Cast Bullets?

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outoftowner

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So I am just finishing up my reloading room, and as I was thinking of my whole reloading setup I started thinking about all of the components that I will need. This has brought me to the question of cast bullets. I know that they are quite a bit cheaper than regular fmj bullet, so I have a couple things to ask you guys:

1. What are cast bullets best suited for? I am going to be reloading some .223, 7.62x54, and some 308 initially. After a while I will start to reload 45acp and probably some 357 mag. Would cast bullets work effectively for all of these calibers? Or should I stick to pistol calibers for cast bullets?

2. Do cast bullets work in all types of actions? Can I use cast in autoloaders (both rifle and pistol) or will the bullets be too soft?

Thanks for the input.
 
I was in that sinking boat at the beginning of the summer. I wish I had spent the extra couple of cents and bought FMJ .45 instead of cast. Long explanation of what happens, but in short you need an extra tool to finish the job. I'm not really wanting to spend the extra dollars on a former. I actually have some cast .45 I'd like to get rid of if anyone else is interested.
 
Mr_Vism said:
I'm not really wanting to spend the extra dollars on a former.
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Didn't want to drop $20 on a lee sizing die, eh? :p

In all seriousness though, 7.62x54 and .308 are good calibers to get started in casting, but it's best to start with a big and slow handgun bullet until you get the hang of things. You have to load cast bullets somewhat lighter than jacketed in rifles or heavy handgun loads, but there's something called gas checks (copper bases to cast bullets) that help with lead deposits with faster velocities.

Cast bullets can be used in most firearm actions, heck, I use cast bullets in my SKS and haven't had a problem yet. I shoot cast .45's in my 1911, and I even have a special custom mold for my 9.3x62 on the way.

You can get into it a little or a lot, just depends on how far you want to go...
 
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i shoot almost all cast out of my .357 mag and my 45-70. I shoot jacketed out of my 6.5x55. I have ... ~1500-2000 cast 9mm, .357 and .458 bullets sitting here waiting for me to shoot them. It's amazing when you get a box of 50 pistol rounds down to like 5 dollars.
 
You can cast for almost any calibre/firearm and you can start casting for well under $100. Then the hunt for lead and more molds is on.
 
Invest in a cast bullet handbook such a Lyman's. You can aways resell if you decide not to cast your own.

Cast bullets are suited to target and hunting applications.

Cast bullet will work for all the calibers you indicate. However I don't know that I'd cast for .223 for hunting.

I shoot mostly rifle calibers. The .308 Win is an ideal caliber to reload cast rifle bullets. Lots of information on the net and elsewere is available on cast .308 Win target-competition and hunting loads.

Cast bullets work in all types of actions but some designs don't due to either length or shape. You must do a little research before purchasing a specific bullet design. For example my 1894 Marlin does cycles well with 200 grain keith type bullet, but not so well with 240 grain keiths.

Casting bullets is just plain fun for me. It has become, for me, a rewarding part of owning and shooting firearms. I can't imagine just shooting factory ammo.

Today it is a lot easier to purchase quality components at way better prices than in the past. The traditional sources for components are still, relative to other sources out there, expensive. Again, you will have to do your homework for the best prices and for the best( time tested) bullet moulds for specific calibers and applications.

Also lead bullet casting is not unlike firearm safety. Casting lead bullets can injure you and eventually cause death if you don't follow safety rules. Again do your homework .
 
Sorry forgot to mention that I would not be casting them myself, but I would just be buying commercial cast bullets. Like those tubs of 9mm bullets that are sitting at wholesale sports.
 
For the 357 and the 45 ACP, cast bullets is virtually the only way to go. You can either get into casting and do it all yourself, or cast bullets are readily available on the commercial market, or from a hobbiest, at greatly reduced prices, compared to factory jacketed.
For your bottle neck rifle cartridges I would not reccommend that you get into cast. With cast bullets your 308 is no longer a 3o8, but is now at maximum a 30-30, as far as velocity is concerned. In fact, it likley will take considerable experimenting to be able to shoot cast in a 308 at 30-30 speeds and be as accurate as an average 30-30.
 
There is not handgun or rifle in my collection that I don't cast for. In some cases it's my only choice with obsolete calibers. That said the fastest casted round I have loaded is probably for my 30/30 at 1700-1800 fps. I gas check these bullets but I am not entirely conviced this speed really requires it. They are accurate and cheap but have to admit that if I needed a smaller or faster bullet I would likely rethink using jacketed projectiles.
 
I think you may have jumped to fast, cast bullet can be beneficial in most any caliber, for instance, any cal. where it gets it's power from diameter or bullet weight is prolly best with cast bullets. If you want to use a .22 CF. to hunt gophers and you're looking at hundreds of shots/day, cast bullets will save alot of money and save your barrel, not to mention that seeking accuracy with cast bullets is fun and requires alot of savy, and the end result is more satisfaction knowing you put it all together!
 
cast

I shoot cast in my C Z 527, .223.
The brass is cheap; so are the loads, about .11 a cartridge... however, the true potential of the cartridge is not utilized.
I can only accurately shoot up to about 150 yards and the velocity is more like a .22 magnum... however, for shooting gophers, badgers and the odd yote, its perfect for me.
 
Ya I do want to use my cartridges to their maximum ability (not going over maximum load of course) so I think I might just stick to pistol calibers for them for now. Thanks for the input guys.
 
frykasj said:
Didn't want to drop $20 on a lee sizing die, eh? :p

In all seriousness though, 7.62x54 and .308 are good calibers to get started in casting, but it's best to start with a big and slow handgun bullet until you get the hang of things. You have to load cast bullets somewhat lighter than jacketed in rifles or heavy handgun loads, but there's something called gas checks (copper bases to cast bullets) that help with lead deposits with faster velocities.

Cast bullets can be used in most firearm actions, heck, I use cast bullets in my SKS and haven't had a problem yet. I shoot cast .45's in my 1911, and I even have a special custom mold for my 9.3x62 on the way.

You can get into it a little or a lot, just depends on how far you want to go...
Click to expand...

So, does this mean that you need to size the bullet after moulding? I was going to buy a mould for .357 then I figured it was just lube and load. Sorry to hijack the thread.
 
hitch.bd said:
So, does this mean that you need to size the bullet after moulding? I was going to buy a mould for .357 then I figured it was just lube and load. Sorry to hijack the thread.
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You can use as-cast for loading, nothing wrong with it, but you may be creating other headaches like lead fouling.

What some people do is take an accurate measurement of the bore size of the barrel, by ramming a soft lead ball that's slightly bigger than bore diameter through it. They then buy the sizing die that's .001"-.002" over the measuring slug's diameter. It often results in more accurate loads and reduced leading. You also need to size to seat gas-checks.

I used to use as-cast bullets, but after getting into sizing... I'm not going back. :D

Visit the castboolits website for more information.
 
hitch.bd said:
So, does this mean that you need to size the bullet after moulding? I was going to buy a mould for .357 then I figured it was just lube and load. Sorry to hijack the thread.
Click to expand...

Yes, they have to be sized. A sizer/lubricator is by far the best. If you plan on doing a lot of shooting you might as well start right out looking for a Lyman, or some such.
For a lot less money you can get a Lee sizer and shake lube on the bullets.
Just remember, you get what you pay for. Personally, I hate that Lee lubing and sizing thingy.
But you're not me.
 
The OP plans to buy commercially cast bullets. For both the .357 and the .45, they can be ideal. You can select final bullet diameter, in increments of .001 inch, to see which one your gun likes best. .357 can be dificult in terms of leading, and also in terms of failing toe ngrave and stabilize. Still, you can load lighter loads in the .357 for practice, saving yourself from the unpleasantness of shooting boxes of full house loads, and your revolver from the battering full loads invariably deliver. (Some revolvers are stronger than others, but all guns made with a gaping big space between breach face and forcing cone take a hit with each round fired. The strong ones just last longer. )

The joy of cast bullets in a rifle is similar. For mucho less money, you can shoot thousands of mild rounds, less noise, less recoil, better marksmanship training - noise and recoil are the enemies of good training and subsequent good shooting techniques - and cast bullets wer killing enemy soldiers and dangerous game for at centuries before jacketed bullets showed up on the scene. Commercially available gas-checked bullets up the velocity attainable in a rifle a bit, before the evil leading interferes.

While the fascination with max velocity, flattest trajectory is understandable, it is but one facet of reloading, and seldom the most rewarding.
 
ykkid said:
The OP plans to buy commercially cast bullets. For both the .357 and the .45, they can be ideal. You can select final bullet diameter, in increments of .001 inch, to see which one your gun likes best. .357 can be dificult in terms of leading, and also in terms of failing toe ngrave and stabilize. Still, you can load lighter loads in the .357 for practice, saving yourself from the unpleasantness of shooting boxes of full house loads, and your revolver from the battering full loads invariably deliver. (Some revolvers are stronger than others, but all guns made with a gaping big space between breach face and forcing cone take a hit with each round fired. The strong ones just last longer. )

The joy of cast bullets in a rifle is similar. For mucho less money, you can shoot thousands of mild rounds, less noise, less recoil, better marksmanship training - noise and recoil are the enemies of good training and subsequent good shooting techniques - and cast bullets wer killing enemy soldiers and dangerous game for at centuries before jacketed bullets showed up on the scene. Commercially available gas-checked bullets up the velocity attainable in a rifle a bit, before the evil leading interferes.

While the fascination with max velocity, flattest trajectory is understandable, it is but one facet of reloading, and seldom the most rewarding.
Click to expand...

wow....thanks!
 
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