Gentlemen, good day! As is the case once again I am stuck indoors due to SHIT weather(every fing weekend!) I have this itch to load cast bullets in CZ 550 7x57 and would like your inpur as to what mould to buy, loading procedures etc. I want a heavy bullet as low velocity as I am/ will be hunting warthog soon as the sun is out! Thats the best time of the day to hunt them. Longest shot expected 100m. If you have anything to share please SHARE! Thanks and have a lovely weekend.
Regards

Von Gruff and Bartsche where are you? Share your knowlege pleeeez?

I can offer little help as I never used cast bullets in 7mm. My first hand knowledge here is Zero. Sorry! roger

No worries, thanks for the reply.

lal, I have been playing with cast in my 7x57 for quite some time now and it has all been with a Lyman mould. There seems to be a couple of different iterations of the mould number but this one has been a stunning performer


It casts in the 160-165gn range depending on alloy.
I have a few different loads with velocities from 1500fps up to a hunting load at 2400fps+
A shoot all day for no cost is 11.5 gn Red dot at 1500fps and is good to plink out to 100yds with 50/50 aloy and home made Al GC makes this a very economical load with 600 loads per lb of powder. Thie powder is not position sensative so needs no filler.
A little more in the way of 1900fps and a reasonable hunt load practice round has been 17.2gn Blue dot and the home made Al GC on a 47/33/20 ww/Pb/lino alloy that I would have no hesitation in hunting out to a 100yds. The blue dot is also not position sensative so again no filler is needed. Prints at the same 100yd poi as the 2415fps hunt load so 100yd practice is still good at 400shots per lb. Has been quite accurate in my rifle but the real performer has been the 39gn H4350 and a soft nosed - hard shanked bullet with Hornady Cu GC that is good for hunting out to about 250 yds.
Have a read through the link to see what a cast bullet from the 7x57 can do.

This was the first blooding of my cast on animals

http://castboolits.gunloads.co...oft+nose+sucess+meat

Then I gave it a try with my aperture sights

http://www.mausercentral.com/f...iewtopic.php?t=32271

Von Gruff thank you it was lovely to see all of that. I am really impressed but I think I could become addicted to casting bullets and hunting with them! Just wish I had loads with our local SOMCHEM powders...

Unfortunately I have no experience with Somchem powders and while S365 has a similar burn rate to H4350 - ADI 2209 I do not know its burn characteristics or how it might respond to load levels that would give good cast bullets results.

This is what a reasonable hunting load with cast will give and allow 250yd kills. Target from zeroing QD 2-7 scope.

Von Gruff, MUST you also post pictures?!! I cant wait to get started!

Hi--- I 've read your post about the cast bullets and"plinkers" for 7x57.
Is there anyone out there that can tell me if our Somchem S265 (it compare with Hercules 2400 on the "powder comparison card" that I have here)will have the same NON POSITION SENSITIVITY caracteristics as the Hercules 2400 powder.Thanks

I've had several,some in standard + some in A.I.,some preferred 160 + some 175.The real importance is in the sizing. I have sizing dies that go from .284-.287.Have you slugged your bore?You may want to contact Veral Smith @ LBT + get a bore slugging kit + then have him make your moulds.Thats what I did + have been very pleased.

Hi lal.
You can try 16 gr of S265 with Magnum primers--it work good in my gun --CZ action -- new barrel though.

If you have a good strong modern action then use H414 and work up loads from the books and most books take into consideration some of the old 95 and 96 actions out there, so you can go a long ways past book max with a good rifle..go a grain at a time to max then back off a grain works for most..H414 is the only powder I would use in a 7x57 and I have tried them all in the last 60 plus years..Its my favorite caliber.