Preferred lee mold for .223 lead

[Proton]

Hi guys,

Curious what is everyone's preferred lee mold for dropping cast WW .223.
I will be using a savage 11 1:8 twist

Thanks

 

[yomomma]

Isn't 1:8 a little fast for cast?

 

[JBD]

Skip the lee if you are actually interested in casting for 223 buy a mihec 75 grain nato. Fabulous accuracy and your able to drive them fairly fast. my load with imr 4895 is 21.5 grains a starting load is 20 and max is 24.5 So I am able to drive this cast bullet at jacketed velocities. I powder coat, gas check and heat treat to achieve this.

 

[slug]

Unless you're a veteran caster, I suggest avoiding the .22 calibre for casting.
During my gopher shooting days, I could get one inch groups at 50 yards quite easily, but they would open up to a foot at 100 yards.
A tiny flaw that would go unnoticed on a .30 cal. bullet would have a significant effect on a .22's performance.

Beagle, a guru on the cast boolit forum, states that the way to get good .22 cast bullet accuracy is with a hollow point bullet.

 

[B]

I have the LEE 55grn and another from NOE at 98grn that I'm going to be experimenting with sooner or later. I have guns with barrels long and short, twists from 1-12 to 1-7. I will make something work one way or another.

 

[Proton]

Interesting. Thanks for the replies. Didnt know it was not so trivial to cast and shoot plinking 223.
Any one have any success stories ?

 

[B]

Interesting. Thanks for the replies. Didnt know it was not so trivial to cast and shoot plinking 223.
Any one have any success stories ?

In my reading it seems like powder coating goes a very long way towards getting reasonable accuracy and pressures. Your definition of success also matters. I'd be happy with 3-4" at 100m, I doubt I will be unable to achieve that.

 

[DANS40X]

1000's of Lee 55gr have been run thru my wife's 16" 1:9" twist AR 15 barrel to date w/o issues,downloaded 2gr of powder from a jacketed projectile.

 

[Workin Man]

1000's of Lee 55gr have been run thru my wife's 16" 1:9" twist AR 15 barrel to date w/o issues,downloaded 2gr of powder from a jacketed projectile.

Could you give some more details on these? For example, are you powder coating them or not, are you running a gas check as well as powder coat, how hard of an alloy are you using?

Thanks, Jim

 

[Burton Urnie]

I've had good luck using the Lee 55gr with gas checks. ( I haven't powder coated any but hope to this summer, )
Using 23gr of W748.
My barrel is 26" with 1:12 twist.