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  #1  
Old 02-15-2009, 10:51 AM
MikeP MikeP is offline
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Default Performance of Cast .20 Caliber Bullets?

I understand there was a group buy for a .20 caliber mould a couple of years ago on this site, so I was wondering if there are any reports from use of this type of bullet.

Any performance results to report for a .20 caliber cast bullet?
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  #2  
Old 02-15-2009, 10:32 PM
GLWenzl GLWenzl is offline
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At just over 2600 fps they can do some damage. I have never heard of anyone else results with the lead bullets but would sure like to. Wild Bill made the ones I shot this squirrel with. I tumbled em in moly and they shot extremely well but have since quit shooting the cast lead because I was told at 2600 fps my barrel would lead up real bad. Making the tiny lead bullets from tire weights was very slow going for me and mine did not turn out as nice as Wild Bill’s. May come a day that I wish I had saved more lead and roll my own????
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  #3  
Old 02-16-2009, 01:07 PM
MikeP MikeP is offline
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Nice head shot on that squirrel, Gary!

If you're pushing wheel weight lead at 2600, I'd think you would gather some in the bore. And, I presume you cannot find gas checks for the bullet bases in .20 caliber, so they were shot without? If so, that adds to the issue.

Or, are the bullets shaped for gas checks and you used them?

Did you do any accuracy testing for the cast bullet? It must have been pretty good for the head shot, unless it was closeby.

I cast a Lyman hollowpoint for my .221/.222s, about 50 grains, with a gascheck. I usually don't push it over about 2000fps, however. Accuracy is about 0.75 inch at 50 yards or so.

I'd consider buying a .20 mould, but it's not available. There is probably small interest in a cast bullet for this caliber, as most people want more speed than a cast bullet can yield. Plus, many people find that casting small bullets (.22s) are more difficult than larger calibers, and achieving good accuracy is not as easy as with jacketed varities.

Mike

Last edited by MikeP; 02-16-2009 at 01:18 PM.
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  #4  
Old 02-26-2009, 04:40 PM
MarinePMI MarinePMI is offline
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I have not used mine to date.

Of note, velocity is not what casues leading, pressure does. If you heat treat your bullets, you can push them well beyond the standard 2200fps rule of thumb for leading.

Heat treating them is a simple process. Make a rack to hold the bullets (cheap cookie sheet with holes for the bullets and some carriage bolts for legs) and place them in an oven for an hour at 460deg. As soon as the are about to slump (about an hour at temp) pull them out of the oven and dunk in cold water. The bullets will be as hard as lead will ever get. They'll retain their hardness for about six months...

I'll butt out now...
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  #5  
Old 02-26-2009, 06:37 PM
Gary in Illinois Gary in Illinois is offline
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Default Water quenching cast bullets

Can't you accomplish the same thing by dropping freshly cast bullets from the mould into a bucket of water? I find this to work well and eliminates the separate step. You just have to be careful to avoid mixing water in the lead pot as the explosion is very impressive and one you will not want to repeat!!

What do you use for a size & lube die? Is anyone making an H & I die for the Lyman / RCBS lubers yet? I would like to try cast .204 bullets but both the mould and sizer / lubricator die seem to be stumbling blocks.

Gary

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Originally Posted by MarinePMI View Post
I have not used mine to date.

Of note, velocity is not what casues leading, pressure does. If you heat treat your bullets, you can push them well beyond the standard 2200fps rule of thumb for leading.

Heat treating them is a simple process. Make a rack to hold the bullets (cheap cookie sheet with holes for the bullets and some carriage bolts for legs) and place them in an oven for an hour at 460deg. As soon as the are about to slump (about an hour at temp) pull them out of the oven and dunk in cold water. The bullets will be as hard as lead will ever get. They'll retain their hardness for about six months...

I'll butt out now...
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  #6  
Old 02-27-2009, 11:01 AM
LC Smith LC Smith is offline
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Gary,
With bullets as small as .204, Linotype is the way to go. Easier to cast the small stuff. By the way, who makes a .204 gas check?
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  #7  
Old 02-27-2009, 12:48 PM
Gary in Illinois Gary in Illinois is offline
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Default .204 Cast Bullets

That seems to be the problem with cast .204 bullets. I don't know of anyone making moulds, sizer / lubricator dies or gas checks. I guess I should check the bullet casting forums if I really want to pursue this.

Gary

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Gary,
With bullets as small as .204, Linotype is the way to go. Easier to cast the small stuff. By the way, who makes a .204 gas check?
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  #8  
Old 02-27-2009, 01:18 PM
MarinePMI MarinePMI is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary in Illinois View Post
Can't you accomplish the same thing by dropping freshly cast bullets from the mould into a bucket of water? I find this to work well and eliminates the separate step. You just have to be careful to avoid mixing water in the lead pot as the explosion is very impressive and one you will not want to repeat!!

What do you use for a size & lube die? Is anyone making an H & I die for the Lyman / RCBS lubers yet? I would like to try cast .204 bullets but both the mould and sizer / lubricator die seem to be stumbling blocks.

Gary
That's exactly why heat treating is done as a seperate step. Having any water around a lead pot is not a chance I want to take. Also, it is better to let the bullet completely cool, as the center is molten/plastic even when the outside is hard. I never want to take a chance of dropping a freshly cast bullet in water and have it fracture, exposing a potentially extremely hot core...

As far as sizing dies, it's a fairly simple process to have a machinist make one (or make one your self if you have access to a lathe).

As to the gas checks, IIRC someone was making a punch to make .20 cal gas checks from brass shim stock. I can't remember who it was though...been quite a while since I've even thought about it. I got the mould for the "just in case" situation.
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  #9  
Old 02-27-2009, 02:06 PM
GLWenzl GLWenzl is offline
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I must not have looked at this thread for a while.

Thanks Mike! It was more than likely luck but the bullet hit where I expected it too, and this squirrel was just a couple trees over. The kids tried first with their rimfires and as he scampered from one tree to the next I decided to try the 5 mag out when it presented a good shot. It was the only squirrel we got that day too…

At that time I did not know anything about cast bullets other than Wild Bill asked me if I wanted some and he sent me a big sample. This is what they looked like and I am not sure what Bill made these from but I did moly coat them only because I heard once you should lube cast bullets. I really should have done some home work before loading cast bullets.



No gas checks or anything I just loaded em up to where I got good accuracy and velocity (no records but I was thinking ¾-1 inch at 100) and thought I was in heaven until Ray H told me that was really faster than you should run a cast bullet and the fouling from it could be tough to remove. I did not shoot very many shots through this barrel but did not notice any unusually fouling and have since stuck with 32 gr V-Maxs although this year the 26gr VG will be tested on PDs.

This 30 gr moly coated lead bullet and #9 was magic, I can only hope for this kind of velocity and accuracy from the 26 gr VGs!

Although I never ruined any brass I would have thought that this load would have been a high pressure load and it sounds like fouling should have (or did) happened???

IMO this is a great lil bullet for the 5mm Mag and the only reason I do not want to let go of my mold right now is because I might want to get into the cast bullet thing when (or if) I have more time after the kids are grown up.
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  #10  
Old 05-09-2011, 06:52 PM
TonyBray TonyBray is offline
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Default I'm working with this bullet right now...

I just posted about it on my old thread here: http://www.saubier.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8114

MarinePMI, I still have your mold and I haven't forgotten about you I want to try the hardening method you described. I'm just starting to play with loads after spending lots of time cleaning up Schroeder's brass.

--Tony
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