G'day from Down Under

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Gunnie posted this 15 July 2019

G'day folks,

Have recently got into the casting game as I am keen to explore just what is possible with cast in several of the rifles I own. 

I've been running factory cast in 32-20, 357, 9mm, 38-55 & 44-40, but will be producing my own projectiles for these. I have also begun running SAECO 196gn cast in my Ankara 8mm Mauser.

There are several 303's that I will be running cast in, from a 1900 Lee Speed No1 Mk1 to a 1943 Fazakerly No4. As well as three 8mm Mausers there is a pair of 7.62x54's that I'm keen to run cast in.

There is a wealth of information yet to be learnt and I'm looking forward to what  I can learn from the collective experience of those more knowledgeable than I.

 

Cheers

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John Alexander posted this 15 July 2019

Welcome to the Cast Bullet Assoc. forum.

We have a lot of very knowledgeable contributors here so you will have a good chance of getting helpful advice on about any question.  We also see that the discussions here are civil and respectful to all.

You may also want to consider joining our association as there is a wealth of cast bullet information in our bi-monthly journal The Fouling Shot.  We would be glad to send you a sample copy by email if you let us know your email address.

We look forward to both your questions and your answers to our questions.

John

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JeffinNZ posted this 15 July 2019

Welcome.  David at CBE has some awesome .303 mould designs.  Nice domestic product for you.

Cheers from New Zealand

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Gunnie posted this 15 July 2019

G'day John & Jeff,

Thanks for the welcome folks. 

John, would not say no to checking out the journal. My email is [email protected] 

Jeff, I have been perusing the CBE website quite frequently over the past few months looking at various patterns available. A friend, who got me all fired up over casting, has quite a few of their moulds. One in particular has me thinking of ordering similar. It is a combined mould that casts two different 303 projectiles. A 220gn for the older 303's & a 190gn for the younger variants. As I have a couple of 303's from both era's,  I thought it would be a good idea when casting I'd be producing projectiles to cover my collection of 303's.

I have picked up a number of second hand moulds recently, Lee, T E Buggs & a couple of early steel moulds which have been modified with a brass mould insert. The gent I bought them from said they were his fathers, who'd cast all his shooting life. He thinks these two moulds were damaged at some stage, so his dad had them bored out & a new mould insert put in. I don't know exactly how but once I have the rest of the gear & begin casting, it'll be interesting to see what size/weight/style projectile is thrown.

I'll need to start chasing up some sizing dies also, to cover the calibres being cast for. I have sourced two RCBS Lubesizers for bargain 2nd hand prices. Both from older gents, either cutting back on their casting gear or getting out of it. Have begun gathering wheel weights from a couple of local tyre repair stores.  Just need the melting pot, stand & burner. Will be chasing these up from a smelter business nearby, who caters for bullet casters.

Whilst I've been using factory cast such as Hawkesbury River CB, Spartan, Redback & WestCastings products in several rifles & pistols for the past 10yrs, it's time to take the next step. I spent a week-end with the friend who got me into casting recently. He ran me through the selection of the right alloy for the rifle/calibre/use. Ths setting up of the pot, fluxing, temp, mould prep etc. He showed me a few tips for pouring of a good projectile, what to look for with defects etc.

I used steel & brass moulds in single, double & quad cavity styles. The four cavity mould was the hardest to get consistent pours with, but I got the hang of it. I knocked out some 400-500 casts in a couple of hours. Then we got into weighing to look for internal air pockets, batching by weight & what to keep or reject. Then to sizing, correct lube, seating of gas checks.

Some of the SAECO 196gn 8mm casts I brought home that week-end, were loaded over 28.5gn of AR2206H (not sure what this Aussie powder is sold as in the US) to use in a Combined Service Rifle comp Saturday just past. At 100m I was able to put 5 out of 10rds fired during an Action M match (start prone, then stand, then kneel/sit, then stand & finally back to prone with 2rds fired at each position,  time 75sec) into the v-bull. That's a 6"diameter circle within a 12" circle, which is the bull. Four of the remaining 5rds went into the bull & the 10th round I know I pulled in the first standing off-hand position, landed low in the 4-ring. 

Overall I was immensely pleased with the results of the cast loads. Am looking forward to more time shooting cast.

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pisco posted this 16 July 2019

hi gunnie how is that hornet barrel going 

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Gunnie posted this 16 July 2019

Hey Pisco, how are you buddy. Should have figured you would be on here too wink

Mate, it is well protected in Lanoguard, safely wrapped up and stored in my safe. Once I'm home full time next year I plan on doing a lot of load work with all four of my Hornets. If that oil ring in the ZKW that I mentioned to you, proves to be detrimental to accuracy, I'll get Swanny to swap barrels for me.

Have a lot planned shooting wise for next year. I've had to shelve the majority of my shooting interests due to military duties over the past 12yrs. Now that I'm discharging next Feb, there is a lot of catching up to do. applause

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Bill2728 posted this 16 July 2019

Hello Gunnie, I'm new here myself but I want to welcome you as well.  The wealth of knowledge that I have seen here is...well, almost intimidating, I almost feel like Jack in a room full of Giants!  In all honesty, they have proven to be gentle Giants and always seem more than willing to help.

Luck with your projects!

Bill

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pisco posted this 16 July 2019

hi when you get every thing sorted out we will have to catch up and have a shot how many moulds have you purchased now

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JimmyDee posted this 17 July 2019

Some of the SAECO 196gn 8mm casts I brought home that week-end, were loaded over 28.5gn of AR2206H (not sure what this Aussie powder is sold as in the US) ...

According to the Hodgdon website (http://ns.hodgdon.com/msds.html), that's what we call H4895 -- very popular in military cartridges.

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Gunnie posted this 17 July 2019

G'day Bill,

how ya going mate? Thanks for the welcome and it's good to hear from you mate.

I've joined a few US based forums over the years and have always found them to be very welcoming to the mad Aussies! laughing

Don't worry, I plan on throwing the questions in to the 'learned' folks here as/when the need arises. Dare I say there will be no shortage of advise and help. It's a universal global aspect of the shooting sports; the willingness to help fellow shooters.

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Gunnie posted this 17 July 2019

Sounds like a plan mate. All going well I should have 'ejected' by late Feb20 after 39yrs 4 days. I'm hoping to pick up 100 days a year reserve time which should see me doing around 3 days a week. It'll help keep me motivated and active, not to mention sane, as after all this time I am pretty well institutionalized!

 

Had another mould turn up yesterday from a fella down south. Its a Mountain Moulds 32cal. He tells me it throws a 120gn pill that is designed to take a gas check. I'll be curious to see how it goes with loads for my Win Mod92 32-20. Have also bought a Redding mould off a bloke in the USA, in 38cal 225gn for 38-55. Be interesting to see how this one goes also. I'll be looking to get a good plinking load for the wife to use in her Win Mod94 Chief Crazy horse 38-55.

At present I think the mould count is at 8! There's still a few more to chase up yet. Need moulds for 257 (25-20), 30cal (300BO, 308W), 325 (8mm Mausers), 375 (375 Nitro Express flanged 2.5") 44 (several 44-40's & 44Mag) & 458 (45-70 Marlin & soon to add a Sharps). I'll also chase up another mould for the 310 cadet to trial some different weights, non-heeled etc. Plus a few 314/316 moulds for variety in the nine 303's and two 7.62x54R I have.

Reading above, anyone would think I have an addiction eh! tongue-outapplause

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Bud Hyett posted this 17 July 2019

Not an addiction - you are a Dedicated Amateur Ballistics Researcher And Theoretician (DABRAT). When people ask if I am a  gun nut, I rely that I am a DABRAT. They are usually really impressed when the acronym is defined unless they are the wife of a fellow shooter. My years in aerospace taught me much about acronyms, no new project at Boeing could go forward without without an acronym and a team coffee cup. 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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Gunnie posted this 17 July 2019

Cheers Bud. Fellow after mine own heart, country lad & an aeronautical engineer.

DABRAT eh, I like that.  I used to tell people that I was an Aerospace & Aeronautical Pyrotechnics Engineer - AAPE. tongue-out

Acronyms, ah yes, the military is full of them. I'm positive there are individuals recruited specifically to come up with new acronyms on a near daily basis. The worst part though is sometimes the originators just don't stop to think what other 'meanings' their creation might have - Base Uplift Transit Terminal for example. Oh and there have been a few worse ones than that.

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