Cast

[redneckdan]

Finally got out to do some testing with the Ar-15. The front tube is not a free floater so I have to shoot sans sling, bipod or rest other wise the groups go crazy. This was prone at 50yds, 5 shots, numbered for your convience. Sorry for the extraneous boolit holes, Jen missed the part where I asked 'Please don't shoot the lower row of bulls'. The .30cal hole at 12 o'clock was from scope sighting on the center sighting bull, not the 5rd group.



This was a lee HBC sized .308 weighing 195 grains with check and lube. Load was 15grs of H 110 in LC brass trimmed 1.350 inches, est. velocity of 1500-ish F.P.S. I estimate the group at 1.5" center distance between #5 and #1.

[kogashuko]

I was thinking about doing this after people keep offering me free lead. From what it looks like I need a mold, furnace, and bullet sizer press thing and I am set. Less that what I would pay for 1000 210grn bullets.

[redneckdan]

Lee dipper-$10
Old stainless steel or cast iron pot- free if you got one layin around
Hot plate-$5 at walmart
200gr lee rd nose mould- $15
Gas checks- $20 / thou
Lee sizer - $12

[kogashuko]

I have found plenty of .309 molds but it looks like the shaped ones that are heavier bullets are .310 or .311. I have found a little about this on a google search, will these fire or should I get a lee sizing die and make them all .308 or .309. Also, someone was saying that 32apc bullets could be used... I can probably get those cheaper than casting or get a 6 cavity mold easily for them. Also 7.62X39 molds are around with a more pointed shape. Where should I be looking with these? Do I even need to use the damn lee resizer die?

[redneckdan]

ideally, you want the bullet to be sized .001" over bore diameter to get a proper seal. At first I was sizing to .311 since thats the closest I had on hand but it was too large. Bullets should be sized. For more info, head on over to castboolits.gunloads.com everyting you ever cared to know about casting. The lee moulds for the 7.62x39 work well in the whisper.

[21contender]

I have 3 .30 cal moulds, a Lyman 195 gr., a Lee 200 gr., and a Lee 180 gr.. All are gas check style and I size them .309. I use a Lyman 30 short Neck Expand (M) die to expand the neck and that does a nice job of starting the bullet into the case. Since I shoot a contender, I'm not worried about cycling of the action. I like to shoot cast bullets subsonic and have tried Trail Boss with mixed results so far. 5.7 gr. (all most full case) only gets 850 fps with the 195 Lyman bullet from my SSK 21" barrel. Extreem spread is around 40 fps. I use 9.6 of Acurate Arms #9 powder with 220 Sierra Match Kings for 1060 fps with ES of around 25 fps.

21c.

[kogashuko]

Found a thing on the lee website today about custom molds. I wonder if we could get 25 people together to do six cavity 250gn molds.

[GaryM]

Originally Posted by kogashuko

Found a thing on the lee website today about custom molds. I wonder if we could get 25 people together to do six cavity 250gn molds.

Now that is a good idea, any idea on the price?

[redneckdan]

castboolits has regular group buys, lee is kinda back logged right now. cost is usually $60-ish for 6 cavity moulds. The problem is overal length limits. They mass produce mould blocks and don't make custom ones for longer bullets.

[kogashuko]

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/cata...ml#CUSTOMMOLDS

"Molds
We make custom bullet molds to your specifications. Maximum bullet mold dimensions for standard mold blocks; (all dimensions in inches) single cavity, .580 diameter, 1.250 length; double cavity, .685* diameter, .900 length; six cavity, .520 diameter, 1.000 length; *for single cavity mold in double cavity blocks, like our slug mold. For two cavities in the double cavity blocks, max. diameter is .600 inch. Click here for a mold design assistance sheet.

We need:

Payment ($100 set-up and tooling fee for flat based bullets plus the cost of the mold ) ($150 for hollow based bullets, plus the cost of the mold)
Single or double cavity molds would be $24.98 each, six cavity would be $50.00 each. Hollow base bullets can only be made in single cavity, and are $25.98 each.
Add $4.00 to your order for order processing fee
The above set-up and tooling fee will be waived on orders of 25 pieces or more. For orders over 100 pieces regular dealer/distributor prices apply to mold prices, in addition to elimination of the set-up and tooling fee."