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Slug, Measure, & Match: Using the Right Bullet for the Right Barrel Diameter
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Casting bullets

Author	Comment
Patriotic1	Casting bullets	Lead	[-]
Posts: 470 (06/22/09 09:35 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None With the availability of bullets for reloading becoming next to nil and the price of same out of sight, if you can find them at all, I am thinking of getting into bullet casting. I don't think I want to go this route though, unless I can find sources of very cheep or free lead. I have tried a few tire shops, but they are reusing their wheel weights, and also going to lead free weights. I'm pretty sure I can pick up lead from my range when it is closed, but not positive. Does anyone have any suggestions for cheep lead? maybe junk yards? Also, any suggestions as to equipment needed, techniques, etc. would be helpful. Thanks!
Colin		#1	[-]
Posts: 2009 (06/22/09 10:44 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I don't want to discourage you, but bullet casting is almost as complex a subject as the whole rest of reloading in its entirety. To know what you're getting into, get one of the Lyman cast bullet guides, and read it thoroughly. I think there are cast bullet forums on the internet, but I don't know what they are. Might pay to have a look at one of those. Equipment: you need a mould (of course) and a melting furnace. There are other ways to melt lead, but they're not worth the trouble. You'll also need a sizer-lubricator (there are ways to do without one, but again they're not worth the trouble). You may also need a Lyman 'M' die if you're reloading rifle carridges; it flares the case mouth a trifle so you can seat the bullet without shaving lead. An ingot mould is a handy way to store unused lead; most melting furnaces come with one. You'll need something to knock over the sprue cutter: a cut off piece of shovel handle works fine for me. I don't like Lee moulds, although I do like their melting furnace. Lyman moulds are good and they go up in quality and price from there. I'm impatient; single cavity moulds don't produce enough bullets for me; I like two or four cavity moulds. Scrap lead is OK for pistol bullets so long as you don't try for magnum velocities. For rifle bullets, the practical limit is around 1800 fps, although there are those who drive them a good deal faster than that with accuracy. Stay to windward of your molten lead: you don't want to inhale the fumes. Also, you're dealing with more heat than you can imagine. I wear long sleeves when casting, and a face guard is nice too. I just started to wear gloves while casting, and a casting session sure is a lot less painful. If you find a source of cheap lead, please let me know. Last Edited By: Colin 06/22/09 10:48 PM. Edited 2 times.
John Moses		#2	[-]
Posts: 205 (06/22/09 10:51 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I have several sources. Try auto dealerships or truck shops. Scrap yards sometimes have lead pipes ... pretty much pure lead but joints are wiped w/ 50-50. TIN is what you're after. Used range lead is good, but usually low in tin content. Wheel weights are good as is for low/moderate velocity loads, but more tin is required for higher velocities. Look to Lee products for low cost furnaces, molds & sizers. Since the great shortage, I have tumble lubed thousands of bullets w/ total satisfaction. Good luck locating any in stock though.
looseprojectile	casting bullets	#3	[-]
Posts: 15 (06/22/09 11:45 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Colin has told it true. Now during this shortage of all things," gun" is not an especially great time to try to assemble a casting setup. http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=8&pp=25&sort=lastpost&order=desc&daysprune=30 Due to the demand for moulds, sizing dies and such, almost nothing is in stock and will at best be back ordered if you buy now. If you go to this site you will be welcomed like a brother and you will have access to everything you need to cast for rifle and handguns. A lot of the people there have extra stuff that can be available to get a new guy started. Tell em looseprojectile sent you. Life is good
dutchmills	Casting bullets	#4	[-]
Posts: 783 (06/23/09 10:40 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Dang Colin! Glad I didnt read that when I started casting bullets in 1964, I would never had started, too discouraging! I'm still using a coleman camping stove on the front porch, same one I started with in '64. Still works just fine. I too wear long sleeves and welders gloves, they also work fine. I love Lee moulds because of there low cost, I will buy Lyman/Ideal molds at the gunshows (used) I have over 40 now, some that I started out with. A mallet with a plastic head works good for cutting sprus, still using the same one I started with. Guys, this aint rocket science, good bullets arnt that hard to make, I cast everything from 32 acp to 45-70 in center fire, and 32rb to 58 rb in muzzleloaders. Local salvage yard has either pure lead or wheel weights for 30 cents a pound, my choice. A properly loaded cast bullet will kill everything big enough to die, its up to the shooter. just my .02 of course. DM
Patriotic1		#5	[-]
Posts: 471 (06/23/09 07:30 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I have a good idea what I'm getting into. My dad used to reload and cast bullets when I was a kid. I would watch as he did it and he explained the whole process. I've also done some reading on the subject. Midway has a good supply of equipment on hand. It is definitely easier to find equipment than bullets or loaded ammo. for sizing and lubing I was thinking of using the alox and Lee's sizing dies. That way I can use the presses I have instead of having to buy a sizing press. What is the general consensus on this? Will it work well?
John Moses		#6	[-]
Posts: 210 (06/24/09 10:00 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I've been casting bullets for 25 years. Just this year I experimented with Lee tumble lube & dies. Before, I used my RCBS lubrisizer. (RCBS has wonderful customer support). I even tried loading without sizing. I had chambering problems so I now size w/ the Lee sizers. I am totally satisfied with the results. I spend less time casting/sizing & more time shooting.
exsfdoc		#7	[-]
Posts: 69 (06/26/09 12:23 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I was leary of casting my own bullets, too. But with supplies dwindling, I decided to give it a shot. I started collecting wheel weights about a year ago. Over 300# and I have paid a total on $15. And that was for my last 5 gallon bucket. Keep at the different tire shops. I found the Los Angeles Sihlouette? Club website to be very helpful. Lots of good articles by their members. All I use is Lee stuff. I have been very pleased with my bullets. Maybe if I had experience with different moulds I may have a different opinion but so far I am very pleased. I do wish they offered a wider variety of moulds. Give casting a try, it is well worth the effort.
jimski		#8	[-]
Posts: 555 (06/29/09 12:35 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	My experience has been almost exactly as exsfdoc. I put casting off as long as possible but now I like it. I get wheelweights from the local recycler for about 50 cents a pound so that is about a penny a bullet but I also found it easy to harvest lead from the club's berm so that is free. I'm still learning but essentially I got good bullets right off. I also prefer Lee molds. I have a Lyman, cost three or four times as much as Lee but Lee doesn't make a mold for 6.5mm, but those bullets don't shoot as well as jacketed where the Lee mold bullets usually shoot as well or better than jacketed. But I am using very mild pistol loads in my rifles with no gas checks or sizing. I've got the impression that if you want real rifle velocity you might as well buy jacketed bullets. I have converted all of my pistols to lead bullets with no loss in accuracy and no leading. Some of my rifle barrels lead but I see no pattern to it. I have two Enfields shooting the same lead bullets and one barrel leads and t'other doesn't so I suspect some unseen barrel condition is the main factor. Now if I could only cast my own primers. Jimski

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