Some cast bullets projects

[Wolfdog91 6,276]

Figured I'd share some of my recent cast bullet stuff with y'all while is sitting here at the airport bored to death tonight though all the excruciating details but bought this chopped /sporterized hex receiver Mosin Nagant a few years ago. Right at the tail end of when doin it was the fad and they where first cheap, seriously ten years ago you could buy these things in military condition with all the accessories for $80 all day. Heck a mint condition sniper one was only $500 ! People would legit drop $1200 and buy a crate of 12 of them and a few spam cans of FMJ ammo just because . But anyhow before I ramble more. Got it , shot it like five times and it's been sitting on the wall for the last five years or so.  Other then putting a cheap fiber glass stock on it haven't messed with it. Well got the wild hair to star messing with it but since Mosins are notorious for having fucky bore diameter due to putting rust , extensive military use ect I figured going the cast route would be best since I can tailor the bullets easier....and cheaper lol. So slugged the bore ( you basically beat a soft lead ball though it and measure the rifle marks ) and came out to .313 most cast seems to work better .001"-.003"  over bore diameter so figured I'd just go big and size down. It's easier then try to bump a bullet up. 

NOE makes a nasty looking 213gr. HP mold that casts at .316 and thought it was perfect so ordered one. Figured with the right alloy mix it should mushrooms pretty good, at the very least a 213gr pice of lead moving at 1600fps should put most stuff I wanna shoot on its ass out to 100yd. Not expecting to shoot past that with this rig anyway, most likely 50-75yd

Gotta say beautiful little mold

And casts pretty easy nice bullets off the rip

I don't do traditional lube for a number rod reason right now so they got powder coated blue

And gotta say... Kinda love how they look in the ole war horse lol

But yeah worked up a load and sinc eit was raining I decided to shoot my first 50yd groups off my tripod, which honestly I'm not the best at. Didn't help I had to chase a cow around to get them off the back stock and I could barely see by the time I could shoot but hav I was excited....and shot this crap

[Wolfdog91 6,276]

OSo kinda a busy but a lot of people complain about not being able to keep in a sheep of paper at 50yd trying this so guess something was doing half decent. Went to the range next day , couldn't keep anything on paper shot all 20rd of treats loads THEN I realized my front scope mount was loose and my scopes was bouncing the whole time and to make it better noticed I got busted by the leading fairy for the first time in my little casting career. Well I prepared for this so no big deal

Went home and while I was scrubbing the barrel was goin though a mental check list. I've pushed cast bullets way fast then what this load was supposed to be doing the exact same thing so I was confused. Powder coat gas check hard alloy  where the keys.....well something told me to check the alloy. Now I usually run a really hard alloy like 16-19 bhn ,hard crap . Well checks some of the bullets I cast and they where 6bhn. Way too soft for this. I had got some sheet lead which is super soft pure lead and had been adding a little to my mix to help with fill out, figured the little I was adding wouldn't hurt much.... wrong...That explains the leading

So dude around made a batch of hard wheel weights again and went back to my older methods  of also water quenching my bullets after their cast and powder coated...which just means I dropped them in a bucket of water . Cools them down and harden them. Made more and  stared at an even lower powder charge then before a bit under a old book load I found . The mold manufacturer website recommended 27 gr of the power I was using this book from the 80's said 21.3 I went with 20.0

Next day off the bipod and rear bag 

Much better !  And the next day with a bit more powder 

Now haven't gotten to Chrono the speed or no e out to 100yd but this a pretty enjoyable load to shoot but still has a little power too it going to be ordering a larger sizer bushings and some certified hard alloy to try out next but pretty happy with this so far

Edited October 16, 2023 by Wolfdog91

[Wolfdog91 6,276]

And my other little project I don't get much don't on . My GF dad passed early last year and left me and her his outdoor and gun stuff. Well she claimed his weatherby vanguard .270win. She really wants to shoot it but after seeing the slow motion video I took o me shooing it ...yeah she's not super interested in regular factory loads, ESPECIALLY her dads old hand loads so told her I'd try an work up some. Lightweight cast loads for her. Which she loved the idea of...not partly because of all the pretty colors I could make the bullets lol. 

So ordered a .278 and .279 sizer from now along with some .270 cal gas checks and a guy on cast boolits had a old lee single cavity .277 mold for sale for $20 ! Just what I needed  ! 

There just little 125gr pills  here one next to a 150gr Speer grand slam and a a .270 win case

Really quick group at 50yd 

And first load shoots pretty dang good ! Not much recoil at all , about like a average .223. Really low of course lol

But yeah think these will be pretty good for popping cans and plinking for her