicely to it's credit. I thought about trying it in my Ruger77 Tang safety .22-250
If that was your first try with a new mould, I'm not surprised at your rate of rejects. New blocks need a little oxidation in the cavities before they cast their best. I cast with a ladle exclusively, opened up Lyman or RCBS, and pressure cast if necessary. The combination of .22cal and alumnium blocks means you're gonna need to run on the hot side, so preheat the blocks and start 50 degrees higher temp and see where it leads you.
The Lee 55 has become one of my easiest moulds for running on"pace".The sprue base cut,determines the speed.
Too hot/fast and it'll pull a bit from base.Slow and low,the base gets a slightly raised,excessive hump.Makes in incredibly easy to get,just right.
Haven't cleaned it,didn't adjust anything,only half arsed preheated.....but get the mix right,pace right.
Got tired of weighing,they are at around 90% spot on weight.They ones that aren't,are obvious....meaning a little"blip" in a drive band will show up lite on scale.
Am only lubing the space above GC.Which I do with a little swipe of lube on the tip of a pen knife.YMMV on sizing created bending of bullets.Be careful here.I machined up a nose sizer/uniformer to fully support it whilst seating GC.The balance of bullet is as cast....nose gets attention,GC meticulously seated...rest of bullet is untouched.
Alex Wheeler has some u tube vids on finding the lands,or seating depth.In my rig,the jam length is set for resistance using his basic methodology.The Lee nose is that well fit to the leade/bore that you can feel it on bolt close.It's a cosine measure by feel,which is supported by having the nose sized.
Neck tension,seating pressure is gaged somewhat by carbon blowback on neck,obviously effected by pressure burn rate and curve.But not "that" hung up on powders.Get a cpl of favorites and a target velocity and go shoot.Listen to what the rig is telling you during it's recoil pulse,and how it behaves on the rest.Try shooting off a Harris bipod.Certain rigs/pressure nodes can really wake up acc wise off a Harris....vs the rig squirming around,looking for a "set" in your BR rest/bags.
Too hot/fast and it'll pull a bit from base.Slow and low,the base gets a slightly raised,excessive hump.Makes in incredibly easy to get,just right.
Haven't cleaned it,didn't adjust anything,only half arsed preheated.....but get the mix right,pace right.
Got tired of weighing,they are at around 90% spot on weight.They ones that aren't,are obvious....meaning a little"blip" in a drive band will show up lite on scale.
Am only lubing the space above GC.Which I do with a little swipe of lube on the tip of a pen knife.YMMV on sizing created bending of bullets.Be careful here.I machined up a nose sizer/uniformer to fully support it whilst seating GC.The balance of bullet is as cast....nose gets attention,GC meticulously seated...rest of bullet is untouched.
Alex Wheeler has some u tube vids on finding the lands,or seating depth.In my rig,the jam length is set for resistance using his basic methodology.The Lee nose is that well fit to the leade/bore that you can feel it on bolt close.It's a cosine measure by feel,which is supported by having the nose sized.
Neck tension,seating pressure is gaged somewhat by carbon blowback on neck,obviously effected by pressure burn rate and curve.But not "that" hung up on powders.Get a cpl of favorites and a target velocity and go shoot.Listen to what the rig is telling you during it's recoil pulse,and how it behaves on the rest.Try shooting off a Harris bipod.Certain rigs/pressure nodes can really wake up acc wise off a Harris....vs the rig squirming around,looking for a "set" in your BR rest/bags.
Ian
Notorious member
That's about what I do with a NIB Lee too. I twirl an alcohol-soaked Q-tip in the cavities, blow it of with compressed air, dobber a hint of syn two-stroke oil on the pivot screw and maybe a smudge on the underside of the plate, and get busy. Occasionally I'll need to sand a burr off the bottom of the sprue plate to prevent scratching the top of the blocks.