Posted: 1/30/2009 7:48:57 AM EDT
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As many folks here are moving into reloading, bullet casting is a natural extension of the hobby. In the interest of exchanging ideas, I have been kicking around the idea of putting together a how-to session (maybe during lunch at the next LCR?) for bullet casting.
Cast bullets are/can be: o Accurate o Cheap and easy to make (after equipment investment, just like reloading) o Ideal for magnum handgun loads o The next level in being self-sufficient o A good choice in rifle loads up to ~2300 fps Cast bullets are NOT: o A replacement for jacketed bullets in a gas-tube-glowing bump fire situation o Easy to micro-stamp o Just for Fudds or muzzleloaders Topics covered would be along the lines of: Safety Equipment needs Raw Material selection Fitting bullets to individual firearms. This is the most important step to preventing bore leading and is really tough to pull off using commercial cast bullets An actual casting and sizing session Any interest? What says the hive? |
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Very Cool...I cast my own for cap and balll but haven't gained the knowledge for obtaining the hardness by adding antimony to get a good .45 or .38 bulllet. I use about a 60/40 Split, wheel weights and recovered bullets
CHEAP IS THE WAY TO GO! I get wheel weights from a freind who owns a garage, some from Les Schwab....I've torn down an old car battery but that was a PITA. me and Jr.45 pick up a few handfulls of whatever we find in the berms at a few local spots.... ......... I got.PICS! 
here's some bullets and weights gettin smelted into bars- Yes I live dangerously and am not a-feared of a little lead splatter. 
Poured into ingot mold, I found that this indeed was the best way to process lead, I melt all my lead collected once or twice a year, and it makes things go pretty easy when I want to cast some up, and certianly makes the lead easier to store. 
Knocking the sprue off of 2 newly cast .451 round balls 
Opening the mold to drop the two balls into some water for hardness 
See! Hat Morty Jive is happy! he's got his balls in his hands, 
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I use to cast my own bullets.
Be careful......... Gloves, long sleeves, long pants, shoes, and eye protection. Fire extinguisher nearby. Always, outdoors and an extra fan to blow away the fumes, wouldn't hurt. Of course, not in the direction of the house.....duh. Have your blood checked with your physical (if you're wondering about the poisoning effect). Aloha, Mark |
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Quoted:
I use to cast my own bullets. Be careful......... Gloves, long sleeves, long pants, shoes, and eye protection. Fire extinguisher nearby. Bowl of ice and maybe an aloe plant for burns. Always, outdoors and an extra fan to blow away the fumes, wouldn't hurt. Of course, not in the direction of the house.....duh. Have your blood checked with your physical (if you're wondering about the poisoning effect). Aloha, Mark Grumpy and I have a mutual friend that is still dealing with the effects of too much lead in his blood. Bad nervous system juju. I was asking him about casting precautions to limit exposure and he said "forget casting, it ain't worth it." I don't think I'd have the exposure he did though. That said, I have a lead benchmark from my last physical, hundreds of pounds of wheel weights, an RCBS pot, molds and lubra-matic but have only casted 2 & 3# weights for halibut fishing.  I'd be interested in casting 101 especially as it pertains to selecting the proper sizing die.
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While we're at it, lets cast up some toy soldiers for all the ARFCOM toddlers to play with. It's getting harder all the time to get toys with enough lead in them.
But seriously, I'd love to have a quick tutoring session at some convenient time. I probably will never cast bullets since I have a hard time even prioritizing time to pull a loader handle, but increasing my knowlege of any facet of the sport is interesting to me. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Be careful......... Gloves, long sleeves, long pants, shoes, and eye protection. 
Priceless with the pics above your post  Yes I live dangerously and am not a-feared of a little lead splatter.
I thought the same thing...it's ARFCOM, YMMV....familarity breeds contempt. I worked in the Kaiser Alum Plant a number of years ago, temps in the 130's over the pots, 1600 degree molten alum all around... A little lead pot doesn't bother me, and I'm always upwind of the fumes.  But to each his own...
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