Smallest reliably castable bullet

johnwilliamson062 · November 30, 2013, 11:16 AM

Still looking at airguns. I really like the idea of being able to pay for the gun and a pump and then being able to cast bullets and being good to go. Prefer watching netflix as I pump to concentrating on a press solely also. I think I will end up with a custom gun in two calibers(switch barrel I may try making it myself). One for target and one large bore.

I know most people swage 22 and smaller. I was wondering at what point casting starts to go down hill. I have only been casting .45+ and have had good results. I read about .30 being cast without complaints, but not much mention of .25.

Where s the line?

jaguarxk120 · November 30, 2013, 11:38 AM

In the long run casting is not worth it.

Todays swaged pellets are of the best quality ever. Even the cheaper brands are very good. The Match pellets come in different grades and the top of the line, pellets come in box's with individual compartments so the pellets won't touch each other.

Vance · November 30, 2013, 01:08 PM

http://www.airgundepot.com/benjamin-rogue-bpe3571.html
Here is a .357 cal air rifle that pushes those slugs to 1000fps. You could go hunting with that.

I cast .224 bullets for my .223 ammo no problems. I don't know of any molds available for .22 or .177 cal air gun pellets. Those pellets are in-expensive enough that it wouldn't make sense to cast for them.

Boomer58cal · December 1, 2013, 12:58 AM

I've cast bullets as small as 7mm and round ball as small as .310

Quote:

Here is a .357 cal air rifle that pushes those slugs to 1000fps. You could go
hunting with that.

Any idea what weight pellet that thing shoots?

I'm just curious what kind of muzzle energy it puts out.

Boomer

res45 · December 1, 2013, 09:50 AM

Airgun Pellet maker.

http://airgunpelletmaker.weebly.com/

http://www.corbins.com/pellets.htm

Vance · December 1, 2013, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Boomer58cal
I've cast bullets as small as 7mm and round ball as small as .310

Quote:
Here is a .357 cal air rifle that pushes those slugs to 1000fps. You could go
hunting with that.
Any idea what weight pellet that thing shoots?

I'm just curious what kind of muzzle energy it puts out.

Boomer

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Sam_Ya...Air_Rifle/2501
The rifle that I linked to originally has been discontinued, but there are still a few you can get. Here is another one. If you scroll down, you will find the ammo. You can get various shapes and weights. Round nose, hollow points, domed and round ball ranging from 67 grains up to 127 grains. This is just what this merchant has. There is more available.

m&p45acp10+1 · December 2, 2013, 06:06 PM

How large bore is the rifle going to be. I run the same 405 grain hollow base bullet out of my large bore air rifle that I use in my .45-70 Gov't. Marlin. Though I use near pure lead for the air rifle or I can not get the bolt to close. I do not pump for my air rifle. I use an air tank.

Here is a pic of some I cast a while back. I got a groups of one half inch off of sand bags at 75 yards with my Quakenbush 457 (Note it slugged at .458 Size of the bullets as cast from stick on wheel weighs, and hand full of swagged round balls .4595 with a pot temp of 775 degrees with a hot mold, and long time cooling them.)

Note also that I do not lube them for the air rifle. Also I was warned that gas checks are not needed, or desired as well. Due to it using air the things need to be hard sealed from the get go, and since there is no hot powder gas lube is not needed as well.

johnwilliamson062 · December 2, 2013, 06:33 PM

looking at larger than 22. I will try to get one in 45 for sure. I would like to have a small target/small game barrrel also. Zmaybe 25 or 30 PCP.

skizzums · December 14, 2013, 02:51 PM

wow, i had no idea they had air rifles that shot bullets like that, just WOW!!! i really want one

johnwilliamson062 · December 14, 2013, 08:06 PM

Skizzums,
Few do. I didn't know about it until an acquaintance completed the Lewis and Clark expedition trail solo and a bunch of us who knew him started researching the original journey. Read about the Giradoni Air Rifle and I was thoroughly amazed. Then we found out they still make similar rifles. 21 shot rifle in use by a major military at the time of the constitutional convention.

skizzums · December 15, 2013, 10:08 AM

that garandi is very cool, those folks had ro be twice as smart back then to make something like that, id still take 1500 pumps for 30 shots over black powder

reloader28 · December 16, 2013, 11:28 AM

I cast bullets for all my guns, even 243, 223, #0 buck and #4 buck, but I think anything smaller would pretty much suck.

I have seen 17 cal pellet molds for sale somewhere, but dont remember where. There are a few guys that cast them though.

johnwilliamson062 · December 16, 2013, 06:22 PM

I know you can technically cast anything, but someone impressed upon me that the difficulty/rejection rate increased as caliber decreased. I believe in the relevant discussion a 50% rejection rate for some sort of centerfire 22 was mentioned as normal. My experience so far is with one ounce slugs and even as new as I am I can get much higher rates from a slug mold.

Tring to get an idea of what the rejection rates for different calibers might be. What are your rejection rates for .243?

reloader28 · December 17, 2013, 10:04 AM

I rarely have to throw back a bullet. My 243 is RCBS 95gr and 88gr Lyman. Shoot great and cast great when you keep everything at the right temps.
My 223 is Saeco 60gr.Very nice mold. I have to run it a little warmer and faster to keep up to temp, but VERY few get thrown back even after weight sorting.

I have more trouble with the big bullets in 2 cavity Lee molds than anything. Too much hot lead for the amount of aluminum in the molds. My 100 and 130gr 6 cavity molds work awesome.

johnwilliamson062 · December 21, 2013, 02:07 PM

Interesting. I guess I will just have to give it a try. I believe I already have a 4 or 6 cavity mold for some sort of 223 bullet. That would make a nice target round.

I was running a batch couplers for some sort of massive hose system at work and it made me think of a possible valve design for an air rifle. Simple and maybe already in use, but I think I will give a scratch switch barrel a try once I get going.

November 30, 2013, 11:16 AM	#1
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	Smallest reliably castable bullet Still looking at airguns. I really like the idea of being able to pay for the gun and a pump and then being able to cast bullets and being good to go. Prefer watching netflix as I pump to concentrating on a press solely also. I think I will end up with a custom gun in two calibers(switch barrel I may try making it myself). One for target and one large bore. I know most people swage 22 and smaller. I was wondering at what point casting starts to go down hill. I have only been casting .45+ and have had good results. I read about .30 being cast without complaints, but not much mention of .25. Where s the line?

December 2, 2013, 06:06 PM	#7
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	How large bore is the rifle going to be. I run the same 405 grain hollow base bullet out of my large bore air rifle that I use in my .45-70 Gov't. Marlin. Though I use near pure lead for the air rifle or I can not get the bolt to close. I do not pump for my air rifle. I use an air tank. Here is a pic of some I cast a while back. I got a groups of one half inch off of sand bags at 75 yards with my Quakenbush 457 (Note it slugged at .458 Size of the bullets as cast from stick on wheel weighs, and hand full of swagged round balls .4595 with a pot temp of 775 degrees with a hot mold, and long time cooling them.) Note also that I do not lube them for the air rifle. Also I was warned that gas checks are not needed, or desired as well. Due to it using air the things need to be hard sealed from the get go, and since there is no hot powder gas lube is not needed as well. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you. Last edited by m&p45acp10+1; December 2, 2013 at 06:16 PM.

December 14, 2013, 02:51 PM	#9
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	wow, i had no idea they had air rifles that shot bullets like that, just WOW!!! i really want one __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

December 15, 2013, 10:08 AM	#11
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	that garandi is very cool, those folks had ro be twice as smart back then to make something like that, id still take 1500 pumps for 30 shots over black powder __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

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November 30, 2013, 11:38 AM	#2
jaguarxk120 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,619	In the long run casting is not worth it. Todays swaged pellets are of the best quality ever. Even the cheaper brands are very good. The Match pellets come in different grades and the top of the line, pellets come in box's with individual compartments so the pellets won't touch each other.

November 30, 2013, 01:08 PM	#3
Vance Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2011 Location: North Bend, OR Posts: 743	http://www.airgundepot.com/benjamin-rogue-bpe3571.html Here is a .357 cal air rifle that pushes those slugs to 1000fps. You could go hunting with that. I cast .224 bullets for my .223 ammo no problems. I don't know of any molds available for .22 or .177 cal air gun pellets. Those pellets are in-expensive enough that it wouldn't make sense to cast for them.

December 1, 2013, 09:50 AM	#5
res45 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Location: NC Posts: 753	Airgun Pellet maker. http://airgunpelletmaker.weebly.com/ http://www.corbins.com/pellets.htm

December 2, 2013, 06:33 PM	#8
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	looking at larger than 22. I will try to get one in 45 for sure. I would like to have a small target/small game barrrel also. Zmaybe 25 or 30 PCP.

December 14, 2013, 08:06 PM	#10
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	Skizzums, Few do. I didn't know about it until an acquaintance completed the Lewis and Clark expedition trail solo and a bunch of us who knew him started researching the original journey. Read about the Giradoni Air Rifle and I was thoroughly amazed. Then we found out they still make similar rifles. 21 shot rifle in use by a major military at the time of the constitutional convention.

December 16, 2013, 11:28 AM	#12
reloader28 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2009 Location: nw wyoming Posts: 1,061	I cast bullets for all my guns, even 243, 223, #0 buck and #4 buck, but I think anything smaller would pretty much suck. I have seen 17 cal pellet molds for sale somewhere, but dont remember where. There are a few guys that cast them though.

December 16, 2013, 06:22 PM	#13
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	I know you can technically cast anything, but someone impressed upon me that the difficulty/rejection rate increased as caliber decreased. I believe in the relevant discussion a 50% rejection rate for some sort of centerfire 22 was mentioned as normal. My experience so far is with one ounce slugs and even as new as I am I can get much higher rates from a slug mold. Tring to get an idea of what the rejection rates for different calibers might be. What are your rejection rates for .243?

December 17, 2013, 10:04 AM	#14
reloader28 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2009 Location: nw wyoming Posts: 1,061	I rarely have to throw back a bullet. My 243 is RCBS 95gr and 88gr Lyman. Shoot great and cast great when you keep everything at the right temps. My 223 is Saeco 60gr.Very nice mold. I have to run it a little warmer and faster to keep up to temp, but VERY few get thrown back even after weight sorting. I have more trouble with the big bullets in 2 cavity Lee molds than anything. Too much hot lead for the amount of aluminum in the molds. My 100 and 130gr 6 cavity molds work awesome.

December 21, 2013, 02:07 PM	#15
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	Interesting. I guess I will just have to give it a try. I believe I already have a 4 or 6 cavity mold for some sort of 223 bullet. That would make a nice target round. I was running a batch couplers for some sort of massive hose system at work and it made me think of a possible valve design for an air rifle. Simple and maybe already in use, but I think I will give a scratch switch barrel a try once I get going.