Thread: Cast bullet help

Well lead is soft so when it gets a bang up the bum, the bum moves before the front decides it better do the same, so the projectile bumps up in dia, and fits the bore, gas checks stop the hot gas melting the base of the projectile, using black powder I use a wad to protect the base. Smokeless is not as hot as its an explosion not a burn, hence you can have an air gap between the powder and the projectile. Using blackpowder, you cannot have any air gaps you need to use a filler. I'd use a gas check with smokeless, also you need harder lead for these projectiles,I bought mine off trademe, from Tokoroa.
Projectile nose shape depends what you shooting, and how much you need it to stay together, projectile weight comes in here as well

Shooting deer, goats

Also getting mine from the TM/Tokoroa guy. Any other suppliers / sources you guys know of ?

His 156GR FP has a gas check, planning on using these for the 7.62x39, sized .311

The 200gr FP apparently does not have a gas check, getting these for 308, sized .309

He does not have a mold for > 150gr HP

I shoot 174 grain 205 grain and 220 grain cast boolits without a check and use 11.5 grains of unique for all of them. Lead is a mixture of coww(clip on wheel weight and range lead water dropped and aged) In a 308 i use .311. In the 303 I use .314. In the 7.62X39 i use .311. Accuracy to 100 yard is good and heart lung shots bleed out in about 30 yards. Boolit recovery is rare.

Tx driverman, what shape are your boolits ? FP, RN or HP ?

The 174 is a hollow point the others are round nose.

Lots of helpful info on here.
After reading this thread I went out and bought a neck expander die, which has quartered the size of my groups (1.5in at 50 from 4-5in). I put it down to that I'm no longer sizing the projectile down by shaving some lead off when seating on sharper straight edges. May sound silly but others had told me it would be fine without flaring.

My load is Robertw1s (from trademe) 200grn subs, flash hole drilled out to 3.5mm, CCI magnum primers, 9.4grn of Trail Boss in a 16in barrel 308.

Haven't chronied them yet but at 9.6grn the odd one was still supersonic and will see how they go on some Taranaki goats this weekend.

Flaring the case mouth is important with cast bullets because if you shave any lead off the bullet when seating you will quite likely get gas cutting when you fire the cartridge as there will be room for gas to blast up the side of the lead bullet which will then result in leading & accuracy will suffer.
With subsonic loads I don't use gas checks & have no problems but when I get up to 1400fps+ I have to go to checks or leading occurs but in saying that I use fairly soft metal most of the time, just straight wheel weight metal.
Cheers.

I have a lot of ex roof lead flashings, are these any good for casting subs?

Originally Posted by ANTSMAN

I have a lot of ex roof lead flashings, are these any good for casting subs?

Yes perfect you just need to add some 50/50 solder to the mix to break the surface tension so the lead flows into
mould and fills all the grooves, straight lead is great for round ball moulds if you know any Black powder shooters
they will take it off your hands. Robert.

Thanks !

Shot about 20 carp with them ...

I wouldn't be telling the world about that - it's illegal!

What are you on about? Would like to see that rule

Shot 3 goats with these projectiles today at sub speed.

First was a little nanny, hit just behind shoulder, smashed out lungs, very little expansion due to not hitting shoulder. Took 2 steps.

2nd was a full grown nanny, smashed front shoulder and bone fragments throughout. Punched out heart witj obvious expansion. Exited. Drt.

3rd was a big billy that was hit a bit far back as was quartering away. Went about 50 yards and sat down. Needed finishing.

Did you recover the projectiles?

They'll be in the curry Toby!