Anyone tried a gas checked hard cast lead flat nose heavy

[arkhangel5]

In their AR? I am looking at bullets in the 300-360gr range.

Am at this line of bullets available at MidwayUSA:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010706565?pid=330694

Looking at the hard cast type of bullet to resist leading. Have never tried a flat nose before, curious if there will be a feeding issue.

Looking for any feedback.

SY

[plant_one]

even with the big ole shovel of a feed ramp that the 450bm uses... that probably wont reliably feed.



that would be one helluva bone crusher in a single feed rifle though!

[GaCop]

I've shot those weights and heavier (425 grain WFNGC) in my bolt action Bushmaster. I get excellent accuracy and velocities out of a 16" barrel. I've had to extrapolate data from what's listed in the Trapdoor and lever action 45-70 data. I figured using Lever gun data for heavy loads in a bolt action gives me a safe margin of error. The Trapdoor data is used for my 405 grain LFN. I resize 45-70 bullets (jacketed and cast) to .452" in two steps using first a .454" Lee sizer and then the .452". Recoil, especially with the heavy bullets is a bit brutal shooting from the bench. Many of the flat nose bullets won't feed reliably in the lighter 300 to 350 grain weights, wanting to hang up on the feed ramp of my Savage Axis action.

[cwlongshot]

I shoot the Lyman 450g Louvern style bullet with Unique at about 1200 and it shoots very well. In my Ruger American 450.

I also Shoot them as Subs with great accuracy!

Much fun on the range. Even that sub poad has more energy then any 44 Mag fried from a pistol.

CW

[arkhangel5]

Well,

I decided to take the dive myself. Ordered 100 of the Cast Performance .452 hard cast 335gr flat nose with gas check. They were in stock and on sale at MidwayUSA.

First test will be for pressure and velocity, Powder will be H4198. I got this powder off the chart that comes with Lee dies.

Will be loading to 2.25 for feeding from AR Stoner 450BM magazine, to see if it will work at all.

Will be chronographing with a Labradar.

Rifle is a BCA 16in complete upper with a AR Stoner muzzle Brake. This upper has been reliable with 250gr bullets.

Will post results later.

SY

[Hoot]

Those look like pretty short gas checks. I seem to recall reading that you need a gas check that is longer than the size of your gas port opening or they may not give you much joy. Not that I would consider shooting cast boolets in an AR of any caliber but that's just me. The 450b AR variant from the beginning, was designed around jacketed bullets. I have access to all the bullet lead that I care to gather and I still go with jacketed bullets. Luckily, I've laid on lots of jacketed .451-.452 bullets before the "greed factor" set in this past year or so, so I have the latitude to prefer jacketed bullets. Woe unto those needing reloading components lately, so I can understand the interest in casting your own. Certainly in a bolt or single shot variant.

Hoot

[arkhangel5]

Finally got around to shooting the Cast Performance 335gr hard cast flat nose with gas check in my AR.

Today's test was just to see what kind of velocity I could expect in a 16" AR with H4198. Was pleasantly surprised, this flat nose bullet fed fine from the magazine. Bullets were seated to the 1st cannelure groove and crimped. OAL was 2.115, primer was a CCI450.

Rounds were shot past a Labradar, velocities ranged from 1695fps to 1840fps with the selected charge range. My target was to be around 1700fps so I was excited to hit it so easily. All rounds fired ejected to the 3:30-4:00 position.

Today's test was only 6 rounds, but off to a good start for me. No issues noted, I didn't see any sign of gas check being stuck etc. Next step is for accuracy.

SY

[s4s4u]

Finally got around to shooting the Cast Performance 335gr hard cast flat nose with gas check in my AR.

Today's test was just to see what kind of velocity I could expect in a 16" AR with H4198. Was pleasantly surprised, this flat nose bullet fed fine from the magazine. Bullets were seated to the 1st cannelure groove and crimped. OAL was 2.115, primer was a CCI450.

Rounds were shot past a Labradar, velocities ranged from 1695fps to 1840fps with the selected charge range. My target was to be around 1700fps so I was excited to hit it so easily. All rounds fired ejected to the 3:30-4:00 position.

Today's test was only 6 rounds, but off to a good start for me. No issues noted, I didn't see any sign of gas check being stuck etc. Next step is for accuracy.

SY

Sounds promising. I have a bud that loads them in his 45 Colt Ruger only levels and he says they are the hammer of Thor on deer. At that velicity the wound cavity will be impressive. The only issue might be straight penetration if the nose gets smeared by bone. Regardless, I can see venison or bacon on the hook.