tell me about casting lead bullets
I have reloaded for 30 years with lead and everyother bullet type but never cast my own. Not fretting over limited reloading supplies nor ammo as I have stock piled for several years enough for my hunting calibers to last what's left of my lifetime. BUT I do shoot ALOT of 45 Long Colt in both revolver and carbine just for the heck of it and would like to start casting my own 250 gr bullets as well as some .458 leads for my 45-70.
Where can I find a good book on the subject...all this adding tin,etc and sizing an lubing has me confused.I only know what I've pieced together bit by bit from online forum conversations...and like it is said , "a little imfo is worse than none"
I've slugged my bore an see it is .452 what size mold and who's brand name do I want
Where can I find a good book on the subject...all this adding tin,etc and sizing an lubing has me confused.I only know what I've pieced together bit by bit from online forum conversations...and like it is said , "a little imfo is worse than none"
I've slugged my bore an see it is .452 what size mold and who's brand name do I want
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Funny timing I was putting a few books on the auction side and this was one of them. Full of good info I'd suggest reading. 
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For 35 years I have used the same book. The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. It never steered me wrong. 0 -
waste of time.
i ended up buying bulk bullets pre greased.
serious.
ive been selling all my stuff off for the last 10 years.
making bullets...i curse the day i let someone talk me into it.
lets see, you forget to preheat the mould, they come out distorted.
the lead isnt hot enough, they dribble in and deform.
you burn yourself.
you gotta deal with slag.
then, after youve passed out 3 times from fumes, you wake up and start yelling at your friends because the lead poison defects your brain.
after making 1000, you sigh relief...only to remember that NOW you have to grease them.
so you get your grease press.
now you gotta load EVERY FRIGGIN ONE OF THEM IN BY HAND.
and if grease doesnt go ALL the way around it, you gotta readjust the press.
too much? you get a grease blob.
then you get on a roll....but wait! the last 500 you ran out of grease! LOL!
when its all said and done. by the time you finally get to the point where you put the bullet into the casing....it seems like years.
HONEST.
unless you are up in some cabin snowed in with nothing to do...BUY THEM!
PS...HOW MANY AMMO CANS OF GREASE DO YOU WANT? lol![:D]0 -
The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook is great. All of my casting equipment is Lyman. The frnace, the molds, the handles, etc. All of these items were bought in the early 1970's, and everything works fine. I will admit that I have stopped casting my bullets. You save money, but it really is a job. The sizing die and bullet lube are a pain in the butt. A good mixture is 92% lead, 6% antimony, 2% tin. Just remember, before you invest in all these equipment, I have all of it, and I BUY my cast bullets! It really is a job! Good Luck!! 0 -
Silver Salmon; I just read Bobski's answer to your question. I agree with him 100%. This really is what it's like to cast. One thing Bobski left out is when you splash the 750 degree molten mass on yourself! It's like WP, it just keeps on burning!!!!!! 0 -
Casting can be a chore I suppose if you make it one. I enjoy creating and shooting projectiles I've made. When I first started it was required because no one had bullets for 11mm Mauser, 8mm Nambu, 11mm Murata, a lead spitzer for 8mm Mauser, or 10.6mm German Reichsrevolver. Most still don't.
I use Alox to lube so it's no great pain and I let the bore size the bullet. Gas checks are only needed if you shoot above 1000 fps which I don't except on the 8mm.
Nothing wrong with being able to make your own bullets. If the government bans lead projectiles in commercial ammo (which is very probable), I will still always be able to shoot! [;)]0 -
The lyman book and equiptment is the way to go on casting bullets I only cast for hard hard to get bullets.I now swage most of my bullets as im a herters collector and had a bunch of jackets and lead.tks hedge[:D] 0 -
Read "Bobski" again..... He's 98% on .... I do cast .375 balls for 1851 Colt's and .58 minis but accuracy isn't a big deal with those boys... 0 -
quote:Originally posted by bobski
waste of time.
i ended up buying bulk bullets pre greased.
serious.
ive been selling all my stuff off for the last 10 years.
making bullets...i curse the day i let someone talk me into it.
lets see, you forget to preheat the mould, they come out distorted.
the lead isnt hot enough, they dribble in and deform.
you burn yourself.
you gotta deal with slag.
then, after youve passed out 3 times from fumes, you wake up and start yelling at your friends because the lead poison defects your brain.
after making 1000, you sigh relief...only to remember that NOW you have to grease them.
so you get your grease press.
now you gotta load EVERY FRIGGIN ONE OF THEM IN BY HAND.
and if grease doesnt go ALL the way around it, you gotta readjust the press.
too much? you get a grease blob.
then you get on a roll....but wait! the last 500 you ran out of grease! LOL!
when its all said and done. by the time you finally get to the point where you put the bullet into the casing....it seems like years.
HONEST.
unless you are up in some cabin snowed in with nothing to do...BUY THEM!
PS...HOW MANY AMMO CANS OF GREASE DO YOU WANT? lol![:D]
Sadly, some folks are just technically, and mechanically challenged. [;)]
Don't let this scare you. You will save money.0 -
Agree w/ Skyking. Cast .45 and 50 Maxis for the charcoal burners (pure lead) and cast wheelweights for .38 and .45 ACP. Use liquid Alox, the right mold, etc. Molds cost about what one box of loaded ammo costs. 2 local tire shops keep me supplied w/ wheelweights free. Deformed bullets and sprue cuttings go back into pot at start of next melt. Not during a melt. 0 -
you dont know me from adam.
maybe too many lead fumes makes you think you do.[:0][:D]0 -
Rule #1. Don't do it on the kitchen stove unless you are SURE Shewhomustbeobeyed isn't anywhere around. Also of course open windows, doors & turn on exhast.
I rarely cast bullets but round balls are well worth it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by silver salmon
I have reloaded for 30 years with lead and everyother bullet type but never cast my own. Not fretting over limited reloading supplies nor ammo as I have stock piled for several years enough for my hunting calibers to last what's left of my lifetime. BUT I do shoot ALOT of 45 Long Colt in both revolver and carbine just for the heck of it and would like to start casting my own 250 gr bullets as well as some .458 leads for my 45-70.
Where can I find a good book on the subject...all this adding tin,etc and sizing an lubing has me confused.I only know what I've pieced together bit by bit from online forum conversations...and like it is said , "a little imfo is worse than none"
I've slugged my bore an see it is .452 what size mold and who's brand name do I want
I have casted hundreds of thousands of bullets. I take VERY minimal precautions and have ZREO measurable lead in my blood. I love casting, sizing and making everything on my own. Others have steered you right. The Lyman cast bullet handbook is the bible for casting.
This site http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/ is the Mecca of casting and lead boolits.0 -
its a hobby for someone who has too much time on their hands.
enjoy.
not me.0
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