Everything needed to cast your one bullets?

hrbie

What all is needed to cast your own bullets? I have been doing a lot of reading but just want to see what info you all have. And im talking about just what is necessary, nothing fancy. Any help would be much appriciated.

perry shooter

To cast and then use your own bullets First you need lead this can be any thing from free range mining scrap to buying virgin casting metal . Then you need a way to melt he lead anything from a small cast iron pot and a kitchen range to a Thermostatically controlled bottom pour melting pot then you need mold block of correct size and weight any where from a cheap Lee brand single cavity mold block that will cast one bullet at a time to a 6 cavity H&G mold block that will cast 6 bullets at a time for BIG BUCKS and then you need to size and lube the bullets and this with any thing again from a cheap lee cookie cutter type to a Star with heater lubersizer again for big bucks. My guest any where from $30.00 to $600.00 just to cast one size bullets . it all depends on how much time you want to spend and the quality of what you make for say 100 bullets.

hrbie

Thanks for the reply perry. Im going to look into it some more. A lot of material to learn from on the internet. Thanks again.

bpost

This link is to a great site to learn a lot.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/

I've been casting for over 30 years. It is fun and a fantasitc way to save a lot of money on shooting.

You should get the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook; it is the bible on casting bullets.

The Lee bottom pour pot is great. Lee molds are performing very well and are 1/3 the price of iron molds. Don't be afraid of used stuff, most of it never gets used much.

k_townman

I've been casting and shooting cast bullets since the 1970's. Since I'm a "NEWBIE" here, I don't know enough to answer your question. [xx(]
[sarcasm]

grumpygy

Look at midwayUSA they seem to be having a sell on some casting stuff. Price is not bad at least from the flier I just got.

ryanek9freak

I have 2 Lyman smelting pots, and various Lyman bullet molds, along with a resizer with all the approprate sizing dies. It's not that expensive to get in to, and I get all the lead I want for free, courtesty of the tire shop I live by. You do have to make an alloy though, if you want good performance. I use 8lbs of lead and 1 pound of tin, although there are commercial mixes if you want to spend the money. Also the mix has to be fluxed, with beeswax, or a commercial substance made just for bullet fluxing.

My wife hates it when I start the pot. It stinks up the whole house. But hey, it's cheap as hell. I have even started putting gas checks on most of my bullets as well.

partisan

The best advice I can offer regarding casting your own bullets is: DON'T!!!! You are looking at a sizable investment, and casting is one serious pain in the butt!! I have everything necessary for casting, and I buy my bullets. If you have to try it, Lyman makes everything you need. My Lyman equipment is 35 years old. It now resides in my attic.

44shotdoctor

I have all the equipment needed to do this. My father that pasted a few years ago had this stuff. I have never tried to us this stuff. Is it worth the effort? Even with today's higher prices. Lasercast bullets still has to be the way to go. I guess if someday when I can't get lead bullets I can make my own. But for now it is not worth the time involved in making and lubing.

jonk

Well for me it is worth it for the cost (bullets that are essentially free) accuracy (matching bullet to groove diameter and playing with lube types, alloy types, etc) greater selection of diameters and types of bullets over lasercast etc., and so forth.

Is it worth it to you? You have to answer that.