Cast bullet preliminary results

[Von Gruff]

I have had a prelininary result with my cast bullet that in 50/50 (wheel weight/pure lead) with my own aluminium gas check weighs 125gn and running at 1750fps has grouped into .72 at 100yds so while it will kill at that velocity I still want to develope something a bit faster. This will do in the meantime and will be a great plinker though and at 11 gn Blue Dot will get me 636 shots per lb of powder and at US$48 /lb that is 7.5c /shot with primers running at US$56/1k that is 5.6c/shot for a total of about 13c per bang. At the prices you guys pay for your powder and primers it might only be about half that so shoot all day for next to nothing.

[bdevr]

Curious as to why you chose blue dot (not questioning your judgement, just asking for my own personal knowledge). Would the "magnum powders" be to much for a cast bullet?

[Von Gruff]

I have found blue dot to be a much underated powder for cast and for reduced jacketed loads as well. I load it in my 20 VarTarg with 9gn getting me 2700fps and superb inside 200yds rabbit accuracy. of course I have a 4198 3700fps load for longer shots.
In my 7x57 17.2 gn BD gets me to 1900fps with cast and has the same poi as my 2400fps H4350 hunting cast bullet load ( well within plinking poi exceptability anyway) so with a BD load for the 6.5GM I have a very versatile powder that works well in the three case sizes, and give me a lot of shooting at reduced costs.
I came across the Blue Dot load data on another forum where there was a chap who had done extensive testing on a broad range of case sizes and was able to formulate a safe working data compilation across the case size spectrum. Do note that Blue Dot, while it gives good reduced velocities, does work up to serious pressure toward the top end of the formula quite quickly so real care is needed. A double charge of the lower loads will fit in most cases as well so it is not for the unwary but handled with care does produce very good results. I have tried Red Dot , 4198,varget BL-C2 and H4350 with other possibilities on the shelf to get me into decent hunting velocity so a long way to go yet. Fortunately one of the gunshops here sells certified 1000gn trial packs of powder so if I havent got something in my safe I can try others without having to buy full cans.

[txgunner00]

Not too shabby. I recently purchased a bullet mold to develop a 160+ grain SS bullet. I've never cast my own bullets though. I have a lot to learn...

[Allen]

I thought $30 for 1k primers was high.

[KentuckyBuddha]

Yhea but he gets to have a suppressor with no BS and he uses bolt action (but fabulously beautiful rifles)...so you win some you win some. : )

[JASmith]

...I recently purchased a bullet mold to develop a 160+ grain SS bullet. I've never cast my own bullets though. I have a lot to learn...

Looking forward to see how well the bullet works for you!

Have you looked at the CastBoolits forum for tips and techniques?

Also, Lyman has historically done a pretty good job of laying out fundamentals. I haven't seen their newest (mine is more than 40 years old!) the Cast Bullet Handbook, 4th Edition.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Von Gruff]

I had a number of 160 gn 6.5 cast bullets given to me but they were all dropped from the mould at .268-.269 and were to be sized to .267 which is way to big for the grendel throat that is generally at .2645 and so I had my mould made to drop at .265 and sized the next day to .2647 will grow back to .265 in about two weeks which is about perfect for my .2645 parralell sided throat. I sized a few of these large bullets down and by the time I get them to .2647 ( what I have lapped my .264 die out to) the drive bands were quite badly turned over into the lube groove and being sized in a base first die made for a very poorly configured bullet and I would expect abysmal accuracy from them. The design was such that I would have had to seat very deeply because of the round nose and forward drive bands.
Going subsonic it may not be such a problem with aseating depth but if you have the tapered throat then a rounder nosed bullet may be quite a problem. Make sure you get a mould that dosent drop the massively oversized 6.5 bulet that most of the heavier bullet design do as they are made for the looser dimensions of the military chambers like the Swede and would chalenge you in the tighter Grendel.

[wiersy111]

This is some good research. I am watching this closely since I love cast my own boolits. I want see what you come up with for powders.

[Von Gruff]

Hadn't been much in the way of design advise on CB so maybe we will have to explore the Grendel options here.

[kegs]

That's pretty awesome stuff there!

[wiersy111]

I started the thread about designing a mold for the 6.5 Grendel, there are a few that are Grendel shooters but the bulk just want a lighter .284 boolit to shoot. My thoughts when starting thr thread was a cast bullet that had the same characteristics and the Hornady A-MAX 123gr. One hold up is the simple fact that I do not have my barrel from Alexander Arms yet, so designing it around my chamber is way in the future when I finally get my barrel. At this point in time i have absolutely no idea when I will receive my orders form Alexander Arms. I know there are shooters out there that frown upon cast boolits however by slowing them down great results can be achieved. Besides that casting is one of my favorite hobbies that goes hand in hand with shooting and reloading. Maybe with the knowledge of the group here on the Grendel forum we can create the boolit mold I am looking for and have it built on the cast boolits site as a group buy.

[JASmith]

If you are serious about designing a mold for the SAAMI chamber, I would look closely at the freebore and throat area. Your ideal nose might just touch everywhere when the bolt closes. The details of the nose where it is less than bore diameter can be worked out, but there are arguments for blunt nosed heavy bullets you intend to keep subsonic.

Am curious about others' thoughts on this topic too.

[Von Gruff]

That was the criteria I mentioned to Veral when he made my mould so that it was compatible with my chamber configuration so even in the SAAMI Grendel it will load similar to the 123gn A Max. Happy to send you a few to check out.

[wiersy111]

I would love a few trial bullets but with out something to shoot them out of it won't do any good. I guess I just have to be patient and see when my Grendel parts actually get put into my hands.