One guys exploration into casting bullets...

Thinking about this.
While the flash ("skirt") may look relatively even but the cause is the buildup of lead on one side of the sprue plate/mold block interface. This will cause the sprue plate to sit at an angle to the block resulting in bullets with a base that is not perpendicular to the bore.
That also
 
Thanks guys.
Yah, lemme clean up my act and next time I get the system going, I’ll aim for more perfect bases. @pastera helped me get my temp control dialed in.

once I get clean bases, I need to circle back and try to get a nicer smoother finish on my hitek coatings and possibly play w my alloys to add a bit of tin and antimony. I’m running out of range scrap relatively soon and moving into straight wheel weights and near pure roofing lead. Should I resmelt to aim for a 95/3/2 alloy?

Pumped out 350 rds of 9 today. I increased a charge from 4.9/5grains to 5.2. I hope it will cycle better in PC Carbine and make them eject side to rearward. My cases now are going forward between 1 or 2 o’clock.
 
Yup been known to stretch out my wheel weight alloy adding soft and range lead to it.
I’m just about the same but an extra 1% tin added before the blend. So yeah the 3% antimony 2% ton cut in half is my way of doing 99% of my stuff.
Other than what I water drop which stays at “COWW” 95/3/2 I add the extra Tin for mould fill out but for the non lube groove moulds you probably don’t even need it.
 
I’m gonna try to comprehend the alloy posts above. I’m exhausted. In the meantime I just wanted to let you guys know it appears there are more Hi Tek colors available online than last time I looked. And I believe Donny retired and there is a new guy running the place.
39CD13D3-DC55-46ED-8C19-EFC0D6FC7536.jpeg
 
I’m gonna try to comprehend the alloy posts above. I’m exhausted. In the meantime I just wanted to let you guys know it appears there are more Hi Tek colors available online than last time I looked. And I believe Donny retired and there is a new guy running the place.
View attachment 422627
Nice! I think I need some new colors on my Christmas list!
Good for Donnie. Time to relax and shoot
 
Thanks to everyone that got me this far! I owe you guys all a (6) pack of primers when they become available again!

So this thread is about to take a small turn... While Im sitting on a bunch of lead and waiting for primers to reenter the market, I want to start accumulating the pieces to reload for my rifle using my Dilon 605xl. I"m going to call Dillon to ask what I need to order to switch over from 9mm pistol to 223 rifle. While I'm sure that will take a while to arrive, I can start casting and coating...

I want to reload for plinking and precision 223/556 for 100-300yards. I have an HBAR 1/9 twist. What mold would you recommend me getting? I looked at MP Molds and I couldn't find one that was in the 224-228 range that looked like an AR projectile.

IMG_7473.jpg
 
Thanks to everyone that got me this far! I owe you guys all a (6) pack of primers when they become available again!

So this thread is about to take a small turn... While Im sitting on a bunch of lead and waiting for primers to reenter the market, I want to start accumulating the pieces to reload for my rifle using my Dilon 605xl. I"m going to call Dillon to ask what I need to order to switch over from 9mm pistol to 223 rifle. While I'm sure that will take a while to arrive, I can start casting and coating...

I want to reload for plinking and precision 223/556 for 100-300yards. I have an HBAR 1/9 twist. What mold would you recommend me getting? I looked at MP Molds and I couldn't find one that was in the 224-228 range that looked like an AR projectile.

View attachment 424016
The heavier the better in my opinion
 
Have to say it before anyone else

“OMG tou cant run cast in a AR it will ruinzits” “you will clog the gas tube, blah blah blah

just be sure to start with a nice clean chamber and barrel . I had a carbon ring that was causing feeding issued.

on the lines of running 38 in a 357 for a long time. You get a crud ring that keeps the 357 from seating.
 
Thanks to everyone that got me this far! I owe you guys all a (6) pack of primers when they become available again!

So this thread is about to take a small turn... While Im sitting on a bunch of lead and waiting for primers to reenter the market, I want to start accumulating the pieces to reload for my rifle using my Dilon 605xl. I"m going to call Dillon to ask what I need to order to switch over from 9mm pistol to 223 rifle. While I'm sure that will take a while to arrive, I can start casting and coating...

I want to reload for plinking and precision 223/556 for 100-300yards. I have an HBAR 1/9 twist. What mold would you recommend me getting? I looked at MP Molds and I couldn't find one that was in the 224-228 range that looked like an AR projectile.

View attachment 424016
A set of 5.56 dies. A case trimmer. Case lube.
I recommend a single stage press to prep your brass before actual loading.
Tumble brass.
lube
size in the single stage.
trim
Tumble to remove lube

Now you can set up your 650 tool head with a universal decapping die in the first stage to poke out any tumbling media that might get stuck in the flash hole.
Then the rest of the dies set up as usual in the tool head.
 
I want to reload for plinking and precision 223/556 for 100-300yards. I have an HBAR 1/9 twist. What mold would you recommend me getting? I looked at MP Molds and I couldn't find one that was in the 224-228 range that looked like an AR projectile.

View attachment 424016

Theres some on here.

Small diameter flat nose might be the best route to go. The points might snap or bend and throw everything off.
Finding a clean burning powder might be your biggest obstacle.

You might find some cast a.r.info here-


Its going to take some diggin
 
I am working on this (223 ar casting) I am still a noob and not sure I am on a good path with it. A gas check might have been a better route is one thing I should have gone with

ive tried h335 at 19gr and am getting unburnt powder. Varget@ 22 was ok
I tried these in a break action hr1871 20” barrel I need to make more and try in the ar. And dig Deeper into better powder options and get a harder alloy. image.jpgBasically what I’m finding is it’s not a easy accomplishment to get to
Also Arsenal molds are heavy to work with ( now I sound like a crumby millennial)
 
Dig deeper!

 
I am working on this (223 ar casting) I am still a noob and not sure I am on a good path with it. A gas check might have been a better route is one thing I should have gone with

ive tried h335 at 19gr and am getting unburnt powder. Varget@ 22 was ok
I tried these in a break action hr1871 20” barrel I need to make more and try in the ar. And dig Deeper into better powder options and get a harder alloy. View attachment 424092Basically what I’m finding is it’s not a easy accomplishment to get to
Also Arsenal molds are heavy to work with ( now I sound like a crumby millennial)
I tan the lee 55s gas checked, alloy was unknown just the guy who gave then to me said water quenched wheel weights.
He was running then in his bolt gun which had a 1/14 twist and he was loading them to only 1150 fps.
I think even with coatings a gas check is a good thing to have? Although a nice fitting flatbase might be fine.
Im surprised you had unburnt powder?
I went straight to H4895 since I already played with 55g fmj reduced loads to see just how low a charge my AR would cycle with.
IMHO the twist rate of the ARs 1-7 to 1-9 make it a bit harder to get good accuracy, velocity , and function.
I dont know how hard alloy needs to be to hold up to the velocity/rpm before it self destructs.

i was running them in a 1/9 twist AR
Never crony tested them.
H4895 reduced per Hodgdons guide lines and up rhe charge .5 grain intervals until I had 100% function.
Accuracy was soso at about 3 moa
 
H4895 is on my list to try. If it all doesn’t work out I’ll be able to cast for the h&r1871with red dot and all others by the book loads

making jacketed bullets from 22lr casings seems like the other road that could be taken which is somewhat apropos to casting and producing your own components. Then load them up like “we the people” and never look back
 
H4895 is on my list to try. If it all doesn’t work out I’ll be able to cast for the h&r1871with red dot and all others by the book loads

making jacketed bullets from 22lr casings seems like the other road that could be taken which is somewhat apropos to casting and producing your own components. Then load them up like “we the people” and never look back
Look into the cost of the equipment for that and you might change your mind.

If you get into it i have a set of corbin S dies for 308 if you go down that road.
 
H4895 is on my list to try. If it all doesn’t work out I’ll be able to cast for the h&r1871with red dot and all others by the book loads

making jacketed bullets from 22lr casings seems like the other road that could be taken which is somewhat apropos to casting and producing your own components. Then load them up like “we the people” and never look back
That’s always been ok my list but way down the line. It’s a significant investment and a very deep rabbit hole costing a whole lot more money for each new Bullet you want to produce.
Sounds like something a couple buddies need to split the cost of to get into it.
 
That’s always been ok my list but way down the line. It’s a significant investment and a very deep rabbit hole costing a whole lot more money for each new Bullet you want to produce.
Sounds like something a couple buddies need to split the cost of to get into it.
The blackmon brand way looks real expensive, over a grand expensive. There is someone selling some tooling on eBay for around 300$.
 
Ok CastBoolits there is a well respected member by the name of BTSniper that makes nice dies.
As much as I would like to make my own bullets especially FMJ, its not cost effective. Now if i had money to burn I would buy a set up for sure.
Even the chore of collecting spent LR cases, cleaning , annealing has me put off. maybe when i retire?
 
As much as I would like to make my own bullets especially FMJ, its not cost effective. Now if i had money to burn I would buy a set up for sure.
Even the chore of collecting spent LR cases, cleaning , annealing has me put off. maybe when i retire?
I hear ya. 22 seems more cost effective than making the rest of the larger calibers.
Even using center fire pistol brass to make larger bullets must be expensive.
 
I hear ya. 22 seems more cost effective than making the rest of the larger calibers.
Even using center fire pistol brass to make larger bullets must be expensive.
the quality of the case made jackets cant be all that high? Also the pressures involved to get a nice uniform draw must be pretty darn high.
If im going to make my own fmj i want to make the best i can.
 
Here is a little tid bit I found on the cast 223 rabbit hole. I still feel like I need to go down the Elvis rabbit hole more. If you can’t find me that’s where I’ll be
D1BCCCE3-4FE6-4B7C-B3E1-E8559795D81C.jpeg
 
Here is a little tid bit I found on the cast 223 rabbit hole. I still feel like I need to go down the Elvis rabbit hole more. If you can’t find me that’s where I’ll be
View attachment 424650
This is an awesome point. Larry Gibson on CastBoolits had some good information on there about RPM and also a lot of testing with .308 in normal and slow twist custom barrels.
It’s not about the speed it’s about the twist!
You should get a custom barrel in 14 twist. That should be pretty easy to find as that twist was used in 22s like the Hornet.
 
This is an awesome point. Larry Gibson on CastBoolits had some good information on there about RPM and also a lot of testing with .308 in normal and slow twist custom barrels.
It’s not about the speed it’s about the twist!
You should get a custom barrel in 14 twist. That should be pretty easy to find as that twist was used in 22s like the Hornet.
I like you mike
I feel like I can really talk to you !!!!!!!
So now, how would a jacketed rounds do in a 9 (average at) twist
 
I meant to ask jacketed in a 14
Totally fine. Unless it were something like the 69 grain. I think they won’t stabilize.
the 22 hornet and the earlier 700s as noted above used a slower twist because they weee focuses on short light bullets.
This shows you that worst case scenario ( sea level with 0 humidity, 0* F and 2600 FPS) with a 69 in a 1:9 twist is 1.43 which good stability. From the info they have you can see that 1:14 will not work.
That being said if you’re working with a 55 grain jacketed you should be fine with a 1:12 or 1:14C164E90A-9611-4FEA-AC3C-9F69CEFBE294.jpeg
 
I like you mike
I feel like I can really talk to you !!!!!!!
So now, how would a jacketed rounds do in a 9 (average at) twist
It’s like I’ve known you my while life.


If you don’t have the info for the bullets let me know. I have the applied ballistics first edition with all of the drawings for popular bullets at the time.
 
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