Bullet Casting & Coating MegaThread

It's probably already been covered but how fast are you guys pushing cast loads? I know the Hi Tek coating helps but can you push close to FMJ loads or do you have to load lighter?
For pistol no issues going top end. The issue comes with the fast twists in rifles.
I can push a 357 top speeds out of my 16.5 carbine with 1:16 twist.
When you get up over 1800 with a 1:10 twist things start to get ugly.
 
For pistol no issues going top end. The issue comes with the fast twists in rifles.
I can push a 357 top speeds out of my 16.5 carbine with 1:16 twist.
When you get up over 1800 with a 1:10 twist things start to get ugly.
I was looking at casting for .308/.300WM as that and the HEAVY .44 MAG are my biggest spenders. Keep it below 1800fps then? I was looking up subsonic .308s the other day, I'll have to revisit that.
 
I was looking at casting for .308/.300WM as that and the HEAVY .44 MAG are my biggest spenders. Keep it below 1800fps then? I was looking up subsonic .308s the other day, I'll have to revisit that.
Yes. Either that or go for paper patching. Basically wrapping a paper jacket. Then you can push the speeds pretty damn fast. I have only played with this in 45/70 and my shoulder gives out before I reach any crazy speeds. I do have a goal to work on .308 paper patch this year though.
Some guys say upwards of 3k FPS with decent accuracy. Like 1-2 MOA
 
Found some good info here. I love the rifle and while I can load FMJ for it, if I could cast for it that would be great

 
Found some good info here. I love the rifle and while I can load FMJ for it, if I could cast for it that would be great

Larry Gibson’s answers can be taken as law. Dude is smart and has done some serious work and testing. He’s legit.

Also if you love the rifle and just want to get more tigger time reduced loads are awesome. Find a proper bullet and load away with some unique or similar.
Tons of trigger time for almost zero cost.
It makes me think of the dudes on snipers hide that build rim fires or little .223s to match their custom long range rigs. They shoot shorter range and still learn to dope the wind and all that with a gun that mimics their long range set up.
You can one up them and do the same thing with the same exact rifle that you shoot long range with. Bonus is you won’t wear your barre out. Ever.
 
Couple of updates....

When I looked at .323 sizing die to make it larger I noticed I either had some rust or crud or something that could have been stripping off the hi-tek off of my 8mm. I did drop some ALOX on them but I haven’t had the time take them out and test.

I think I might try to work up a shootable load for my new budget 30.06 range toy bought totally with clearance parts.

Ruger American rifle in 30.06 279.00 + tax
Simmons 3x9 $40
Sling (leather) $11.

I took it to the range last night and roughly sighed it in and with factory loads it shot pretty good.... biggest problem is it kicked like a freaking mule and beat the crap out of my arm. I put 11 through it and my kid shot 9. So this might me my next project. I have to check but I think I might have a 130,160and a 180 mold.
 
It's probably already been covered but how fast are you guys pushing cast loads? I know the Hi Tek coating helps but can you push close to FMJ loads or do you have to load lighter?
As mentioned larry gibson has really touched on this subject.
Barrel twist plays a big part in how fast you can push the cast bullets before the centrifugal force takes over and the bullets deform or blow apart much like thin skin FMJ can.
For your 1/10 twist or faster thats topping out around 1850 fps for all but some special alloys.
For 300 win mag tou have a lot of options for reduced loads especially cast. Trailboss is one especially with light bullets.
This is why you see old school blackpowder cartridge rifles with 1/18 1/28 and slower twist rates.
Cast bullets for the most part 125,000-145,000 rpm is the range
Take velocity X 720 / twist to get your rpm
2000 rpm X 720 = 1,440,000 / 10
= 144,000
Now if have a slow twist say 1/16 or 1/18 tou could drive them to 3000fps and be ok rpm wise but now can your alloy handle the pressure?
Its a balancing act.
Depending on tour end goal.
For me I look for light loads that will shoot under 3 moa or better than me.
Thats often good enough for my needs.
My 50 yard gallery load is 130 gn plain base bullet with fast pistol powders for about 800-1000 fps and good for invading milk jugs and various assaulting containers
 
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I'd be curious if there's a cast solution for 300WM other than using something like TrailBoss for a powder.
Im sure H4895 as per hodgdons instructions can be reduced enough for a cast bullet starting load.
All my .30 Cal rifles are 1:10 twist barrels. The moron in me forgot I have the Lyman 49th packed away in a box. I dug it out and found some load data for cast bullets.
View attachment 378823
is there any added information in the lyman thats mentions their test platform ?
notice a bit of a repeating pattern there most accurate loads are in that 1600 fps range....its about where all my 30 cal 1/10 twist loads end up. Its not a do all is all load but that 1550-1700 fps 150-200 grain bullet range just seems to work. Now if I could get a powder that would cycle my garand at 1600 fps I would be all set. As my 165 gn Flat nose ranch dog loads will easily hold sub 10 ring at 1600 fps out of my M1 but wont even move the bolt. sub 10 ring IF I could just actually put them in the 10 ring!!
 
So I’ve been cleaning up the M48 after my last round of cast and I can’t get the lead out. I’ve scrubbed it with chore boy for days. Any other ideas? I’ve started to think it may have had some lead from the previous owner. I need to pick up a bore cam32FB428E-D243-4020-9D24-C5A829A1B598.png
 
So I’ve been cleaning up the M48 after my last round of cast and I can’t get the lead out. I’ve scrubbed it with chore boy for days. Any other ideas? I’ve started to think it may have had some lead from the previous owner. I need to pick up a bore camView attachment 380920
Mercury. Plug the bore on both ends and slosh the mercury back and forth in there.
Pour out the mercury and all of the lead comes with it. Done!
 
So I’ve been cleaning up the M48 after my last round of cast and I can’t get the lead out. I’ve scrubbed it with chore boy for days. Any other ideas? I’ve started to think it may have had some lead from the previous owner. I need to pick up a bore camView attachment 380920
thats not that bad... Problem is your bore is well worn and pitted. Everytime you deep clean it you open some of those pits that want to collect fouling.
What are you using for bullet size, lube , alloy hardness ?
 
We have Mercury containing ignitron from older welding machines saved in hazmat buckets at my work. If you need some I'm sure my boss wouldn't mind letting a piece go. Located in Worcester.
 
Found this on youtube, pretty interesting info on how re-heating for powdercoating or hi-tek can de-temper/ de-harden the lead


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fbjs-lErL0

hes Canadian, cant trust his results!
Really though.
he showed a testing method on the lee tester thats not "correct" , also is he testing through the coating or does he remove the coating to test?
i would think the coating would give a false reading on the indent.
Its all good. Most pistol alloy does not need to be to hard anyway.
 
Cool video!
Yep. It will drop the hardness to the same as air cooled cast bullets.
If you want hardness you need to water quench after the baking process and they harden up nice! I do that with my 9mm

I was looking for a range, or what base hardness was ideal prior to coating and how bhn can be affected. Obviously not straight lead, but would coating wheel weights or hardball handle something that originally calls for #2 or linotype, and how much can you push it before you actually have to use #2 or lino.

he showed a testing method on the lee tester thats not "correct" , also is he testing through the coating or does he remove the coating to test?

If its not that vid, its another one (lost another hour of my life down the rabbit hole) where he files off a section to get a good flat spot to test on.
I'm assuming that to keep a constant, they were all filed off for testing.
May have all been metric.
Ended up going from lead to rocket stoves to Sturgis girls. Its my short attention span.
 
I was looking for a range, or what base hardness was ideal prior to coating and how bhn can be affected. Obviously not straight lead, but would coating wheel weights or hardball handle something that originally calls for #2 or linotype, and how much can you push it before you actually have to use #2 or lino.



If its not that vid, its another one (lost another hour of my life down the rabbit hole) where he files off a section to get a good flat spot to test on.
I'm assuming that to keep a constant, they were all filed off for testing.
May have all been metric.
Ended up going from lead to rocket stoves to Sturgis girls. Its my short attention span.


In my experience you get some fudge factor from the coating.
You get more forgiveness with leading than you do with traditional lubes.
It seems like you still need to play the hardness games for faster twists and higher pressures so you don’t strip the rifling and lose accuracy though. That being said I use 50/50 wheel weight and pure lead mixed for all of my 357 and 44 mag loads. Relatively high pressure but slower twists. They shoot accurately enough for me with zero leading.

Have you checked out the hi-tek thread on castboolits?
From what I remember they had a hard time testing hardness with the coating on. The issue with filing off the coating is that lead work softens (opposite of say copper or steel) so as you file you’re actually dropping the hardness.
I didn’t read too deep into it but it seemed like the only way to see what would work was the proof being in the pudding.
 
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