- Location
- Calgary, AB
Do you use scrap wheelweights or buy ingots pre mixed (ie : 20-1 etc)?
Casting metal
- Thread starter 444shooter
- Start date
444......I use scrap WW for my cast bullets....sometimes I add linotype that I have had for years and sometimes I add pure Pb....Straight WW by themselves can cover most if not all your cast bullet shooting depending of course what you want to do.......May I suggest that you go this website
www.castboolits.gunloads.com best site on cast bullets that I know of...If you do shoot a 444 Marlin as your screen name suggests then then do a seach on Ranch Dog as he has alot of info on cast bullets in the 444 Marlin his favorite rifle........He even designed a mold that fits the 444 Marlin to a "T".......and had a group buy on it sometime back....I have that mold but no 444....plan on shooting them in my B92 .44 mag next spring if I have time.......If you would like to try a few of these bullets let me know and I will cast up a few for you next summer as my casting area is outside....have fun......
www.castboolits.gunloads.com best site on cast bullets that I know of...If you do shoot a 444 Marlin as your screen name suggests then then do a seach on Ranch Dog as he has alot of info on cast bullets in the 444 Marlin his favorite rifle........He even designed a mold that fits the 444 Marlin to a "T".......and had a group buy on it sometime back....I have that mold but no 444....plan on shooting them in my B92 .44 mag next spring if I have time.......If you would like to try a few of these bullets let me know and I will cast up a few for you next summer as my casting area is outside....have fun......
- Location
- Calgary, AB
nrut said:444......I use scrap WW for my cast bullets....sometimes I add linotype that I have had for years and sometimes I add pure Pb....Straight WW by themselves can cover most if not all your cast bullet shooting depending of course what you want to do.......May I suggest that you go this website
www.castboolits.gunloads.com best site on cast bullets that I know of...If you do shoot a 444 Marlin as your screen name suggests then then do a seach on Ranch Dog as he has alot of info on cast bullets in the 444 Marlin his favorite rifle........He even designed a mold that fits the 444 Marlin to a "T".......and had a group buy on it sometime back....I have that mold but no 444....plan on shooting them in my B92 .44 mag next spring if I have time.......If you would like to try a few of these bullets let me know and I will cast up a few for you next summer as my casting area is outside....have fun......
Many thanks for the info. I shoot a Marlin in .444 and also .44 Mag, so will be using cast in both. I used to cast a few years back, and am thinking of getting back into it. Was lot's of fun!
If you want to see what Ranch Dog's 444/285gr. mold will do look at this Nalgai he shot with it....also bullet is pictured above..... www.gunloads.com/fam/ranchdogmolds/ .....This mold was one of the group buys done by the members of CastBoolits some time ago....they may have another group buy on this mold so keep checking their GB forum......
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Been using a number of Lee molds with excellent success. I use a gas check 325gr FN from WW for my 45LC. As dropped from the mold, they are quite soft and will expand a smidge.
If you drop them into cold water just out of the mold, they become very hard.
I have shot a number of these slugs out of a Win 94 Trapper and the accuracy and penetration are amazing.
Jerry
If you drop them into cold water just out of the mold, they become very hard.
I have shot a number of these slugs out of a Win 94 Trapper and the accuracy and penetration are amazing.
Jerry
- Location
- Calgary, AB
Yeah, I dropped mine into water. They where 310gr GC Lee. Has anyone done a hardness test on water quelched WW bullets? I wonder just how fast they can be pushed from the .444
I still have my Lyman 450 and a Lee sizer kit. I never get rid of reloading stuff, just incase I might need it.
I still have my Lyman 450 and a Lee sizer kit. I never get rid of reloading stuff, just incase I might need it.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Straight wheel weights dropped in water for my higher velocity rifle loads.
My 44-40 rifle loads, I've done a lot of different things. Everything from pure lead, to straight linotype. Best for it seems to be on the softer end of the scale.
My last batch, was straight wheel weights, air cooled.
My 44-40 rifle loads, I've done a lot of different things. Everything from pure lead, to straight linotype. Best for it seems to be on the softer end of the scale.
My last batch, was straight wheel weights, air cooled.
- Location
- Calgary, AB
What did you use for lube?
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
I've used a variety of lubes, mostly commercial. RCBS lube, and Rooster red work well. The RCBS for the fast stuff the Rooster red for slower aps.
I've also tried a home brew a friendmade up out of bees wax and alox. Never again! Leaded big time in the high end loads. Worked not bad in the slow ones. Whatever was in it, it was too hard, and not sticky enough. It would fall out of the grooves.
I've also used Lee's tumble lube with some success on standard cast bullets. Takes two coatings for high vel, and it's a tad messy, but it does work.
I've also tried a home brew a friendmade up out of bees wax and alox. Never again! Leaded big time in the high end loads. Worked not bad in the slow ones. Whatever was in it, it was too hard, and not sticky enough. It would fall out of the grooves.
I've also used Lee's tumble lube with some success on standard cast bullets. Takes two coatings for high vel, and it's a tad messy, but it does work.
444 shooter...Lee 310 gr
Have a 1972 Marlin 444 with 22 '' brl.....3x9 scope Lee 310 gr gas check
50.0 grains H335 ...1992 ...1994...1997 fps ...3 shots/1.60 inch/100yds
51.0 grains H335....2054...2010...2026 fps...1.75 inch/3 shots/100yds....
beyond 51 gr. groups got bigger..used .water cooled wheel wts....haven't tried straight linotype yet...
hs45/70..........your mileage may vary
Have a 1972 Marlin 444 with 22 '' brl.....3x9 scope Lee 310 gr gas check
50.0 grains H335 ...1992 ...1994...1997 fps ...3 shots/1.60 inch/100yds
51.0 grains H335....2054...2010...2026 fps...1.75 inch/3 shots/100yds....
beyond 51 gr. groups got bigger..used .water cooled wheel wts....haven't tried straight linotype yet...
hs45/70..........your mileage may vary
- Location
- Calgary, AB
hs4570 said:
How do you size and lube them?
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
hs4570 said:
I got some hard cast 250gr GC SWC's & 325gr GC SWC's from Doug that show a lot of promise accuracy wise. Perhaps 444's on our next shoot?
We are in the cast bullet business and we buy pure lead from the foundry and pure tin and alloy it ourselves...30-1 for Black Powder loads...20-1 for low vel. pistol bullets...10-1 plus 50% lino or 10-1 plus heat treating for high vel....we have over 75 designs including 2 LBT designs for the 44/444...a 290 gr. LFN and a 325 gr. Wfn Gc...6 diff. designs, 6 for the .45 colt, 8 for the 45/70, most have been tested to over 2000fps. The bullet fit and design seem more important than hardness.
444 shooter
I don't size them.......use them just as they drop from the mold....if i size them .429 they " pattern'' instead..
Back in 1986 (IIRC) I read an article in one of the cast bullet journals of their experimenting with plumbers tape (teflon).....sooooo since the 1980's I have been wrapping my cast bullets in .308..416 rem...44..444...45/70 with 2 wraps of teflon tape as lubricant....sort of like paper patching but 10 x as fast and no mistakes ever...
This proceedure of course takes a say .458 bullet to .460...or .429 to 430/431
and really made a huge difference in accuracy especially in my old .444 with microgroove rifleing...
I have fired several thousand rounds of teflon patched 45/70 with cast up to 2050 fps with zero leading.....about 400 of the 310 and 330 cast in my .444 and zero leading to 2000 fps also and bright shiney bore on both...
works great in .308 bore also to 2500 fps.....havent gone beyond that as the cast bullets accuracy deteriorates as wheel weights are to soft for the ride...
hs45/70............your mileage may vary
I don't size them.......use them just as they drop from the mold....if i size them .429 they " pattern'' instead..
Back in 1986 (IIRC) I read an article in one of the cast bullet journals of their experimenting with plumbers tape (teflon).....sooooo since the 1980's I have been wrapping my cast bullets in .308..416 rem...44..444...45/70 with 2 wraps of teflon tape as lubricant....sort of like paper patching but 10 x as fast and no mistakes ever...
This proceedure of course takes a say .458 bullet to .460...or .429 to 430/431
and really made a huge difference in accuracy especially in my old .444 with microgroove rifleing...
I have fired several thousand rounds of teflon patched 45/70 with cast up to 2050 fps with zero leading.....about 400 of the 310 and 330 cast in my .444 and zero leading to 2000 fps also and bright shiney bore on both...
works great in .308 bore also to 2500 fps.....havent gone beyond that as the cast bullets accuracy deteriorates as wheel weights are to soft for the ride...
hs45/70............your mileage may vary
Straight WW water dropped for all my handgun and rifle loads. Air cooled when working on softpoint lead tips/WW Shank bullets. I lube with Felix Lube for all my pistol and rifle loads. I keep rifle under 1800fps with GC in .30-06 and 311041 bullets in my 30-30.
Making my own Felix Lube adds to the reloading experience. No leading in any of my handgun/rifle combos.
Take Care
Bob
Making my own Felix Lube adds to the reloading experience. No leading in any of my handgun/rifle combos.
Take Care
Bob
