OT - 10mm handloads with cast bullets - who's got advice?

[O.S.O.K.]

I have a 10mm EAA Witness on order. I want to handload for it (I handload for everything) and have plenty of experience with autoloaders and cast bullets - but most are lower pressure numbers like 45 ACP. I've tended to load my 9mm's with jacketed bullets. I use gas check designs for my higher pressure/velocity revolvers.

So, what's the skinny on full pressure 10mm cast bullet loads?

[Terry Murbach]

THE SKINNY IS THEY WORK JUST FINE. NO BIG DEAL ATALL TO MAKE ANY OF 'EM FROM 140gr TO 200gr SHOOT VERY WELL INDEED . I DID A LOT OF TESTING WITH AA7 WITH ALL BULLET WEIGHTS. IT WORKED DARN NEAR AS WELL AS IT DOES WITH JHP BULLETS. IN THE END I SETTLED UPON AA5 WITH CAST BULLETS IN BOTH THE G20 AND THE BOWEN 3-SCREW RUGER.

[awp101]

Cast in the G20? Aftermarket barrel? I've always heard that's the only way to safely shoot lead out of a Glock. Truth or rumor?

[Hobie]

I used cast 200s in my Contender 10mm with BlueDot and ??? (darn CRS). Anyway, there wasn't a problem with it in any way.

[O.S.O.K.]

Thanks for the feedback guys - one more specific question - what kind of cast bullets did you use exactly? Plain base, beveled base (like Laser Cast) or gas checked design? Home cast or commercial cast?

Thanks!

[Hobie]

I think the ones I used were beveled base. Not that it matters...

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, with many magnums, I found that the bevel base bullets gas cut and lead the bore. That's why I was asking. So not really an issue with the 10mm - good!

[horsesoldier03]

I use Missouri Bullets. I load for .357 mag, .45 ACP, and .44 mag. I only experiance leading issues when I push the .44 mag bullets to about 1500 fps, the .357 and .45 acp dont lead up at all. Accuracy has been excellent.

http://www.missouribullet.com/results.p ... condary=11

[O.S.O.K.]

Thank you Sir. I do have that one bookmarked already and I was just looking at it! (twilight zone music here). My only issue with them is they don't take Amex - my preferred payment method, but you can't have everything!

One thing I've noticed and it seems weird to me is that the comercial casters don't offer a 200 or heavier bullet. I'd like to see a wide flat nosed 220 grain offering - expressly for hunting. The 10mm is a viable deer caliber but I think a good heavy, blunt nosed bullet would be best...

ETA - I found a likely candidate for casting my own here:



RCBS 200 grain "semiwadcutter" - looks more like a truncated cone to me but I guess it's got a little lip so its a semi wadcutter...?

Regardless, that's kind of what I had in mind - maybe a little more broad-nosed. And I like the squared base.

Might have to go that route.

[horsesoldier03]

You mean like these!

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalo ... b696b3f29d

I have never tried any of double taps products before, the fact that they are gas checked seems to tell me you can run them HOT!

[O.S.O.K.]

There you go. That'd be the thing. Thanks. I wonder if I can find a mould for that bullet.... probably a custom.

I posted the question about using the 10mm on deer on another board and one guy replied that he used Win 175 Silvertips and took two does with them at 35 and 40 yards - both quartering away and got complete penetration and DRT. They don't LOOK like they'd do that - I checked the Winchester site and that load goes 1290 fps from the muzzle.

I'd still like heavy cast bullets.

[salvo]

O.S.O.K. I have been loading the LaserCast 200 gr. TC with AA9 - 11.6 gr. and no pressure signs. Nice shooting load.
I did get a 6" Jarvis barrel for my G20 to shoot them in. Did not want to take any chances with the stock barrel and lead?

[O.S.O.K.]

Salvo, from what I hear, that's a good decision on the barrel. I believe the Witness's are barreled with standard rifling barrels, so shouldn't be a concern in that regard.

Thanks for the load info. I subscribe to Ammo Guide and I see max loads of 13.5 grians of AA#9 with 200 grain jacketed bullets - but I'd rather back off some and get the same velocity with cast like you've done.