Cast in the .223

Part II

Varmint Use

 

In a previous article I talked about loading regular cast bullets in the .223 Remington.

 

During the latter part of writing that article, I modified a Lyman 225415 mould  with a .070” hollow point.  It shot so well that I became interested in this concept and decided to branch out a little and cover the modification of .22 moulds, preparation of cast .22 hollow points, and discuss some of the potential uses.

 

First off, you may ask why a hollow point .22 cast bullet is needed.  There are several reasons.

 

In my humble opinion, most of the cast designs that are available today are too long for use in the twists of .223 and .222 rifles as well as the Hornet.  The #225438 is an exception.  I presently have the # 225438, 225415, the 225462, the 225646 and the RCBS 22-55-SP.  All of them are too long for the twist in my .223 but shoot fairly well.  The addition of a hollow point cavity to these bullets will shift the center of gravity toward the rear of the bullet and enhance accuracy….John’s Theory.

 

The second reason is that .22 cast bullets are used mostly for plinking and paper punching and after that for varmints and animate targets of opportunity while shooting.  At our range, blackbirds and starlings are fair game when they land anywhere short of the 100 yard berm.  Occasionally a skunk will be seen on the 300 yard range and once on a red letter day, I spotted Wiley Coyote.

 

 For several years, I have been supplying .22 cast bullets to a friend in Vermont.  His place abounds in varmints as he’s a dairy farmer and there’s a never ending supply of blackbirds, crows, feral cats, skunks, groundhogs and the occasional coyote.  His place is a fine test bed for these projectiles. Over the years, I have supplied him with ample stocks of all of my .22 cast bullets.  The problem is that they don’t expand on small targets and just punch on through.  Several weeks ago, I finished up the first of my hollow point .22 moulds…a 225415.  It cast really well and on my first try at a blackbird, I was impressed…it expanded…and how.  I immediately shipped a supply north to my friend.  He loaded them in his .222 and the first victim was a crow sitting on the barn roof peak.  His description of the incident reminded me of the old bullet commercial....”Ever see a crow blow?”  The crow lost a wing and stole no more food from the cows.  This week, he was able to shoot a groundhog that insisted on burrowing out in the field instead of in the stone wall.  Results were one dead groundhog and no penetration to ricochet and hit a cow.  So far, the hollow point bullets I have recovered consisted of small .22” diameter “buttons”. The hollow point, combined with a 2,000 FPS velocity makes them pretty destructive and also breaks them up pretty good and prevents ricochets.

 

“Buttons” recovered from testing the 225415 HP bullets at approximately 2,000 FPS

 

 

“Buttons” recovered from testing the 225438 HP at 2,092 FPS

 

My theory on the hollow point shifting the center of gravity seems to pan out also as the hollow point version is giving me better groups than solids.

 

By now, you’re probably wondering where you can get one of these little jewels.  It’s not easy.  I shot with a fellow for two years before I learned that he was a master machinist.  Then, it took me another year to hook him on shooting cast bullets.  Now, thanks to his skills, I’m able to more or less let my imagination run wild and can get all kinds of strange and unusual things made in the way of modified moulds and odd diameter sizing dies.

 

I have been working with Orygun Mark and Tony B for years on modifying moulds.  Normally, this is a fairly straight forward process and can be done on a lathe.  With .22s and .25s with the smaller diameter cavity desired, it’s another story.  These moulds must be done from the bottom as the thickness of the mould in the smaller diameter bullets will cause a small diameter drill bit to drift in the metal, causing a crooked and off center hole.  This problem can be overcome by indexing the cavity edges on the table of a CNC mill to find center and then reversing the table and drilling blind from the bottom with a larger drill bit (in most cases, we use .125” diameter drills for this purpose) to within about .125” of the cavity nose.  Then, the remainder of the metal can be drilled with a .060/.070” drill without encountering the drift….maybe.  An easier method is to burn through with the EDM and there’s no drift.   With this method, we then use a stepped pin for a cavity pin and mount it in a regular manner.  So far, it’s worked very well on about a half dozen small diameter moulds. 

 

 

22-55-SP RCBS mould modified for casting hollow point bullets

(Stop screw on bottom removed for picture)

 

The next step is to cast the bullets and casting .22 bullets is a hard task as best.  You have to be ruthless in your inspections.  One of the problems I’ve noticed in using the .22 hollow point moulds is a new casting defect.  It’s a horizontal fault and is pictured below.  A bubble goes clear into the HP cavity.  I have noticed this on other hollow point moulds but not to this extent or as frequently.  Other than that, it’s easy as casting any other hollow point bullet and  a morning’s work will net you 300 or so with maybe 5% culls.

 

 

These are typical defects as a result of casting small diameter hollow point bullets of .225” or .257” diameter.

 

Pictured below are some of Orygun Mark’s 225107 HPs.  I’ve never lucked up and found one of these extra to HP but they should be great in a Hornet.

 

 

Orygun Mark’s Lyman 225107 HPs

 

 

The bullets pictured below are from the moulds I currently have hollow pointed.

 

 

L-R: 225438 HP, 225415 HP, 225462 HP, RCBS 22-55-SP HP, 225646 HP,

 

 

The table below lists the weight statistics for the various hollow point bullets.

 

 

Mould

Number

Cast

Weight

Pin

Diameter

22-55-SP

54.5

.070”

225415

47.5

.070”

225462

52.3

.070

225646

58.5

.078”

225438

44.2

.060”

 

One of my computer friends mentioned this week that it was about time for some water jugs tests with these bullets and since an empty gallon milk jug was staring me in the face, I filled it up and stashed it with my shooting stuff. 

 

I placed it on the berm at 100 yards and checked the zero of my loads as I was using a different powder.  Then I popped a 22-55-SP HP in the jug at 2068 FPS.  As I expected, the jug exploded.

 

Now, water filled jugs don’t prove a thing except that you can hit one.  I was interested to see if I could recover a bullet.  The inside of the jug was filled with minute lead slivers.  Apparently, the nose had blown as I anticipated that it would and the gas check and bullet base “button” continued on through the jug and was lost in the berm behind the jug. From this experiment, it’s apparent that I’m getting pretty instantaneous expansion, even at these slow velocities. 

 

Apparently from the black bird, crow and groundhog, these little bullets are opening adequately for small varmint use, even in the 1900-2200 FPS velocity that I’m shooting them at.

 

Loads for the 225438 HP

Bullet

Wgt

Powder

Wgt

Prim

Av

Vel

Stan

Dev

Sized

Diam

OAL

 

Comments

225438 HP

44.2

Universal

6.0

RSR

1904

16.1

.2255

1.990

 

1.5” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

Red Dot

6.5

RSR

2152

18.2

.2255

1.990

 

¾” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

Green Dot

6.0

RSR

2005

3.8

.2255

1.990

1” @ 100 yards

225438  HP

44.2

Tite Group

6.0

RSR

2097

19.6

.2255

1.990

¾” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

Clays

6.0

RSR

2018

21.3

.2255

1.990

1” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

Unique

7.0

RSR

2148

28.6

.2255

1.990

¾” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

WW 231

6.0

RSR

1957

43.9

.2255

1.990

1” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

WW 231

7.0

RSR

2161

12.6

.2255

1.990

1.5” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

Bullseye

6.0

RSR

2069

26.8

.2255

1.990

1” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

Longshot

7.0

RSR

2059

26.0

.2255

1.990

1.5” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

Blue Dot

8.0

RSR

2037

32.2

.2255

1.990

1” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

2400

10.0

RSR

2045

45.2

.2255

1.990

1” @ 100 yards

225438 HP

44.2

700-X

6.0

RSR

2092

11.6

.2255

1.990

1” @ 100 yards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loads for the 225415 HP

Bullet

Wgt

Powder

Wgt

Prim

Av

Vel

Stan

Dev

Sized

Diam

OAL

 

Comments

225415 HP

47.5

N110

10.0

Herter’s

SR

1869

56.2

.2255

2.110

½” @ 100 yards

225415 HP

47.5

Blue Dot

9.0

WSR

2212

30.4

.2255

2.110

1” @ 100 yards

225415 HP

47.5

WC820

L50276

10.5

WSR

2073

47.9

.2255

2.110

1.5” @ 100 yards

225415 HP

47.5

2400

10.5

WSR

2189

58.3

.2255

2.110

¾” @yards

225415 HP

47.5

Longshot

8.0

WSR

2290

13.0

.2255

2.110

1” @ 100 yards

225415 HP

47.5

700-X

7.0

WSR

2263

11.2

.2255

2.110

1.5” @ 100 yards

225415 HP

47.5

Unique

9.0

WSR

2475

6.9

.2255

2.110

1” @ 100 yards

225415 HP

47.5

4759

11.2

WSR

2155

11.1

.2255

2.110

1.5” @ 100 yards

 

Loads for the 22-55-SP HP

Bullet

Wgt

Powder

Wgt

Prim

Av

Vel

Stan

Dev

Sized

Diam

OAL

 

Comments

22-55-SP HP

54.5

N110

11.2

Herter’s

SR

2127

18.2

.2255

2.169

1.25”@ 100 yards

22-55-SP HP

54.5

WC820

L50276

10.5

Herter’s

SR

2068

15.5

.2255

2.179

.75” @ 100 yards

22-55-SP HP

54.5

AA 9

11.5

WSR

 

2298

97.9

.2255

2.150

 

2” @ 100 Yards

22-55-SP HP

54.5

Blue Dot

9.0

WSR

2090

12.1

.2255

2.150

1” @ Yards

22-55-SP HP

54.5

Unique

9.0

WSR

2264

25.5

.2255

2.150

2.5” @ 100 Yards

22-55-SP HP

54.5

2400

11.5

WSR

2193

12.8

.2255

2.150

1.5” @ 100 Yards

22-55-SP HP

54.5

4759

11.2

WSR

2101

115.2

.2255

2.150

1” @ 100 Yards

22-55-SP HP

54.5

700-X

7.0

WSR

2205

79.3

.2255

2.150

¾” @ 100 Yards

22-55-SP HP

54.5

Long Shot

8.5

WSR

2404

17.1

.2255

 

2.150

¾” @ 100 Yards

 

Loads for the 225462 HP

Bullet

Wgt

Powder

Wgt

Prim

Av

Vel

Stan

Dev

Sized

Diam

OAL

 

Comments

225462 HP

52.3

N110

11.2

Herter’s

SR

2195

16.7

.2255

2.140

1” @ 100 yards

225462 HP

52.3

WC820

L50276

14.0

Herter’s

SR

2676

55.6

.2255

2.148

1.5” @ 100 yards

225462 HP

52.3

Longshot

8.0

WSR

2201

14.9

.2255

2.125

<1” @ 100 yards

225462 HP

52.3

700-X

7.0

WSR

2139

8.8

.2255

2.140

1” @ 100 yards

225462 HP

52.3

2400

11.5

WSR

2306

37.9

.2255

2.140

3” @ 100 yards

225462 HP

52.3

4759

1.2

WSR

2019

14.8

.2255

2.140

1.5” @ 100 yards

225462 HP

52.3

Blue Dot

9.0

WSR

2180

15.8

.2255

2.140

1” @ 100 yards

225462 HP

52.3

Unique

9.0

WSR

2378

12.7

.2255

2.140

1” @ 100 yards

 

 

 

Loads for the 225646 HP

Bullet

Wgt

Powder

Wgt

Prim

Av

Vel

Stan

Dev

Sized

Diam

OAL

 

Comments

225646 HP

58.5

WC820

L50276

10.0

Herter’s

SR

2049

16.4

.225

2.181

1.5” @ 100 yards

225646 HP

58.5

Long Shot

9.5

Herter’s

SR

2357

22.9

.225

2.181

1.5” @ 100 yards

225646 HP

58.5

700-X

7.0

Herter’s

SR

2058

18.9

.225

2.181

 

225646 HP

58.5

Lil Gun

10.5

Herter’s

SR

2191

13.6

.2255

1.158

1.5” @ 100 yards

225646 HP

58.5

Long Shot

8.5

Herter’s

SR

2219

11.8

.2255

2.149

1.5” @ 100 yards

225646 HP

58.5

WC820

L50276

10.0

Herter’s

SR

1999

44.1

.2255

2.155

1” @ 100 yards

225646 HP

58.5

WC820

L50276

14.0

Herter’s

SR

2520

29.5

.2255

2.155

1” @ 100 yards

225646 HP

58.5

Blue Dot

8.5

WSR

2007

16.3

.2255

2.150

1.5” @ 100 yards

 

The “Orange Test”

 

I searched my mind for a method to test expansion of the cast hollow point bullets.  I know that water filled containers are spectacular but they tend to rupture just as well with solid bullets as do hollow points. I considered potatoes as used for testing shot loads by one of the major gun rag writers. I kind of figured a solid bullet would explode these at the velocities I’m using.  Finally, I decided that an orange would approximate a small mammal (minus the bones).  I intend to use these as a test medium.

 

I’ll test both a solid and a hollow point 22-55-SP at 100 yards.  If the hollow point out performs the solid at 100 yards, based on recovered bullets, it should open on a crow or groundhog sized target out to at least 200 yards. 

 

Test Results

 

Oranges hit by 22-55-SP “solid” at 2,178 FPS

 

Orange hit by 22-55-SP HP at 2,205 FPS

 

I was kind of pleased at the test results on oranges at 100 yards.  The top two were hit by solids and pretty well tore apart due to hydraulic shock

 

The bottom picture was an orange hit by a 22-55-SP HP.  Results were spectacular.  A little cinnamon and brown sugar and ice and I’d have been set for an instant “Orange Julius”.  The explosive affect was so great that portions of the orange were blown into the mouth of a plastic drink bottle I was using as a target stand.  Two oranges were shot with both solids and hollow points.  I only recovered enough of  one of the hollow pointed oranges to make the bottom picture.

 

In Conclusion

 

Hollow point .22 cast bullets definitely have a use in the bullet caster’s battery of moulds if he is the owner of a .22 center fire rifle.

 

The hollow pointed bullet gives better accuracy according to my tests and if fairly short range varmint hunting (up to 150 yards) is his game, these will do quite well on small sized varmints.

 

These bullets are too destructive for small game use if anything edible is expected but for varmints, they’re just the ticket.

 

Which one to choose?  If I was limited to just one, I’d have a #225415 Lyman hollow pointed as it seems to be the most accurate and versatile weight.  I personally don’t have anything against any of these designs tested as each one seemed to have a ”sweet spot” as far as accuracy is concerned. I say the 225415 because it is readily available in the weight category I like to shoot in the .223.

 

So, grab a good machinist and pay his price and get one made up and enjoy the results.

 

This article continued in Part 3

 

Back to the Casting Fellows Homepage

 

John Goins/akabeagle