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Bullet Casting

idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
edited November 2001 in General Discussion
I ran out of 45 acp cast bullets so I cast some more today. It took me 3 hours, Heres the results, Only 1000+ from about thirty pounds of lead[img][/img]th_NewSentraPaintJob019.jpgth_NewSentraPaintJob018-1.jpg[img
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  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Okay, we've been given many suggestions in recent past for must-read literature for the newby reloader. Now, how about the newby caster? If one was to take up the hobby of casting bullets, where would one go to get all of the info possible on the subject before undertaking such a task?
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  • rwfixemrwfixem Member Posts: 164 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Lyman Cast bullet handbook. Lee Reloading manual also has some info on powder charges.
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  • kimberkidkimberkid Member Posts: 8,858 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I too have been thinking about starting to cast my own .45 ACP SWC ... how much are we talking to get started ... is it worth it?
    GUN CONTROL: If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention!kimberkid@gunbroker.zzn.com
    If you really desire something, you'll find a way ?
    ? otherwise, you'll find an excuse.
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    Oh it is definately worth it. I get all the old wheelwheights I need for free from a local garage. I buy a pound of 50/50 solder for $4, and the mix makes ten pounds of alloy, which makes a couple thousand pistol bullets or a couple hundred rifle. All for $4. You will need a mould and probably an electric lead melter, which will run about $30 up for the melter and $15 up on the mould- Lee stuff is the cheapest, and while I have had some trouble with their larger rifle moulds, their pistol moulds work great. Lyman is a better quality, but far more expensive. You will also need flux, various spoons, pots, lube, resizers, etc., but this is all in Lee's and Lyman's books. The same reasons you got into reloading make getting into casting attractive- lowering the costs significantly. The gear pays for itself in the first few hundred bullets.
    "...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conference in 1899.
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  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't want it to appear that I'm picking on ya Jonk, two hits in as many posts, but if a nominal rifle bullet weighs(edit) say 148 grains and a nominal pistol bullet weighs(edit) 158 grains how do we get 200 bullets of one type and 2000 of another. One pound is 7000 grains. Do the math.Clouder..[This message has been edited by whiteclouder (edited 10-29-2001).]
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    Well, most of my rifle bullets run in the 200 gr range, and most pistol in the 100 gr range, so while I may be a bit off, I still get far more pistol bullets per pound.
    "...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conference in 1899.
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Idsman:Highly recommend Lyman Cast Bullet manual. Also NRA puts out an excellent one on the subject. (1) First caveat: be *very* sure you have excellent ventilation. Have a friend, long time shooter / reloader who had to give up shooting on indoor ranges bullet casting because the lead levels in his blood had crept up over the years. Also be sure to wash carefully after handling for same reason.Equipment - you can get by w/ a ladle & stove top cast iron pot in addition to your mould(s), but far better to have a bottom-pour furnace. Kind of like a good press v. a Lee Loader. Both do the job, one produces at a high enough rate to enjoy the fruits of one's labor. Until you have more experience w/ the process, which bullets / diameters work best in which firearms, a lubri-sizer is also a necessity. It *is* possible to hand lubricate as-cast bullets, but for general plinking as opposed to using old Schutzen rifles, not a productive approach IMHO.Be careful with wheelweight scrap. Sometimes there is some real crap in it - aluminum contaminants, etc. If ever there was a 'pot metal,' this is it. I try to stick to linotype as a base, alloyed w/ pure lead, 50-50 solder or other materials of known content. I will admit I've shot 12 gazillion rounds of wheel weight slugs with minimal problems, but the supply I have is very old, pre-dating many of the environmental 'improvements' that have been made in this material. With some care, you make some most excellent bullets for some very cheap, accurate shooting. Before all the HazMat BS, I could load full power .357 Mags for less than I'd spend on an equal number of .22 (admittedly I already had the brass & sought out deals on powder / primers, buying in volume). Have fun![This message has been edited by Iconoclast (edited 11-01-2001).]
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