Anyone cast their own Rifle bullets??

[DiscoRacing]

Do reloading in five rifle calibers.... dont yet cast any bullets... just wanted input as to accuracy and cost saving...over buying factory bullets... tks in advance for any replies/help....yes...even the replies that have nothing at all to do with the original post.

 

[dlb435]

You will have to swag, not cast rifle bullets. The higher pressures and velocities do not allow you to use cast bullets. I think some lower pressure rounds can be cast but I don't know which ones.
Swaging machines are very expensive.
Check this out:
http://www.corbins.com/

 

[cobra81]

Yes, you can cast rifle bullets. You will want to use a harder alloy, and most rifle bullets call for the use of a copper gas-check crimped onto the base of the bullet. I am currently casting for 30-30 and .30 carbine, and have used some of my own bullets in .30-06 as well.

I add a couple pounds of linotype to a pot of wheelweights, and drop the finished boolits into water. Kept under 2000 fps in the above-mentioned rifles, I've never had a leading problem, and accuracy is acceptable.

 

[Sam06]

Disco, I cast bullets for two calibers; .308 and .458. I shoot them in a 30-30 and 45-70 and they preform very well. I cast them to about 18-20 on the hardness scale and I lube them and size them in an old Lyman Lubrsizer.

The Bullets shoot as good or better than Jacketed bullets. I have tried the .308 bullets in a 3006 and a 308W and at slower speeds they do a good job.

Powder selection is important. I am starting to use Trail Boss powder and I am really liking it. Before that I used several different powders but I liked RL-7 and Unique the most. I keep the velocity between 1100 and 1800 FPS and have experienced very little leading in my barrels. I don't use gas checks too often.

The 165gr bullets in the 30-30 have taken everything from Small Deer and Medium sized hogs to coyotes and ground hogs. I have 3 30-30's I shoot the bullets from(Rem 788, Savage 340 and a M94 win). The Savage is my favorite cast bullet launcher. I have shot them out of a T/C Super 14 contender also and they do good. The recoil is a little more than I like in the gun but they work.

For the 45-70 I cast a 500gr, 425gr, 390gr bullets. I shoot them from several 45-70 Rifles(Marlin GG, 1884 Cadet, Browning HiWall). For the Guide gun the 425gr gets heat treated and hardened. I shoot them at max Veliocity of 1900fps(its a stout load) this is a real killer on Hogs. From the Browning and the 1884 I shoot the 500 and 390gr bullets at a sedate 1200-1500fps. These are both fun guns and I shoot the 1884 in Vintage Military matches, which are a blast to shoot in.

 

[dahermit]

You will have to swag, not cast rifle bullets. The higher pressures and velocities do not allow you to use cast bullets. I think some lower pressure rounds can be cast but I don't know which ones.

30-30, 30-06, 7x57, 8x57, 38-55, .32 Win Spl., .270, 7.5x55 Swiss, .308, .375 H&H Magnum, .458 Win. Magnum, 45-70, .375 Win., .223, .22 Hornet, etc., All can be used with cast lead bullets. I do not know of any rifle that cannot be used with for some application with cast lead bullets.
I have been a member of the Cast Lead Bullet Association since the early 70's.
DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. This is the authority: http://www.castbulletassoc.org/index.shtml

The regularly conduct rifle matches for cast lead bullets.

As the early Lyman Cast Lead Bullet Manual used to say: "90% of all your shooting can be done with cast lead bullets."

 

[snuffy]

Yes you can BUT you can't expect jacketed bullet performance from cast boolits. At least in most of the bottle-necked rifles.

With precise alloys, and precise sizing of gas checked boolits, you can get at, or close to, 2600 fps with a 30-06, without leading and 1.5 to 2.0 inch groups.

The 30-30 can get to full potential with cast, and with a round nosed flat point, be a lethal hunting round,(if cast with air cooled wheel weights).

Best part of casting for rifles is the independence from supply chain interruptions like the panic buying going on now. Or the proverbial SHTF scenario. A supply of lead, a mold, and a heat source, you have boolits!

 

[AlaskaMike]

Best part of casting for rifles is the independence from supply chain interruptions like the panic buying going on now. Or the proverbial SHTF scenario. A supply of lead, a mold, and a heat source, you have boolits!

Absolutely! The other thing I like about shooting cast through my rifles is that I can do as much shooting as I want without worrying about wearing the barrel.

I shoot mostly air-cooled wheelweight alloy with a little added tin and have never had any leading. This is in a sporterized 1903-A3 Springfield, a 1903 in military trim, an M1 Garand, and a Ruger M77 375 H&H. In the Garand and the '03s I go up to about 2200 fps before groups start to open, I think due to my softer air-cooled ww alloy. I haven't yet tried water-quenching and pushing for higher velocity.

Cast bullets in rifles most definitely works well!

Mike

 

[kraigwy]

Yes I cast rifle bullets for most of my rifles, and yes they are accurate. Like anything else, you get what you put into it.

Check out www.castbulletasssoc.org regarding casting for anything.

The Cast Bullet Assoc. post results of several matches using cast bullets, they list the caliber, bullet mold and loadings, gun, etc. You'd be suprised how accurate cast bullets can be in rifles.

You talk about cost savings, thats not the main reason I cast. but it is one reason.

Example, I cast bullets for my AR,s they make excellant 100 yard reduced practiced for High Power.

As we know, Small Rifles are hard to find. I've discovered I can load small pistol mag primers ( which we can find) in my AR, shooting cast bullets about 2200 fps. This allows me to save my SR primers for actually high power matches.

I made another post a few days ago about Magtec mag pistol primers not going off in my pistols. (cups too hard to allow the firing pin to set them off. I have a couple three thousand and desided to try them in my low pressure rifle cases using cast bullets. They work.

Remember, I said LOW PRESSURE. Great for short range practice.

 

[darkgael]

lead

Kraig:

I cast bullets for my AR,s they make excellant 100 yard reduced practiced for High Power.

As we know, Small Rifles are hard to find. I've discovered I can load small pistol mag primers ( which we can find) in my AR, shooting cast bullets about 2200 fps. This allows me to save my SR primers for actually high power matches.

How are you making out with lead in the gas system? I've gotten a mould and some bullets but haven't tried any loads yet - worried about screwing up the gun.
I do cast extensively (and swage, too) but not for any gas guns.
Pete

 

[kraigwy]

How are you making out with lead in the gas system? I've gotten a mould and some bullets but haven't tried any loads yet - worried about screwing up the gun.

I have been shooting cast bullets in gas guns for over 30 years and never had a problem. Not just the ARs but M1s and M1A/M14s.

I was living in Alaska when I was really heavy into High Power. During the off season, (winter) I fired tons of cast bullets in my M1/M1A at indoor small bore targets. Now I do it with ARs also. I dont know exactly where, but some where in my junk I have data on cast bullet redused loads put out by the Army (back with the army was into shooting).

 

[flashhole]

Good thread. Does anyone cast bullets for a 7.62x39?

 

[kyle663]

ive cast some 7.62 boolits, but havent loaded any up yet because i cant find any dang powder!! I went to Cabelo's in kansas city wednsday and it was like going to a yard sale on the last hour of the last day. no primers, now powder to speak of, no dies unless you wanted the high dollar ones. all i managed to get was a couple 3 hole turrets and a box of 100 .224 hornady varmit bullits.

 

[salvadore]

I used to load a RCBS cast .22 GC bullet in a Ruger #1 AB in .223 @ about 2300 fps using linotype. 1" groups were normal and it was explosive on ground squirrels. Currently working on a cast bullet load for my 32/20 rifle.

 

[crowbeaner]

Salvadore; try the Lyman 311316 gaschecked boolit sized .313" and 9.0 of 2400. CB.

 

[salvadore]

That mold is hard to find and pricey when you do, I saw an hollow point single cavity of course go for $150+ on ebay. I bought a 4 cavity LBT of the same design and am currently experimenting with a 1930s OP and a new Marlin 94. I am sizing to .313. Thanks for the load crowbeaner, I will give it a try.

 

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day. I have seen that you can make your own jacketed .224 & .243 from spent .22lr cases. I was able to track this site down http://www.corbins.com/ and they have all the gear required.