Author Topic: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets  (Read 1260 times)

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Offline lee1954

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75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« on: February 21, 2010, 04:04:37 PM »
   I'm wondering why LBT's 66gr  .224 is the heaviest mold I can find -- when the heavy jacket bullets and fast twist is  the hot talk?
  I have some slower twist older barrels that wouldn't stabelize ...
 
 I see up to 90gr jacketed  -- that  is 2X the old 45gr hornet,,,
 
Or is there something I'm  missing  -- like cast won't hold together in the 1 in 7 ..
 Maybe , should I ask what kind of a spin would work on heavier cast?
                 thanks -      Dan

Offline Nobade

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2010, 03:43:42 AM »
NEI makes some heavyweight moulds for 22. I tried a 80gr. one in my 1:8 Savage a few years back, never could get it to shoot for beans. I'd suspect you're right about the fast twist tearing up the bullets. Same thing when trying to shoot at high speed in a M96 Mauser, the bullets come apart in the air if you drive them too fast. OTOH, my 1:12 22s shoot exceptionally well with 55 or 60 grain bullets.
"Give me a lever long enough, and a place to stand, and I'll break the lever."

Offline WayneS

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2010, 03:38:59 PM »
NB,
How fast are you driving your 55-60 gn. bullets and at what distances are you shooting them at ? and grouping ability ??

Offline lee1954

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2010, 05:07:28 PM »
I was shooting with my son's new 1 in 7 twist - FMJ.....
  My fastest twist is 1 in 10 and the 60 saco and RCBS 55 shoots OK --- but there is a fine line between leading and running the action - both feed OK
  my handi is poor  with 1 in 12    --- I think that the throat is the problem --- case cut straight to rifeling. I have been going to get a throat reamer - to see if that helps..
My M6 scout  -22 hornet  shoots 60 gr good with most loads.
 I  just got the 55gr bator mold. I had  a box of RCBS 55gr which I used up.

 It seem that a heavy bullet would  cycle the action with less chance of leading   -- as that is what I'm looking for.   If they don't shoot good then I'm not gaining anything   .... more knock down would be a plus too....


edit -- 223 rem

Offline Nobade

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2010, 03:18:41 AM »
Hi Wayne,
I have several 22's that I use 55gr. in, the best is a Contender 10" Hornet. It'll run 2300 fps and group right at MOA out to 200M. My Handi rifle also works very well at 2500 fps, but has iron sights so not sure of its ultimate grouping ability. But it goes where you point it every time. Both of these guns have 1:12 twist. I used to have a heavy barrel AR15 that I set up as a straight pull bolt rifle. It had 1:8 twist, and would shoot very accurately (sub MOA) up to 1750 fps. Beyond that it went to heck in a hurry. I also had a Sako hornet rifle with 1:16 twist. It would only stabilize a 40 gr. bullet, and never did shoot very well. I got it down to 2 MOA with one load, but it was the pickiest thing I ever worked with. I also cast the RCBS 55gr. bullets for a friend with a 22-250 that has a 1:14 barrel. It shoots very well up to 2600 fps out to 200M. (We shoot a cast bullet silhouette match on half scale targets to 150M, so get lots of trigger time with various cast bullets.) From what I see, the medium weight bullets, 55-60gr. in medium twist barrels (1:12) seem to be the way to go for best performance. My next 22 cast bullet shooter is going to be a 222 rem with 1:12 tube, I should be able to run pretty close to full throttle with that one with a good quality barrel and proper throating.   
"Give me a lever long enough, and a place to stand, and I'll break the lever."

Offline lee1954

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2010, 11:32:03 AM »
thank for your input....     May I ask  -  to get my handi to shot better   is the 2 1/2 % throat  OK ?  -I see that reamer is about $40 an Brownwell   -..... 
Or is there a better reamer for shooting cast.?.. dan

Offline Nobade

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2010, 02:13:49 PM »
I like to get 1 1/2 deg/side (3 deg included) throaters. If you buy one, for .22 get a piloted one since 22 barrel bore diameters are all over the place. The normal .223 throat is pretty short and abrupt, and you probably could help it with some careful cutting. Be careful! It's really easy to mess things up using a throater. Seat your chosen bullet where you want it in a case, and see how much you lack having the case drop all the way in. Go from there. It'll surprise you sometimes, go slow.

The Handi also might have burrs or other roughness in the throat. Check it out with a borescope if you can, sometimes a little firelapping can help things considerably.
"Give me a lever long enough, and a place to stand, and I'll break the lever."

Offline WayneS

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2010, 05:59:15 AM »
NOBLADE,
Hopefully the weather will allow some testing of the NOE 55 gn. actually about 58.5 in a 223 Hunter and a 10" Hornet. I'm hoping I can develop a  .223 load for UASHS  ;D

Offline jk3006

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2010, 04:38:59 PM »
   I'm wondering why LBT's 66gr  .224 is the heaviest mold I can find -- when the heavy jacket bullets and fast twist is  the hot talk?
  I have some slower twist older barrels that wouldn't stabelize ...
 
 I see up to 90gr jacketed  -- that  is 2X the old 45gr hornet,,,
 
Or is there something I'm  missing  -- like cast won't hold together in the 1 in 7 ..
 Maybe , should I ask what kind of a spin would work on heavier cast?
                 thanks -      Dan

Veral will make a .22 mold that will drop a bullet at whatever weight you want it to.  You're not limited to 66 grains.  A 1-9 twist Savage will stabilize an 80 grainer or so. 

Offline lee1954

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2010, 06:22:03 PM »
A .257 will shoot 120 gr   -- and .243 shoots 100 gr all the time  ---- but the Army is going to 6.5mm  - although shooting heavy cast is not there goal...  Someone with more $$ and smarts then I, has worked with  75 - 80gr - .224 cast -------------I need to get a box if 80gr jacket   and see what happens....

 If I were smarter I think there is some Math that would tell me the max bullet lenght for the twist and speed ,,,                           Dan

Offline WayneS

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2010, 08:29:32 AM »

Offline lee1954

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Re: 75gr - 80gr cast .224 bullets
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2010, 06:22:36 PM »
Thanks    That is kinda fun to put data in...

I'm thinking a 80g would have the gas check down in the case - or to long for the clip.....  but OK  in a single shot.   thanks   Dan  Lee