Cast Lead Thread ?

[No.3]

Red dot and 700X are nearly as bulky as Trail Boss, the problem is the .222 and .223 cases are too big for subsonic loads just about any amount of powder
will be supersonic,
my Lyman cast bullet manual has a 54gr bullet 4.3 grains of 700X at 1510 fps and 4.7 grains of Red dot at 1590 fps in a .222 they are start loads
the case needs to be at least 50% full of powder to be safe,
plain lead without GC can handle up to 1400 fps the barrel needs to be super clean any copper will rip lead from the bullet.

The case 50% full - is that a thing? Never heard that before, and the 9.5gr TB load I'm using with the 175gr Sub-X pills in the .308 is definitely not a 50% case full load???? I was of the impression that the fast powders like Red Dot, 700X and TB were position-insensitive and fast enough to not present a danger of too much surface area exposed to the primer's flame. The issue with the minimum loads as far as I was aware related to the slower powders with heavy deterrent coatings that needed to held back against the primer in a column to ensure that the powder was not lying flat on the bottom of the case exposing a lot more surface area to the primer's flame. I was of the thinking that the fast powders were basically all ignited near instantly in the loads we are working with for subs, and the danger was more a case of the near vertical pressure curve spiking too high too quickly and producing a dangerous amount of pressure near instantly, or a pill stuck in the barrel with insufficient pressure (not enough powder). It's the fine line game between not enough, and too much...

[Tokoroa Cast Projectiles]

The case 50% full - is that a thing? Never heard that before, and the 9.5gr TB load I'm using with the 175gr Sub-X pills in the .308 is definitely not a 50% case full load???? I was of the impression that the fast powders like Red Dot, 700X and TB were position-insensitive and fast enough to not present a danger of too much surface area exposed to the primer's flame. The issue with the minimum loads as far as I was aware related to the slower powders with heavy deterrent coatings that needed to held back against the primer in a column to ensure that the powder was not lying flat on the bottom of the case exposing a lot more surface area to the primer's flame. I was of the thinking that the fast powders were basically all ignited near instantly in the loads we are working with for subs, and the danger was more a case of the near vertical pressure curve spiking too high too quickly and producing a dangerous amount of pressure near instantly, or a pill stuck in the barrel with insufficient pressure (not enough powder). It's the fine line game between not enough, and too much...

I use the 50% as a safety measure with small cases and fast powder, I have had light charges barely get the projectile out of the barrel, the last one was a 7mm08 with a cast bullet developing a subsonic load I had a nice group at 50m
the next load was 2 tenths of a grain lower the first shot bounced off the ground halfway to the target, I was using Trail Boss and started with Hogdgons recommended 70% full case and worked backwards, after experimenting quite a bit
50% is safe in .308 size cases, Red dot and 700X are almost as bulky as Trail Boss and make a good substitute, Yes the slower powders can be dangerous if loaded below the recommended minimum start load, though the "Secondary Explosive Event"
as it is called has never been replicated in a lab, but it is still considered real and does happen, the Hogdgon website has reduced loads listed for most popular calibres check them out it is very interesting, If looking for lighter recoil use the fastest powder
listed for the bullet you are shooting as long as the velocity is high enough to expand the bullet or use a lighter bullet.

[akaroa1]

Here's a really big random bullet.

Scored a very cool 500 cal paper patch, straight sided, Hollow base mould yesterday

Only marking is .500
Veerry well built.
Has cap screws so late 20th century my guess

Very big deep mould.



Sliding captive base plug and a very good piece of design and execution



Mould took a long time to get up to temperature and throw nice bullets.
By 40 bullets it was really doing the business



It throws a massive 700 grains pure lead !!!
And it measures .509" which is fairly big considering it still needs its paper patch.

Certainly a huge lump of a 50 cal and another bullet option in my ever increasing hoard of 50 / 500 cal rifles

But 700 grains in a sporting rifle would be quite a handful

[Marty Henry]

Paper patching these or "powder patching" them?

[akaroa1]

Paper patching these or "powder patching" them?

Realistically don't know what to do with a 50 cal bullet that heavy.
I have 6 cartridge 50 / 500s and none would really need a 700 grainer

So there still might be a vintage 50 cal I need