Need help Cast or Swage?

Ok well I was at a gun show this passed sunday and got some new goodies and a sweet buy. Got an AR15 and TC Encore barrel .308win with scope that was the buy for $200. I had the .22 hornet barrel and I'm casting lyman 225438 44gr bullets for it got to love .04 cent rounds but the question is for the AR and the .308 I'm looking for somthing for plinkin and to hunt deer with for the .308win. and the AR well just looking for somthing to plink with since semi's arn't aloud to hunt with in PA. I just started casting for centerfire. My casting experiance consist of mini balls for the .45 and .50 muzzel loader. So any sujestions and possable load data would be greatly helpful.

Can't answer for the .308 at the moment. I do not have one and never have casted for one. However, I say for that one, you should be good to cast.. Swaging will be another good route. You would be able to push the envelope a little more if you swage .308 for a jacket. I am not sure what kind of .308 you have that I am giving advice on.

As far at the ar15, I know some that have and dose shoot cast in them. This is just my personal view, mind you, I have not shot cast through any of my ar's, however my biggest fear is leading in the gas tube. Once you clog that up, it goes from semi auto to single shot. I am not sure if you can clean a gas tube once it gets leaded, in which case your looking at replacing your gas tube. For that one, cheap plinking alternative, I would say go the swaging route. Reload3006 swages 224's I know of as well as algunjunkie. I have seen pictures of Reload3006's, those look really nice and I have bought 100 off algunjunkie which shoots great.

This is just my opinion on the subject. There are others here that shoots ar's and may have a different view as far as shooting cast through it....

I know there are people who will disagree. But For the AR I would swage because of the gas ports. for the others either one is fine. as long as your rifle doesn't have gas ports to clog with lead you can shoot cast or lead bullets. I do both and I swage both Lead bullets and Jacketed bullets. It costs almost an arm and a leg to get into swaging but IMO its worth it. If you buy High quality casting equipment it costs you about the same to get into either one. But you can get into casting cheaper. LOL its a toss up I went with swaging because I didnt want to mess with Hot lead etc. but after you get into swaging you will get into casting because you wont like the waste. what ever you do its a journey that you will IMO enjoy for a life time.

Ok thanks for the input Daywalker Reload3006 well think ill stick with factory rounds for the ar till u get .224 swage set up done and producing for sell. try that out before tackeling the .308 bullets. though with swaging u can make a verity of whieghts right? Cause i load for 308 30-30 and 30-06 right now.

Yes, depending on your core size and size of the case, you have a few different weights to play with. Still a little limited, but, you have some free play.

Just start saving 22 rimfire cases, you will be needing them. Not too much longer now!!

case

Daywalker wrote:Yes, depending on your core size and size of the case, you have a few different weights to play with. Still a little limited, but, you have some free play.

Just start saving 22 rimfire cases, you will be needing them. Not too much longer now!!

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Daywalker, swaging 45 acp using 40 S&W cases, at what lenght do I have to cut the case? Im really into swaging bullets since I watched your video. I do a lot of bullet casting and swaging is new to me. Any help is appreciated. thanks.

Welcome to the foru cobrarolex. Let me try to fish through some of my logs if I can find them to get you the length.

For my 45 acp bullets, I trim to .588 there abouts. That is giving me around the 230 grain mark, give or take a few grains. All pure lead, no wheel weights. That mould is the Lee .401 145 grain TC mould.

Hope this helps....

DayWalker, Thank you so much for the info: This will help me a lot with my swaging as a beginner. I will order the 101 die although the price went up. Got my mini chop saw too at Harbor Freight $24.99 not bad huh? Also, I have to buy the ATG case lube soon Pls! inform where to buy them. Thanks a lot and have a nice day.

I need to order some more items to make the case swage lube. I really need to do this. Let me get back with you on the lube. I have sold out at the moment.

Daywalker, Pls!send me an email (cobrarolex@yahoo.com) once the lube are ready and how to send you the payment. Thanks a lot and happy swaging....

Several folks over on Cast Boolits are shooting cast through their ARs with no great difficulties. The two problems seem to involve: 1) finding .224 molds, and, 2) casting suitable boolits. When they're that small, any flaws in the casting are more important than ever - what would be an acceptable flaw in a .358 or .458 boolit becomes unacceptable in a .224" boolit. Mid South happens to have some Lee special order .224 molds in stock at the moment, so that solves problem #1.

There are any number of molds that perform quite well in the .308. The first step is to slug your bore to determine what diameter your boolits need to be. You can always start with 'The Load' (http://members.shaw.ca/cronhelm/TheLoad.html) and see how that works - a 150-180 grain bullet with 13.0 grains of Red Dot.