Smallest reliably castable bullet

J

johnwilliamson062

Moderator
Still looking at airguns. I really like the idea of being able to pay for the gun and a pump and then being able to cast bullets and being good to go. Prefer watching netflix as I pump to concentrating on a press solely also. I think I will end up with a custom gun in two calibers(switch barrel I may try making it myself). One for target and one large bore.

I know most people swage 22 and smaller. I was wondering at what point casting starts to go down hill. I have only been casting .45+ and have had good results. I read about .30 being cast without complaints, but not much mention of .25.

Where s the line?
 
In the long run casting is not worth it.

Todays swaged pellets are of the best quality ever. Even the cheaper brands are very good. The Match pellets come in different grades and the top of the line, pellets come in box's with individual compartments so the pellets won't touch each other.
 
I've cast bullets as small as 7mm and round ball as small as .310

Here is a .357 cal air rifle that pushes those slugs to 1000fps. You could go
hunting with that.
Click to expand...

Any idea what weight pellet that thing shoots?

I'm just curious what kind of muzzle energy it puts out.

Boomer
 
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Boomer58cal
I've cast bullets as small as 7mm and round ball as small as .310

Quote:
Here is a .357 cal air rifle that pushes those slugs to 1000fps. You could go
hunting with that.
Any idea what weight pellet that thing shoots?

I'm just curious what kind of muzzle energy it puts out.

Boomer
Click to expand...

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Sam_Yang_Recluse_Air_Rifle/2501
The rifle that I linked to originally has been discontinued, but there are still a few you can get. Here is another one. If you scroll down, you will find the ammo. You can get various shapes and weights. Round nose, hollow points, domed and round ball ranging from 67 grains up to 127 grains. This is just what this merchant has. There is more available.
 
How large bore is the rifle going to be. I run the same 405 grain hollow base bullet out of my large bore air rifle that I use in my .45-70 Gov't. Marlin. Though I use near pure lead for the air rifle or I can not get the bolt to close. I do not pump for my air rifle. I use an air tank.

Here is a pic of some I cast a while back. I got a groups of one half inch off of sand bags at 75 yards with my Quakenbush 457 (Note it slugged at .458 Size of the bullets as cast from stick on wheel weighs, and hand full of swagged round balls .4595 with a pot temp of 775 degrees with a hot mold, and long time cooling them.)



Note also that I do not lube them for the air rifle. Also I was warned that gas checks are not needed, or desired as well. Due to it using air the things need to be hard sealed from the get go, and since there is no hot powder gas lube is not needed as well.
 
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looking at larger than 22. I will try to get one in 45 for sure. I would like to have a small target/small game barrrel also. Zmaybe 25 or 30 PCP.
 
Skizzums,
Few do. I didn't know about it until an acquaintance completed the Lewis and Clark expedition trail solo and a bunch of us who knew him started researching the original journey. Read about the Giradoni Air Rifle and I was thoroughly amazed. Then we found out they still make similar rifles. 21 shot rifle in use by a major military at the time of the constitutional convention.
 
that garandi is very cool, those folks had ro be twice as smart back then to make something like that, id still take 1500 pumps for 30 shots over black powder
 
I cast bullets for all my guns, even 243, 223, #0 buck and #4 buck, but I think anything smaller would pretty much suck.

I have seen 17 cal pellet molds for sale somewhere, but dont remember where. There are a few guys that cast them though.
 
I know you can technically cast anything, but someone impressed upon me that the difficulty/rejection rate increased as caliber decreased. I believe in the relevant discussion a 50% rejection rate for some sort of centerfire 22 was mentioned as normal. My experience so far is with one ounce slugs and even as new as I am I can get much higher rates from a slug mold.

Tring to get an idea of what the rejection rates for different calibers might be. What are your rejection rates for .243?
 
I rarely have to throw back a bullet. My 243 is RCBS 95gr and 88gr Lyman. Shoot great and cast great when you keep everything at the right temps.
My 223 is Saeco 60gr.Very nice mold. I have to run it a little warmer and faster to keep up to temp, but VERY few get thrown back even after weight sorting.

I have more trouble with the big bullets in 2 cavity Lee molds than anything. Too much hot lead for the amount of aluminum in the molds. My 100 and 130gr 6 cavity molds work awesome.
 
Interesting. I guess I will just have to give it a try. I believe I already have a 4 or 6 cavity mold for some sort of 223 bullet. That would make a nice target round.

I was running a batch couplers for some sort of massive hose system at work and it made me think of a possible valve design for an air rifle. Simple and maybe already in use, but I think I will give a scratch switch barrel a try once I get going.
 
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