Alliant 2400 With Cast Bullets

[SWIHARTMARK]

Back when there was a Schutzenfest, people were loading cast bullets in their rifles using Alliant 2400 powder. I forgot how much powder was used but I think it was in the 15 to 18 grain range. I was told its advantage was it didn't need any filler. I've read elsewhere that 18-20 grains is also okay. Any comments?

Best Regards,

Mark

[Ozzman]

What cartridge are you referring to?
18-24 grains of 2400 on a cast bullet depends on quite a bit.
Missing the following information:
- Bullet type/caliber
- What cartridge
- Bullet weight
- Bullet lube
- Which rifle?

Lots of questions still left to be answered.

[SWIHARTMARK]

I will be reloading mainly for 30 cal with bullet weights from 155 to 200. I'll use the Lee Alox tumble lube for now. Rifles would include Enfields, Arisakas, Mosins, an M1917 and a MAS-36. All bullets will be gas checked. Hope that helps. I will not be shooting much past 200 yards, and mostly 50 to 100 yards. No need to really go for a high velocity. Thanks for your reply.

Best Regards,

Mark

[sowbelle]

The Lyman cast bullet handbook is availabe online or any book store.
It has recipes for all the calibers you plan to load using several powders as well as Alliant 2400
This is a very good book to have if you want to go cast bullets.

[SWIHARTMARK]

Thanks, I forgot I had it since my wife put it away on a book shelf I don't see often. I saw several 2400 loads, most in the 18 grain range. Looks like I'm in action again.

Best Regards,

Mark

[DaleH]

For 30-cal class cartridges, per C. E. Harris’ famous loading advice called “The Load”, I’ve never had any reason for anything but 16-grns of Alliant 2400. I myslef play w/ the overall length and use a Lee factory crimp die and get nickle-sized groups at 50-yards. Not much worse at 100, less how good the rifle’s sights are.

For my 38-55 Schuetzen Stevens 44-1/2, you can’t beat 10-grains of Unique with a 255-grn bullet (and alloy, I use 20 to 1) sized properly to the bore.

[SWIHARTMARK]

Just cast some 30 cal bullets with a 6% tin, 4% antimony and 90% lead alloy. I'll be making sizers for them in the next few days as Lyman sizers aren't too hard to reproduce. I've heard nothing but good news about shooting cast bullets, especially at shorter ranges. I hope to find a toaster oven and experiment with some crude heat treating as well. I'll let these bullets sit a while and let them shrink before sizing or heat treating.

I get my antimony from ROTOMETALS super hard alloy of 30% antimony and 70% lead. Not bad as it melts at a reasonable and safe temperature. Its only sold in 5lb ingots. Pure antimony is pretty toxic to mess with.

Best Regards,

Mark

[DaleH]

Heat treat ... ? WHY bother?

Most of my 2400 cast loads use bullets don’t even require gas checks ...

[SWIHARTMARK]

Call it insurance. I've seen a leaded up M1917 bore once that somebody else owned. I'm not letting that happen to me. Besides, one hour at 450F then a dump into water isn't that hard even with an el cheapo toaster oven. Put bullets into tin pie pan with holes in it to let water pour through and after you get them to temp for an hour, dump into a bucket of water still in the pan. Just let sit for a few minutes and your done. I don't have a chronograph, so better to be safe than sorry.

Best Regards,

Mark