.223 bullet casting question?

Traveling Fur Hunter · April 10, 2013, 05:41 PM

If I cast my own .223 bullets out of lead, will they break up outside the barrel, for those of you who have tried it?

chris in va · April 10, 2013, 06:05 PM

Not a good idea shooting cast out of an AR if it's your intention. Plugs up the gas system.

If out of a bolt rifle, you'll want to gas check it and keep velocities under 2200fps.

jepp2 · April 10, 2013, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Not a good idea shooting cast out of an AR if it's your intention. Plugs up the gas system.

Why would it be any worse than using a .22 conversion in your AR? I do that without problems. I do shoot some 223 ammo when finished to clear the gas system.

I just checked my Lyman Cast Bullet manual (3'rd edition) and lots of loads are listed for 223. Test weapon was a mini 14. PM me if you would like the load data and don't have access.

GTOne · April 11, 2013, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Plugs up the gas system.

Internet myth.

Read up at gunloads.com. A few casters have tried, the issue is as you get close to enough pressure to cycle the action on an AR the velocity is pushing to the limit and accuracy goes away.
That being said, a few are doing it and plinking along okay.

ricklaut · April 11, 2013, 07:41 AM

No personal experience, but here's a very interesting thread about it: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/39...llet_Test.html

"I was able to put 500 rounds of cast bullets through an AR-15 without cleaning it and did not have any problems or malfunctions at all. The test showed (to me at least), that AR-15's can be made to work consistently with cast bullets. In regard to accuracy, I didn't see any significant change in accuracy, but I wasn't really testing for it."

grubbylabs · April 11, 2013, 11:42 AM

I just cast a few and plan on loading them up sometime monday to test a few out. I am waiting on a sizing die.

If you go over to the castboolits.gunloads site there are quite a few threads about shooting cast out of AR-15's. It seems like if you think things through and use a bit of common sense it works out.

I have heard of powders from every thing from 4227 and Unique to normally used powders for the AR.

grubbylabs · April 21, 2013, 09:10 AM

So far the minimum charge of H-335 is shooting well enough that I can hit medium sized odd targets off hand with a peep, and I have not had any leading issues yet.

However I have a scope coming and I plan on doing some load testing to see what it is really capable of.

April 10, 2013, 05:41 PM	#1
Traveling Fur Hunter Junior Member Join Date: April 9, 2013 Posts: 11	.223 bullet casting question? If I cast my own .223 bullets out of lead, will they break up outside the barrel, for those of you who have tried it?

April 11, 2013, 11:42 AM	#6
grubbylabs Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2009 Location: Hansen Idaho Posts: 1,465	I just cast a few and plan on loading them up sometime monday to test a few out. I am waiting on a sizing die. If you go over to the castboolits.gunloads site there are quite a few threads about shooting cast out of AR-15's. It seems like if you think things through and use a bit of common sense it works out. I have heard of powders from every thing from 4227 and Unique to normally used powders for the AR. __________________ * (Swinging club) Whack! whack! whack! * Nope, the old nag's still dead . (Capt Charlie)

April 21, 2013, 09:10 AM	#7
grubbylabs Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2009 Location: Hansen Idaho Posts: 1,465	So far the minimum charge of H-335 is shooting well enough that I can hit medium sized odd targets off hand with a peep, and I have not had any leading issues yet. However I have a scope coming and I plan on doing some load testing to see what it is really capable of. __________________ * (Swinging club) Whack! whack! whack! * Nope, the old nag's still dead . (Capt Charlie)

April 10, 2013, 06:05 PM	#2
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Not a good idea shooting cast out of an AR if it's your intention. Plugs up the gas system. If out of a bolt rifle, you'll want to gas check it and keep velocities under 2200fps.

April 11, 2013, 07:41 AM	#5
ricklaut Member Join Date: February 17, 2012 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 64	No personal experience, but here's a very interesting thread about it: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/39...llet_Test.html "I was able to put 500 rounds of cast bullets through an AR-15 without cleaning it and did not have any problems or malfunctions at all. The test showed (to me at least), that AR-15's can be made to work consistently with cast bullets. In regard to accuracy, I didn't see any significant change in accuracy, but I wasn't really testing for it."