Casting Bullets
looking to start casting bullets for 45, 30 caliber, and 38/357.
What molds and furnaces are best?
What molds and furnaces are best?
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i have never tried this but i am thinking a head in case SHTF and we have a hard time if the DEMOCRAPS get in the big house
will tire weights work for casting a .45acp i also have a lot of reclamed lead shot and a few molds i have picked up her and there0 -
Hi, EMSguy11,
Greetings. Bullet casting is a great way to create great bullets and save money. For some calibers, it is about the only practical way to do much shooting.
Get a copy of the Lyman 47th Reloading Handbook, or the the most current revison. This book has detailed information on casting, sizing, and loading cast bullets. It is a great resource. RCBS also puts out a cast bullet handbook, but the Lyman manual has much more information.
There are several online resources for information, including castboolits.com, which is one of the best.
You will need a method of melting the lead (a lead furnace, camp stove and lead pot, etc.), bullet mould(s), a sizing/lubricating system, gaschecks (for higher velocity loads), bullet lube, and proper nose punches for the bullets you are casting.
Lead for bullets can come from several sources, one of the best of which is clip-on tire wheel weights from the local tire store. Just be sure they are lead alloy, not the "green" zinc alloy weights. The latter will contaminate lead, if mixed, and make it useless.
Stick-on weights (for mag wheels) are almost pure lead and are not suitable for cast bullets. Salvage bullet lead (backstop lead from shooting ranges) is great as long as spent cast bullets are used. Jacketed bullet lead is nearly pure lead and is not suitable for cast
bullets (it is too soft).
Casting your own bullets is a great way to save money (and practice more), and to increase self-sufficiency. You can tailor bullets which will perform best in your firearms.
I'm sure others will chime in here with much more information, so hang on!0 -
Pure lead is fine for muzzleloaders or black powder cartridges. Otherwise you want something with a bit of antimony and tin to help mold fill out and hardness.
I recommend getting a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. Also google "cast boolit forum".
Easy to do, takes practice to do well, as with a lot of things.0 -
i use a coleman stove for the heat source works great and faster then electric,been useing a old cast iron skillet got at a yard sale holds heat well. also been using pure wheel weight alloy using a lee tl mould cast right to diameter. as far as the zinc and steel weights they wiil float to the surface when the lead ones have gone molten and expect alot of them now a days.and seems it isn't going to get any better. wear safety glasses for sure and get some welding gloves. foremost never stir any water are other liquid into the molten alloy are you will be unpleasantly greeted with very hot lead.and as the others noted the lyman book is very good and availible on sites as gb or ebay. gb and ebay has moulds and lube and such if not availble locally. if loading for very old guns as a 1873 and such may want to slug youg barrel to check bore size as some varyed greatly. personly have't used the newer lee resizer but have heard good reports on them. 1 set up and not 3 separate dies to buy. well as you have more ?s post them always some one here to answer most anything. good luck and shoot straight Kevin 0 -
It's a great addition to the shooting sports. Check out the Cast Boolit forum and chat room...tons of information there. 0 -
There is a place in Missouri that sells just the right lead for bullet makeing check them out and see MissouriBullet.com they do not just sell bullets 0
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