Do you cast them for .223? Do you use gas checks? We (my dad and I) have been discussing this for a couple of years. We already cast our miniballs and maxiballs for our Thompson Hawkins muzzleloaders. His is .50 cal and mine is .54 plus we both have .45 cal kentucky rifles. For the muzzleloaders it isnt that hard to cast a quality bullet with our molds but from what I have read when you go casting for centerfire rifles and semiautos in particular it becomes more difficult. Is that true, are gas checks necessary? Do they leave alot of lead fouling. These are some of things I havent been able to find good answers too. Thank You
To Re-Load or Not???
- Thread starter stavman11
- Start date
Do you cast them for .223? Do you use gas checks? We (my dad and I) have been discussing this for a couple of years. We already cast our miniballs and maxiballs for our Thompson Hawkins muzzleloaders. His is .50 cal and mine is .54 plus we both have .45 cal kentucky rifles. For the muzzleloaders it isnt that hard to cast a quality bullet with our molds but from what I have read when you go casting for centerfire rifles and semiautos in particular it becomes more difficult. Is that true, are gas checks necessary? Do they leave alot of lead fouling. These are some of things I havent been able to find good answers too. Thank You
sixpointfive
US Veteran
Need gas checks on surging faster than 1600 fps. I shoot cast out of 30-06, 8mm, and other rifles as well as pistol with no leading.
sixpointfive
US Veteran
yes gas check 8mm and 30-06
OP
stavman11
Member
Working on some NEW loads Today
shooting for a 27.5-27.8gr Load with the 844 Bulk.....
And then do some more at the 27gr as well, and like Bill.... see how GOOD I Can get
FUN FREAKING TIMES
shooting for a 27.5-27.8gr Load with the 844 Bulk.....
And then do some more at the 27gr as well, and like Bill.... see how GOOD I Can get
FUN FREAKING TIMES
OP
stavman11
Member
Didnt get a chance to go Shooting this weekend.... BIG race day so was BEAT!!
Did go thru my tub of cases that I thought needed trimmed and sized...
Most did....some didnt... Used my Lee Zip tool and trimmer... worked like a charm...I mounted it on a 2x6 chunk and clamped it to the bench for use...
This is the last part of the process I had left to do....... Think after these last couple Months Im getting it down well...
have a SAFE 4th Guys
Did go thru my tub of cases that I thought needed trimmed and sized...
Most did....some didnt... Used my Lee Zip tool and trimmer... worked like a charm...I mounted it on a 2x6 chunk and clamped it to the bench for use...
This is the last part of the process I had left to do....... Think after these last couple Months Im getting it down well...
have a SAFE 4th Guys
sixpointfive
US Veteran
I started reloading to save money.now it allows me to shoot much much more. I couldn't afford to shoot without reloading. I started out with single stage press and eventually got a progressive press. Now I cast and reload for 26 diffferent cartridges.
OP
stavman11
Member
Great Shooting day Yesterday........
Learned i had not Correctly Sized my Brass..... No Big Deal.... all have been firing FLAWLESSLY..... so another Notch on my Learning Curve..
i know...... More DANGER to be aware of...
but all have been checked and tested and... well... Shoot GREAT... just not a perfect BRASS per the Lyman's case Length/Headspace Guage....
All will be PERFECT from now on
Didnt have a chance to Chrono my 844 powder at 27.6gr test rounds... had some serious WIND... so Kept the Canopy, Chrono and any other MOVABLE objects in the Pilot... But wind kept me COOL.... if 98deg at 8am is COOL, but was out shooting at 6am.... and NO DANG Coyotes
.... was 114deg yesterday for a HIGH.... and Humidty was a bit higher at 28% thus the winds and Chance of Monsoons.....Only 107deg now...
Anyways..... Fun Play day for sure...
Learned i had not Correctly Sized my Brass..... No Big Deal.... all have been firing FLAWLESSLY..... so another Notch on my Learning Curve..
i know...... More DANGER to be aware of...
but all have been checked and tested and... well... Shoot GREAT... just not a perfect BRASS per the Lyman's case Length/Headspace Guage....All will be PERFECT from now on
Didnt have a chance to Chrono my 844 powder at 27.6gr test rounds... had some serious WIND... so Kept the Canopy, Chrono and any other MOVABLE objects in the Pilot... But wind kept me COOL.... if 98deg at 8am is COOL, but was out shooting at 6am.... and NO DANG Coyotes
.... was 114deg yesterday for a HIGH.... and Humidty was a bit higher at 28% thus the winds and Chance of Monsoons.....Only 107deg now...Anyways..... Fun Play day for sure...
... just not a perfect BRASS per the Lyman's case Length/Headspace Guage....
All will be PERFECT from now on
Yup. When I got my Wilson case gauge I finally was able to adjust my resize die to properly set the headspace. But like you, my pre-gauge reloads were still shooting well.
OP
stavman11
Member
ok... time ta get ready for tomorrow
Shouldn't be any WIND so will Chrono my WC844 Powder with the 27.5gr loads and test some more 27gr loads...
I also Got a Simmons Range Finder.... Should be easier to Figure my exact distances to my targets now
Going to Sight in at 50yds, try 100yds.... and then 25yds.....
Both with Sport and Reflex site and Bushy C15 and Redfield 3x9 scope....
Should be another UBBER fun day....
Shouldn't be any WIND so will Chrono my WC844 Powder with the 27.5gr loads and test some more 27gr loads...
I also Got a Simmons Range Finder.... Should be easier to Figure my exact distances to my targets now
Going to Sight in at 50yds, try 100yds.... and then 25yds.....
Both with Sport and Reflex site and Bushy C15 and Redfield 3x9 scope....
Should be another UBBER fun day....
OP
stavman11
Member
Fun day Yesterday...
1st off range report...
Setup my Targets at 50yds and 100yds with the new Range Finder... sweet new toy...
weather was dead calm, 82deg, and a perfect morning to play..
My M&P Sport is awesome.... Now, that said, i keep Having Issues with my Bushy C15 holding true on the redfield Scope... Once i get it Dialed, i think, I fire a few more rounds and its ALL over the Place. I have the Scope on a 1" riser, may remove it and try it without the riser ta see if it Holds true better....
Not sure what to do about the Bushy...
Siting in at 50yds with M&P Sport... Reflex Site and my Hand loads... Not bad...
This was at 100yds, 1st rd BULLS-EYE, then nice and close group of 3 and 1 Stray... again with reflex Site...
Now for my Loads Testing
Tried bulk at 27gr and 27.6gr.... not Much difference really...
M&P likes around 2950-3050 fps loads....
hey BHarada Bill.... ya ever try and 844 loads over 28gr yet???
Spent alot of time on Chrono with above 2 loads... not a huge difference between the 2. Biggest difference was between the 2 guns Like i mentioned above...
Free hand with the Sport is As accurate as anything I have ever shot.... Sometimes Surprises the heck outa me like my 100yd shots)
Fun times and i keep learning More every trip out as well as getting even better at my Accuracy as well..
.....
1st off range report...
Setup my Targets at 50yds and 100yds with the new Range Finder... sweet new toy...
weather was dead calm, 82deg, and a perfect morning to play..
My M&P Sport is awesome.... Now, that said, i keep Having Issues with my Bushy C15 holding true on the redfield Scope... Once i get it Dialed, i think, I fire a few more rounds and its ALL over the Place. I have the Scope on a 1" riser, may remove it and try it without the riser ta see if it Holds true better....
Not sure what to do about the Bushy...
Siting in at 50yds with M&P Sport... Reflex Site and my Hand loads... Not bad...
This was at 100yds, 1st rd BULLS-EYE, then nice and close group of 3 and 1 Stray... again with reflex Site...
Now for my Loads Testing
Tried bulk at 27gr and 27.6gr.... not Much difference really...
M&P likes around 2950-3050 fps loads....
hey BHarada Bill.... ya ever try and 844 loads over 28gr yet???
Spent alot of time on Chrono with above 2 loads... not a huge difference between the 2. Biggest difference was between the 2 guns Like i mentioned above...
Free hand with the Sport is As accurate as anything I have ever shot.... Sometimes Surprises the heck outa me like my 100yd shots)
Fun times and i keep learning More every trip out as well as getting even better at my Accuracy as well..
.....
Attachments
Nope. I'm pretty happy with the results at 27.0 & 27.5 with the two lots I have. Anything hotter and I'll be pushing 3200 fps.
Not sure you missed anything. haha.
After I got my Wilson gauge i found that the setting of my Dillon resizing die was at the outer edge for headspace. I ended up having to screw the die down a fraction of a turn to get the resized cases flush with the gauge.
AABEN
Member
You can buy a T-Mag by Lyman deluxe kit for 415.00 or you can get a Lee deluxe kit for 113.00 Lee dies pacesetter 3 die set for 223 29.00 for the hand guns Carbide 3 die set for 30.00 for the Lee you can get extra turret for 8.50 that way you will not need to set up all the time. That is what I have done it saves time. I have used Lee for 30+ years and still load off of my Lee and Lyman. I use all Lee dies. I use the Lyman for 243 up to a 375.the Lee all hand gun and 223 on the lee.Good luck on what ever you do. Get your self a Lyman reloading book and reed the do on reloading also Lee has a good reloading book read and read then have some one help you get started.
OP
stavman11
Member
Cool.... kinda what I thought as well... sticking to the 27gr loads.... they settle in around the 3000fps....
Same here....
I tested with a wilson guage and Mine where a bit off.. so did the same thing, read my instructions again on lee dies, tightened it down a bit... and all seem perfect now...
I shot about 150 of the old rds yesterday... all went fine... But now moving forward all will be sized correctly
So Grover... get a Wilson Guage if ya dont have one... another great tool for the bench
Stav...I had a little help from Bill in making sure I got the right one but it is on its way....I compared my reloads to Freedoms and there is the tiniest of difference in the shoulders, I could have opened my box of new federals but I am holding off on that. So I ordered one from Midway $25 plus an ammo storage box for my 45colt reloads!! LOL it will never end will it.
That would just be the depth the resizing die is set in the press. The instructions that came with my Dillon dies said to raise the ram then screw the die down until it touched, then back it out 1/2 turn.
After I got the gauge I found that I needed to pretty much screw the die back in almost the full 1/2 turn.
My Lee said to screw it down till it touched and then screw it in 1/3 to 1/2 and tighten it down, we will find out what I should do. Thanks for your help guys.
